Billions Spent, No Shift: Portland’s LRT vs. Vancouver’s SkyTrain
- Reality Check
-
- December 7, 2012
Late last month, the online blog Price Tags published an analysis titled “Vancouver demolishes Portland: A transit comparison”, highlighting how Metro Vancouver outperforms Portland in attracting riders and shifting trips from cars to transit. Building on that discussion, we examined comparable data sets for both cities — and the contrast is even sharper than the original article suggests.
Two cities, two transit philosophies
Although Vancouver and Portland both launched rapid transit systems in the 1980s, they pursued fundamentally different approaches:
- Portland (TriMet) built the MAX Light Rail system: 84 km of mostly at‑grade LRT, with some elevated and underground segments. Portland also operates a small downtown streetcar system, but it runs entirely in mixed traffic and is not rapid transit.
- Vancouver (TransLink) built SkyTrain, a fully grade‑separated, automated rapid transit network that currently spans 69 km and operates on elevated and underground guideways.
What the Data Shows: Vancouver Shifted Trips, Portland Didn’t
A recent data sheet posted on Human Transit (which we previously analyzed on our site) documented Portland’s mode-share trends from 1997 to 2006. Separately, we located a 2012 data sheet prepared for the Vancouver Transit Plan, which shows the mode-share changes for trips entering Vancouver between 1996 and 2006.
When placed side by side, the results are striking:
Vancouver (1996–2006)[1]
- Transit mode share for commuters entering or exiting Vancouver increased by 7%—from 25% to 32%.
- Car mode share decreased by 7%—from 73% to 67%.
- Total vehicle trips entering the city dropped by nearly 10%.
- This is especially significant because these are longer-distance commuters—the very group most likely to drive. SkyTrain has clearly captured this market.
- Within Vancouver itself, there was also a modest shift away from driving.
Portland (1997–2006)[2]
- Transit commute mode share remained flat at 12%.
- Drive-alone mode share increased from 71% to 72%.
- Carpooling declined slightly.
Context Matters: Vancouver Achieved This With a Smaller System
Despite similar levels of capital investment (excluding Portland’s substantial development subsidies), only one region saw a meaningful shift toward transit—and it wasn’t Portland.
In 2006:
- Vancouver’s SkyTrain network was 50 km, shorter than Portland’s 70 km MAX system.
- The Canada Line had not yet opened.
- SkyTrain primarily served commuters from Burnaby and Surrey—essentially one major corridor—while MAX extended in three directions and served multiple potential markets.
Yet Vancouver still achieved a measurable, system-wide shift toward transit. Portland did not.
Why? Competitive Service Wins Riders
Metro Vancouver residents consistently value speed and reliability[3]:
- A 2010 survey of Canada Line riders found that 42% cited travel speed as the most-liked feature.
- Frequent riders also highlighted reliability and frequency.
SkyTrain delivers on these expectations:
- 96% on-time performance[4]
- High frequencies
- Lower operating costs due to driverless technology
By contrast, TriMet’s own data shows MAX LRT operating below 75% on-time performance, with lower frequencies and higher operating costs per rider.[5]
The evidence is clear: Vancouver is doing better than Portland
The evidence is clear: rapid transit investments only shift mode share when they deliver fast, reliable, fully grade-separated service.
Vancouver built such a system—and saw real, measurable results. Portland did not—and saw no shift at all.
Footnotes
- Vancouver Transportation Plan Update — p.9[↩]
- Portland: A Challenging Chart — Human Transit[↩]
- Canada Line survey shows what transit riders actually want[↩]
- SkyTrain Reliability Wins[↩]
- October 2012 Monthly Performance Report — TriMet, Portland[↩]
Pictured in header: A Portland MAX light rail train crosses a road at-grade.
Reality Check
Reality Check is the online blog run by the founder of SkyTrain for Surrey, a BC-based community organization that has advocated for the expansion of the Vancouer SkyTrain system, including our successful advocacy for the under-construction Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension.
Media Contact: Daryl Dela Cruz – Founder, SkyTrain for Surrey ・ Phone: +1 604 329 3529, [email protected]
