John Bakker

Photograph: Prof. Jaap (John) Bakker (third from right) meeting Ottawa area Transport Action members Michael Kostiuk, Tim Lane, Carolyn Clackdoyle, Mark Walton, David Leibold and David Jeanes in 2019.

Jaap Jelle (John) Bakker, 12 December 1929 – 23 April 2025, was a long time member of Transport Action and its predecessor, Transport 2000. He held various director positions in Alberta, the national office, and in British Columbia; and was editor of the western newsletter for several years. John’s knowledge of transportation, particularly steel wheel on steel rail, was vast and deep; and he was always willing to share it.

John was born the Netherlands, moved to England after WWII, graduated from the University of Glasgow, and then completed his Masters at Purdue in the United States. In 1957, he took a job as the City Engineer for Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and then became Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Alberta in 1960, teaching City Planning and Transportation for 35 years.

He was a very active in local politics and advocacy, including serving on St. Albert’s Town Council and establishing the town’s the first public transit in 1974. He was also instrumental in bringing Light Rail Transit (LRT) to the City of Edmonton in time for the 1978 Commonwealth Games.

“John was an early member and director of Transport 2000, and as long as he was in Edmonton there was a Transport 2000 Alberta. He must have made some impression as when I went to speak at a U of A Engineering Faculty special meeting [part of a cross-Canada tour I did to give a series of talks on VIA Rail revitalisation] the room was full. Dank u wel, Jaap.“

Harry Gow, Past President, Transport Action Canada

Transport Action Canada and Transport Action BC have made a contribution the university’s Discover-E program at the University of Alberta in John’s memory. This supports outreach to non-traditional communities and schools to engage and encourage youth to investigate engineering as a career.