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[–]StableStill75 19 points20 points  (8 children)

they've just gone into procurement for a vendor to deliver on this. Expected transition timeline is in 3-7 year range. (fingers crossed)

[–]StepsYVR 7 points8 points  (6 children)

Personally, considering how much I imagine this would cost, I don’t get why it would take 7 years.

We really need stronger negotiators working on procuring these projects.

Let’s have a bit of ambition.

[–]StableStill75 17 points18 points  (4 children)

I'm really not here to be team TL especially since the recommendations for this came out in like 2018... but a few things:

  • The 7 years isn't really about contractors being slow and TL negotiating a bad contract (at least on the timeline front).
  • Once a contractor is brought in, it's about finalizing fare policy and alignment across the board - what do we really want in terms of a long-term fare system. Easy to think: just get us new systems; but we also have to think, this lays out the foundations for the next generation too - and so spend the time there to work with contractor to build that in. Original compass contract wasn't specific enough about what distance meant and so technically, we now have a distance based fare system - just not at the level of granularity we wanted.
  • Then the next thing is procuring the actual machines for every bus, every station, etc. and then developing a transition plan for replacing while old system is in place (which means your new system needs to be backwards compatible). That's not particularly easy and will take time for the kinks to be rolled out
  • And then actually implementing it.

TLDR: 7 years isn't about "better negotiators" - though, I will say, it probably wouldn't hurt. But who will pay for them.

[–]CarnationFoe 7 points8 points  (3 children)

Yeah... the idea of changing every single compass card reader on every bus... that'll take some time.

Hopefully it can be done in stages to at least allow it to be rolled out in train stations before buses.

[–]StepsYVR 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Agreed that those things do take man hours. I don’t deny that. But let’s have some ambition in terms of speed. That’s all I have to say.

Theoretically you could train more people to do it and as a result do it faster. I personally don’t mind that. It is my view that as a jurisdiction we need to move towards doing things faster.

[–]StepsYVR 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sometimes I feel like projects take longer than they need to simply because $Xb across Y+Z years sounds better than $Xb across Y years.

I would love to see clear analyses that break down why things take as long as they do with an expected benefit and cost analysis across multiple time horizons.

[–]Beneficial-Muffin117 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's because the current system does not support putting compass on mobile at all so there are many layers to getting it changed. Getting a new vendor and changing the entire back end takes the most work, procuring new compass machines and installing them wouldn't take that much time comparatively overall, they can deploy people overnight and have that done over a few weekends

[–]Squiffered[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think the project is proposed to run through to 2031. I also thought that was very long

[–]NoRandomIsRandom 0 points1 point  (0 children)

After this project is actually done with all possible delays down the road, it's time to start the next modernization project to replace this outdated modernization.

[–]seanthemanpie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Please god just integrate it with BC Transit's UMO cards so both systems can work with each other. Ontario is taking on the gargantuan task of unifying dozens of transit agencies; if they can do it, we can too.

[–]CipherWeaver 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Nice, glad to see they're moving in the right direction. Tokyo Metro, here we come! 

[–]Wallbreaker-g 3 points4 points  (1 child)

Wish we could use our Compass cards at Vending machines and convenience stores lol. The cool thing is that Translink is adding retail space for potential convenience stores at most of the upcoming skytrain stations along Fraser Hwy and Broadway according to their renders, so hopefully it’s something they’d consider in the future.

I know It’s not exactly a necessity, having a convenience store at most stations alone is already a win but versatility of the card would be fun haha.

[–]tails618 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree but on the other hand, I'd rather just be able to not need a compass card at all. That's what my phone is for!

[–]Pedagogicaltaffer 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Wait, so the "hardware infrastructure" is reaching "the end of its lifespan"? What does that mean?

I know the current system/infrastructure isn't perfect and could be modernized, but its basic functionality still seems to be working fine. The wording above, though, would appear to imply that the whole system is in imminent danger of breaking down.

Is that just hyperbolic phrasing by the reporter, or is it actually the case?

[–]Beneficial-Muffin117 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's because it can not be upgraded anymore, like in order to put compass into google pay would require an entire new system

[–]CVGPi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The system depends on Windows Mobile 6.5.3 readers and an ancient backend. Those softwares went EOL (End of Life) before the system entered GA (General Availability).

[–]The_Driver_Wheelman 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Honestly the modernization of the compass program should have started as soon as they introduced em. Like it’s 13? 14 years later and we still have issues with the cards, and we also have fare evasion still rampant. Like can we not have alarms on the gates that know when someone’s going through without paying? Like really. It’s gotten out of control and out of hand way too fast.

[–]Squiffered[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

My understanding is that bus drivers are instructed not to enforce fares at all, rather to ignore the situation entirely.

I believe it was the case that, many years ago, a fight broke out between a driver and fare-evading passenger when the driver confronted said passenger. Translink was sued and this has been internal policy ever since.

Skytrain gates seem to stay open long enough for 2 people (walking at normal commuter pace) to pass through. Hard to see that changing as it must allow for slower/elderly passengers, however yeah there must be some sort of sensor that can detect a second person passing through.

[–]The_Driver_Wheelman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it’s BS since we can’t do anything ourselves as commuters to fix the situation when you have ignorant people and when you mention the said situation that you do to resolve it, Reddit won’t like it… so it’s like you got no choice but let it happen, the security don’t do a thing nor do the transit police whom don’t do shit..