From Wednesday, November 27 to Friday, November 29, Unifor will escalate job action resulting in the suspension of SeaBus and major bus service in Metro Vancouver.
“The Surrey Board of Trade calls for a conclusion to this continued job action which compromises workers, business, and our economy,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade.
Each day, over 350,000 people take the bus within our region. This will result in challenging and uncertain commutes.
“This matters to Surrey’s city-building business organization because strikes are large impediments to business and the functionality of our economy. Without adequate transportation modes getting our workforce to their jobs, economic productivity is diminished. There is a huge increase in transit ridership in Surrey especially as our city’s population continues to grow by 800-1,000 people a month.”
The Surrey Board of Trade sent the following to their 6,000 member contacts today and through social media to offer some advice on transportation alternatives when bus services are on strike, of course in addition to driving a car, such as:
1. Carpool – set up a company carpool program where you can ride with coworkers.
2. Bike – a healthy alternative. Be sure to dress warm and wear appropriate safety gear when getting on the road.
3. Car Sharing – Find out about and use car sharing services such as Evo, Zipcar, and Modo (limited options though in Surrey in this regard).
4. Note that SkyTrain’s Expo, Millennium and Canada Lines, as well as West Coast Express, HandyDART, and Blue Bus will be running regular service. These transit services will be busier than usual, so please plan for extra travel time.
5. TransLink has a designated team to help implement travel solutions tailored to your needs. To book a TravelSmart Advisor, email travelchoices@translink. ca.
For employers, flexibility and creativity are required for work schedules and employee arrival times by:
1. Being flexible with an employee’s start time;
2. Opening your business later;
3. Being proactive in finding transportation solutions for your employees, and;
4. Allowing employees to telecommute or work from home.
The Surrey Board of Trade will continue to call for an immediate resolution to this job action and as always advocate for innovative transportation solutions for Surrey, including ridesharing.
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