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Air Quality Advisory Cancelled

By 250 News

Thursday, January 07, 2010 09:54 AM

Prince  George, B.C.-The Air Quality Advisory for Prince  George has been cancelled.
The provincial air quality objective for fine particles, PM2.5, is 25 micrograms per cubic metre, averaged over 24 hours. The 24 hour PM2.5 rolling average was 17 µg/m3 at the Plaza 400 downtown site at 10:00 am and 19 µg/m3 at College Heights. 
The provincial air quality objective for fine particles, PM10, is 50 micrograms per cubic metre, averaged over 24 hours. The 24 hour PM10 rolling average was 26 µg/m3 at the Plaza 400 downtown, 34 µg/m3 at BCR and 30 µg/m3 at College Heights. 
Based on the air quality data, the high levels were mainly due combustion emissions, including wood smoke (wood stoves) as well as emissions from industry and transportation sources such as automobiles, trucks and rail traffic. 
Even though the advisory has been cancelled, there still is a slight possibility of a few hours of elevated levels as well as odour later this morning.
 
With the cancellation of the   Air Quality Advisory, Free Transit  rides will end at  11:59  tonight.

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Posted on Thursday, January 07, 2010 09:54 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Comment Posted by: giterdun on January 7 2010 11:14 AM
What if was on the bus when the advisory was lifted, do I still get a free trip? This is so stupid it makes me gag.
Comment Posted by: acrider54 on January 7 2010 12:19 PM
Damn and I have been waiting for the bus all day.
Comment Posted by: gus on January 7 2010 12:41 PM
While the intentions of the free transit during an advisory are good, the fact is, using the current system the intent cannot be met on the day the advisory takes effect. Thus, if there is only a short advisory, the process is flawed.

Couple of things. Advisories are typically not unexpected. The build-up is monitored. Thus a system should be in place to act on as soon as the advisory is given.

The drivers/buses should all be reachable during the day.

It seems to me that to avoid customers being unhappy that just paid their fare, the free fare should go into effect on preset increments that are shorter than 24 hours. Say 3 hours. 06:00; 09:00; 12:00; 15:00; 18:00; 21:00; 0:00;

That way, if an advisory is called at 15:30, the free fares start at 18:00 hrs.

BTW, the advisories are based on 24 hr averages, so for short period advisories, the air "problem" based on hourly averages could very easily have passed many hours previously. That, of course, puts into question the entire purpose of the exercise.

In the end, it may just be a feel good exercise other than for long duration advisories.
Comment Posted by: MrPG on January 7 2010 1:04 PM
That's pretty much it. The free-fare thing is a feel good exercise. It gives people the impression that we are 'doing something'.
Comment Posted by: Norm1 on January 7 2010 6:50 PM
Read and understand the facts of this air quality advisory policy.

It is really quite simple and easy to understand and apply.

The following information appears on the Prince zgeorge ztransit website:

________________________________

Free Fare
Fare for Clean Air

The City of Prince George will be offering free transit on days where the Ministry of The Environment issues air advisories.

Transit will be free starting at 11:59 p.m. of the day the air advisory is issued until 11:59 p.m. of the day the advisory ends.
_____________________