CANADA: Vancouver regional transport authority TransLink has awarded Bombardier Transportation a contract to operate West Coast Express commuter rail services from May 2014. The C$17m contract runs for five years, with options for three additional five-year periods.
West Coast Express was launched in 1995 and now carries more than 2·8 million passengers/year on a 68 km route between Mission and central Vancouver. Five services run into the city on weekday mornings, returning in the evening. Services are operated using 44 locomotive-hauled Bombardier BiLevel double-deck coaches.
'We're extremely pleased to expand our long standing relationship with Bombardier as a vehicle and technology provider, to now include rail operations', said Fred Cummings, President & General Manager of TransLink operating company British Columbia Rapid Transit Co Ltd.
