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Smart cards & fare gates won't stop transit cheats

The Editor, Re. "TransLink should find efficiencies" (Letters, The Tri-City News, Feb. 1). Letter writer Nevin Blumer has his heart in the right place but... Fare gates and smart cards do not prevent those transit users who want to cheat.

The Editor,

Re. "TransLink should find efficiencies" (Letters, The Tri-City News, Feb. 1).

Letter writer Nevin Blumer has his heart in the right place but...

Fare gates and smart cards do not prevent those transit users who want to cheat. All transit systems with fare gates and smart cards experience cheating.

What is the point of comparing Metro Vancouver transit with the transit systems of cities with a much bigger population and even bigger transit system and assured financing? We should compare Metro Vancouver with European cities around one million population that use systems similar to SkyTrain. Unlike here in B.C., the mayors and councillors of such cities and the regional governments co-operate to plan urban transit and inter-city transit, along with roads. Solid financing by all levels of government is a given.

But, then, in Europe, as in Asia, there is a solid transit culture. Most of the people who live in a Metropolitan area there, including those who own cars, use transit regularly, anywhere from several days a month to daily.

J-L Brussac, Coquitlam