TransLink’s mayors council has given its stamp of approval to implementing a distance-based fare system for rapid transit.
The mayors gave the go ahead after a fare review report was presented during a council meeting at the transit authority’s headquarters in New Westminster on Thursday morning.
The review recommended a new payment model be developed based on the distance travelled by SkyTrain, Canada Line and SeaBus users.
With the approval, TransLink will begin researching a fare structure. The report suggested a flat rate for the first five kilometres – expected to be around the current one-zone rate of $2.95 – and then an increase for every kilometer up to a maximum of the current three-zone fare of $5.70.
According to TransLink’s report, about two-thirds of commuters will pay about the same as they do now.
TransLink still needs to figure out how to implement the new system with its Compass card. Monthly passes will have to change as well based on the maximum distance they travel on each trip.
The report recommended approaching the provincial government to explore the possibility of expanded discounts for seniors, low income residents, children and youth.
The review said expanding off-peak discounts is worth investigating because it could help reduce overcrowding on the system. But to be effective the discounts should target times and locations where overcrowding is the worst. However, the report noted doing so would result in less revenue and would require funding. So the review recommended pilot studies be done on how best to implement such a change.
The report also recommends West Coast Express go to station-to-station based fares, but that won’t go ahead until consultation with its riders is done.
There was no recommendaiton to change the current flat fares charged on buses and for HandyDART.
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