Oh, TransLink.

A couple of weeks ago, the TransLink brass (with at least six communications officer in tow) decided to unveil their shiny new Mark III SkyTrain cars to the press.

The media dutifully showed up for their first ride, with none other than new TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond at the helm. Now, SkyTrain is usually driverless, but Desmond decided he would take the controls for the first ride.

We’ll let CKNW’s intrepid Janet Brown tweet what happened next:

And her video of the immediate aftermath:

Uh, oh.

So what caused the glitch? Here’s a note from a TransLink whistleblower:

“Thought you might like to know that the new CEO of TransLink drove the new Mark III train without a hostler license on the Expo line and caused an emergency brake. Passengers, including the new president of BCRTC [the TransLink subsidiary that manages SkyTrain], went flying. There was a fully qualified employee on board but the photo op was more important than safety.”

There’s a great parable here: TransLink administration pushing in on their frontline staff and screwing things up - all for a photo op.

Another great moment in TransLink management history.