TransLink notes surplus in 2013, marks 15th anniversary

TransLink finished 2013 with a $47.9 million surplus (in Canadian dollars) and maintained high customer satisfaction while exceeding cost-reduction targets, agency officials announced late last week in a year-end financial report.

With no new revenue sources added in 2013, the financial results "enable the agency to address critical service needs and meet transportation commitments — including the introduction of the B-Line bus service in Surrey, Evergreen Line funding contributions and upgrades at several SkyTrain stations," they said in a press release.

Last year's performance highlights include:
    •    $14.3 million in cost-saving efficiencies through improved scheduling, reducing the spare ratio of various fleets, an ongoing program of service optimization and weekend frequency reductions on SkyTrain.
    •    Customer satisfaction ratings that scored a 7.6 mark out of 10, similar to ratings for 2010 and 2011.
    •    Ridership estimates that show a slight decline to 233.9 million passengers, although the passenger count was slightly above 2011 ridership.

"These are excellent results in a time of fiscal restraint, and they mean that TransLink continues to be able to deliver safe, effective and reliable service for the more than one million rides we provide each day," said TransLink Chief Financial Officer Cathy McLay.

Also last week, agency officials marked TransLink's 15th anniversary. Since the agency was launched in April 1999, passenger trips have increased by 127 million. In context, the population of Metro Vancouver grew by 15 percent while passenger trips increased by 56 percent during the same period, TransLink officials said.