strike could be an obstacle for college commute

With the possibility of Coast Mountain Bus Company staff walking off the job, many Langara students and staff may soon be unable to get to the campus.

Langara’s 2017 Transportation Survey Report showed that 88 per cent of respondents used transit to reach the campus.

Aaron Marty, an environmental studies student, said that a transit strike would be very problematic for him.

“My only way to get here would be taxi,” said Marty.

Situated on South Vancouver’s 49 Avenue, Langara College is primarily serviced by the 49 bus route, the second busiest bus route in the province.

Studio 58 theatre student Sofie Kane said, “It’s the main way we get to school.”

While the survey showed that transit was a prominent option for respondents located in Vancouver, the results suggest that transit is even more popular among those travelling from further away. The survey stated that 96 per cent of respondents located in Surrey relied on transit.

In an email, Sherry Chin-Shue, director of human resource operations at Langara said the college is yet to address the possibility of a strike with employees.

“We are monitoring the situation closely and considering our plans should there be job action by transit workers,” Chin-Shue said.

In 2001, transit operators went on strike for over 100 days, in what became Metro Vancouver’s longest transit strike to date.

Despite 99 per cent of union members voting in favour of a strike, the president of Unifor Local 111, Mike McMillan, said he is “still hopeful a walkout can be avoided.”

Travel Options

GET AROUND DURING A STRIKE

» Bike

Vancouver is full of cycling options. A map of the city's bike routes is available online at Vancouver.ca.

» Carpool

Driving with multiple passengers? Apply for a carpool decal from Langara and get access to carpool spots.

» Car Share

Business administration student Srikant Raturi said that a transit strike would be devastating for him as he relies heavily on the transit system.

“I take two buses and a train, so I don’t think I’d be able to reach the college,” said Raturi.

However, Gordon Lovegrove, a UBC engineering professor with expertise in transportation, said that such a significant vote could result in a strike action.

“I don’t see the drivers backing down,” Lovegrove said. The union must provide the public with 72 hours' notice prior to striking.

Services like car2go and Evo let you rent cars by the minute.

» Taxi, Ride Share

While taxi services are available in Vancouver, ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft are on their way following recent city approval.

SOURCES: LANGARA .CA, VANCOUVER.CA