TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond and British Columbia Rapid Transit Company Ltd. (BCRTC) President and General Manager Vivienne King welcomed customers on board the first new Mark III SkyTrain to enter into service on Vancouver's Expo Line. Over the coming months, six additional Mark III trains will be added to prepare the system for the opening of the Evergreen Extension.
"We're excited to be launching the first of the new Mark III trains into service this morning, and we're glad to know that so many of our customers are just as excited about them as we are," stated King. "These new trains will help improve capacity on our crowded system, and give our customers a smoother ride and better experience when they're traveling on SkyTrain."
The Mark III train is lighter, more energy efficient, and has improved LED lighting and a longer-lasting battery system. Each train is made up of four connected cars, so passengers can move freely from one car to the others on the train. The new Mark IIIs hold approximately 20-50 more passengers than the Mark II, and feature larger front and side windows for more natural lighting, and more open spaces for bikes, strollers and wheelchairs.
"In a region that needs expanded transit service, getting the first of these trains into service helps build momentum toward improving transit and transit capacity in the region, and improve services to our customers," said Desmond. "These trains exemplify how all levels of government come together to invest in much needed transportation infrastructure to support and shape growth in the region."
The seven Mark III trains, with a total cost of $91 million, were purchased as part of the Evergreen Project to provide the capacity required to support the opening of the Evergreen Extension. Once the extension opens, the SkyTrain system will be the longest driverless and automated rapid transit system in the world.
Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development said, "It is essential to the Government of British Columbia that our transit investments provide the necessary support to enable the growth of interconnected, affordable and sustainable communities. Today's unveiling of the new Mark III trains will help to ensure that this region remains a livable one – one in which British Columbians continue to live, work and play.”