Six days after TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond revealed that his organization was losing $75 million per month, the regional transportation authority has announced major cost-cutting.

With ridership down 83 percent due to the COVID-19 pandemic, TransLink has issued temporary layoffs to 1,492 employees and announced deep service cuts. (For details on service, scroll to the bottom.)

The employees work for its Coast Mountain Bus Company, West Coast Express, and B.C. Rapid Transit Company subsidiaries, as well as at the TransLink head office in New Westminster.

TransLink plans to "implement further suspension of transit services" on the bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express, starting this week.

Other savings will be accrued by deferring funding to municipal governments for maintenance and rehabilitation of the major road network.

"It’s not lost on me what an impact this decision will have on the lives of our employees and their families," Desmond said in a news release. "I fully expect those affected will be recalled once TransLink returns to regular operations, which we are now planning for back-to-school in September, if consistent with provincial guidelines.”

That's not all. Senior executives will take a 10 percent pay cut and directors will see their stipends slashed by 10 percent.

In 2018, Desmond received $405,242 in annual compensation.

Last year, the TransLink board jacked up the maximum pay for executives from $406,634 to $517,443 in a secret meeting.

The TransLink Mayors' council has not announced any cuts to its members' $575 per diem payments. The mayors' council's next meeting is on Thursday (April 23).

TransLink has not announced that it will be deferring construction on two costly rapid-transit projects.

The $2.8-billion Broadway subway is being developed from VCC-Clark Station in East Vancouver to Arbutus Street and West Broadway on the city's West Side.

The other project is a $1.6-billion SkyTrain extension from King George Station to the Fleetwood area of Surrey.

TransLink secured the vast majority of the capital funding for these two projects from the federal and provincial governments, which have not put these expenditures on hold.

Service reductions by mode 

SkyTrain

• Beginning Wednesday (April 22), Expo and Millennium Line capacity will be further reduced.
• Expo Line capacity will be reduced by 20% during peak hours.  During middays, early evenings, and weekends, capacity will be reduced by 20% to 40%, depending on the time of day.
• These capacity reductions are in addition to a 17% reduction during peak hours and a 20% reduction on Friday and Saturday evenings, which were implemented last month.
• Millennium Line capacity will be reduced by 15% during peak hours. During middays, early evenings, and weekends, capacity will be reduced by 20% to 40%, depending on the time of day.
• These capacity reductions are in addition to a 17% reduction during peak hours and a 20% reduction on Friday and Saturday evenings, which were implemented last month.
• Canada Line capacity has been reduced by 18% during peak hours.

Bus

• Beginning Friday (April 24), 18 bus routes will be suspended.
• Suspended routes: 15, 32, 50, 68, 105, 131, 132, 143, 222, 480, 414, R3.
• Most of these routes have other transit as alternatives
• Suspended NightBus routes: N8, N15, N17, N22, N24, N35.
• Beginning in early May, we expect another 47 routes will be suspended, and frequency reduced on many remaining routes.
• Expected route suspensions: 251, 252, 262, 280, 281, 282, 370, 563, 564, 044, 170, 181, 182, 231, 241, 247, 258, 345, 352, 354, 391, 393, 394, 395, 416, 509, 602, 603, 604, 606, 608, 614, 616, 617, 618, 619, 719, 722, 733, 741, 744, 748, 749, 791, 042, 150, 179.
• Precise timing for these suspensions and reductions will be released in due course.
• TransLink is prioritizing service to routes serving hospitals and other health facilities.
• Routes selected for suspension either duplicate other routes or are in low ridership areas.
• The number of people TransLink can move on buses was reduced to around 30% of normal levels due to physical distancing measures. Once all planned service reductions are implemented, the number of people TransLink can move will decrease further, to around 20% of normal levels.

SeaBus

• Beginning Wednesday (April 22), SeaBus will end service earlier.
• The last SeaBus sailing of the day will happen at 7:30 p.m. from Lonsdale Quay and 7:45 p.m. from Waterfront.
• SeaBus will continue sailings every 30-minutes.

West Coast Express

• Beginning Wednesday (April 22), West Coast Express trains One, Three, and Five will continue to operate on existing schedules but will have fewer cars.
• Trains Two and Four remain suspended.