VANCOUVER — A $5-million upgrade to the automated system that runs Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain transit system tops the 20 recommendations included in a report investigating two shutdowns that stranded thousands of passengers in July.
During the five- to six-hour shutdowns on July 17 and July 21, passengers pried open train doors and walked on the elevated guideway next to electrified tracks back to transit stations.
Gary McNeil who was hired to write the report says staff fixed the problems of each shut down, but then spent hours manually re-enterting train information into the automated system known as SELTRAC.
He says among the millions of dollars in improvements TransLink — SkyTrain's operator — must make is a new auto-restart program for SELTRAC, which could reduce delays.
He also says the system needs new guideway-intrusion technology that will allow staff to cut down on unnecessary alarms that stop trains and cause delays.
TransLink says in a news release that it accepts and is acting on all 20 recommendations, but notes the bill will hit about $71 million.
