how-often-are-buses-and-trains-cleaned-in-vancouver?
| | | |

How often are buses and trains cleaned in Vancouver?

ByBeth Rochester

Summer in Vancouver has brought sunshine, lively events, and fireworks to our lovely city. However, the warm weather also brought a sweaty stench to our crowded buses and SkyTrains. The public transit in Vancouver turns into a sauna with the mass of bodies boarding the vehicles, and you can feel pretty gross once you finally arrive at your stop. That got us wondering: how often are buses and trains cleaned in Vancouver? In an email to Daily Hive, TransLink shared that Coast Mountain Bus Company maintenance crews clean each of its buses daily. The daily cleaning schedule includes “sweeping, dusting, mopping, and sanitizing touch points, windows, seating areas, stanchions, and straps.” If you’re worried that this daily cleaning may be just a surface-level cleanse, there’s good news: TransLink also deep cleans each of its buses bimonthly. “Additionally, buses are deep-cleaned approximately every two months; this involves a four to five-hour (depending on the size of the bus) deep cleaning of every bus interior surface,” TransLink said. In addition to the strict cleaning schedules followed by the maintenance crews, TransLink is constantly trying to improve the commuter experience. Most recently, TransLink operators have released new PSAs on SkyTrains to encourage polite transit etiquette. One such PSA urges commuters to take off their backpacks, especially during peak travel hours. In an earlier conversation with Daily Hive, TransLink shared that it launched a new etiquette campaign to improve people’s journeys on its transport system. “This September, TransLink launched our newest etiquette campaign to spread awareness on our system. This year, we are focusing on educating customers about priority seating etiquette and reminding customers with backpacks to remove them while in vehicles. Customers can expect to hear the PSA on the system; there will also be posters and signage on the system, as well as posts on our social channels.”

icbc-taken-to-court-by-driver-who-says-he-was-wrongly-blamed
| | | |

ICBC taken to court by driver who says he was wrongly blamed

ByBeth Rochester

Determining who is at fault when a traffic accident happens is part of the usual investigation process for ICBC insurance claims. One incident took things a step further when a driver claimed ICBC had incorrectly found him at fault and decided to escalate the situation in court. Kuldeep Gill filed a claim with the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal against ICBC for a review of ICBC’s liability finding and a refund of $3,190.93 in premiums he paid after he was involved in a motor vehicle accident in October 2021. In Gill’s version of events, he was driving westbound on Lougheed Highway when a vehicle hit the side of his truck as he was stopped in heavy traffic. Fortunately, neither his truck nor his empty trailer was damaged. When ICBC conducted its usual investigation protocol for the accident, it found a different account of events. The other driver involved in the accident told the insurance company that Gill had instead merged into the other vehicle’s lane and hit the vehicle. They said that due to the construction, Gill’s lane eventually needed to merge into theirs, but not at the point where the accident happened. ICBC also interviewed an independent party that had witnessed the accident. They said they “were driving behind Mr. Gill in the right lane when Mr. Gill tried to merge into the left lane and hit the other car.” They also told the insurance company that “there was nothing the other vehicle could have done to avoid being hit.” In addition to these statements, ICBC found that the damage was consistent with the account that Gill had turned into the other vehicle. Gill tried to argue his account of events by claiming that the other driver’s side mirror being flipped was evidence that they must have hit him. This argument did not hold up in court. The tribunal decided that Gill failed to prove that ICBC acted “unreasonably or improperly in investigating the accident and assigning fault.” It was also found that the $3,190.03 Gill claimed he paid in insurance premiums was the amount ICBC paid to repair the other vehicle in the accident. As such, the court dismissed Gill’s claims, and ICBC was not ordered to reimburse him.

you-can-get-free-parking-at-cypress-mountain-this-ski-season
|

You can get free parking at Cypress Mountain this ski season

ByBeth Rochester

Now that summer has ended, we’re getting excited about what the upcoming cold weather means. That’s right, it means ski season is approaching. While we might be a few months away from hitting the slopes, it’s always good to be prepared. In this case, being prepared could get you free parking at Cypress Mountain Resort this winter. The resort announced two weeks ago that it will expand its pay parking to include all lots except 3B and the Nordic area access road. It will cost $10 per day. However, in an email sent to pass holders, the resort shared that season pass holders and individuals with three-, four-, or five-day lift tickets will qualify for free parking. The resort also says that skiers who purchased a one- or two-day Sky Card before the pay parking announcement will also be able to qualify for free parking. Pass holders and those with an already purchased multi-day lift ticket will receive a link to the resort’s parking management portal to upload their licence plate information before October 9. Season pass holders will be able to register up to two licence plates, but only one can be used per day. So, if you plan skiing at Cypress Mountain this winter, it might be worth getting season passes early so you can park for free. The resort shared that it is implementing the pay parking to “improve the parking and arrival experience for guests.” “During peak times, demand for parking exceeds the available spaces. People wait and circle lots, and heavy traffic volume causes long line ups on Cypress Bowl Road,” reads the email to pass holders. In addition to free parking for pass holders, the resort revealed that it is releasing a carpool app that will offset the costs of paid parking for those who use it. Information about the pay parking and its exemptions can be found here.

when-to-watch-out-for-stanley-park-traffic-this-september
| | | | |

When to watch out for Stanley Park traffic this September

ByBeth Rochester

Vancouver is no stranger to stop-start traffic, especially on the roads around Stanley Park. Unfortunately for drivers, September is set to bring more traffic to the area, with a number of special events being held at the park. The Vancouver Park Board’s recent news release shared that “Stanley Park will host a series of large-scale events in addition to operational activities that will result in traffic impacts throughout the park.” It recommends that visitors consider using alternate forms of transportation around the area, such as public transit, walking, biking, and rollerskating. But for those who need to use their vehicles, here are the dates you need to note down for when traffic will be especially bad around Stanley Park. September 2 – Vancouver Triathlon On Monday, from 6 am to 11 am, all roads in Stanley Park will be closed for the Vancouver Triathlon. There will also be road closures on Georgia Street, starting at Denman to the entrance of Stanley Park. However, the seawall will still be open throughout the event. September 4 – Ellen Neel Totem Pole removal On Wednesday, September 4, the parking lot next to the Brockton Totem Poles will be closed in the morning and will remain closed until the Ellen Neel Totem Pole has been removed. September 7 – RBC GranFondo Over 5,000 cyclists are expected to ride from Vancouver to Whistler as part of the RBC GranFondo Whistler ride on Saturday, September 7. Stanley Park Drive, east of Avison Way, will be partially closed from 4 am to 8:30 am. Then, from 5:30 am to 8:30 am, there will be full closures on the following roads: Avison Way Pipeline Road Stanley Park Drive Northbound Stanley Park Causeway and Lions Gate Bridge Single lane, southbound Stanley Park Causeway and Lions Gate Bridge West Georgia, from Denman to Stanley Park September 8 – Battle of Britain Ceremony On Sunday, September 8, the Rose Garden Lane will be closed from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm for the Battle of Britain Ceremony. September 10 to 17 – The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival Vancouver’s highly anticipated Great Outdoors Comedy Festival will see many of the parking lots around Stanley Park starting Tuesday, September 10. Here are when the parking lots around the area will be closed during the festival: Stanley Park Brockton Totem Pole parking lot: Tuesday, September 7 to Tuesday, September 17. Stanley Park Upper Cricket Field parking lot: Friday, September 13, to Sunday, September 15 Parking stalls along Park Drive adjacent to Brockton Totem Pole parking lot: Friday, September 13, to Sunday, September 15 Hopefully these dates can help you plan your travel around Stanley Park.