Metro Vancouver's transit agency has moved its Customer Service Centre from Stadium-Chinatown to a shiny new 6,200-square-foot facility at Waterfront Station. The downtown station is the busiest transportation hub in the region, according to TransLink.
The decision to move to Waterfront is part of a five-year customer experience action plan and will reportedly allow TransLink more opportunities to provide in-person assistance. “We need to be more available to our customers when and where they need assistance, and that’s why we are moving our Customer Service Centre to Waterfront Station which is located at the intersection of every one of our transit modes,” says TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn in a press release. “Moving our customer service facility to this prime location opens new opportunities for us to elevate customer experiences, create more meaningful connections, and build ridership.”
Waterfront Station is the only location on TransLink’s system where all the different modes of Metro Vancouver transit converge and it is adjacent to Canada Place, Helijet, and the cruise ship terminal which are common tourist destinations that may be in search of Compass cards or transit advice. It is estimated that over one million people pass through the station every year, and 35,000 people on an average weekday.
Historically the space that's now the TransLink Customer Service Centre has been used for numerous purposes including a designated smoking room, a parcel room, a U.S. Customs office, and a baggage room. Most recently it was an office space used for Small Business BC which has since relocated to West 12th near Vancouver General Hospital.
To pay homage to the 1914 construction of the station, the centre features the original clock that was installed when Waterfront first opened.
The new centre is three times larger than the one at Stadium–Chinatown Station is fully wheelchair accessible and will be staffed by 30 employees overall, including the West Coast Express Operations. Travellers can use the centre to purchase and activate their Compass cards, sign up for bike lockers, find directions via touch-screen transit kiosks, and receive support from employees.
It opens to the public Friday, September 23 and is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Compass Customer Service Centre at Stadium–Chinatown Station will close.
