2015 fares

[SurfRail]

I don't remember seeing "fare review" in the list of 26 or so that were meant to now be underway reported in a BT article recently.

[ozbob]

I don't remember seeing "fare review" in the list of 26 or so that were meant to now be underway reported in a BT article recently.

And I pointed out that fact to Brisbanetimes and the journalist who penned the article ..

The deputy editor acknowledged there was 27 on radio (published as 26) ... article was not corrected.

[ozbob]

Media release 22nd March 2015 re-released 26th March 2015



SEQ: Time for fare action

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has said it is time the State Government moved forward with a fare review for SEQ.  The implementation of concession fares for Health Care Card holders should be done immediately.  The unemployed need equitable and affordable access to public transport in Queensland.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The ALP when in opposition gave a committment to conduct a review of the failed fares for SEQ  ' to establish a future fare structure that is fair, affordable, and designed to boost patronage across the network ' (1).
The ALP have also made a committment to extend concession fares to the unemployed  ' ... will maintain public transport concessions and extend them to recipients of the Newstart allowance ' (2). "

"The unaffordability of fares is the key standout failure of the TransLink Key Performance Indicators (3). There is no doubt that the previous two State Governments and TransLink have failed to deliver a fare system that is equitable, drives patronage and assists in mobilising our community. The failure to properly sort the SEQ fares  is a very sad indictment on previous Governments."

"It is important that proper community consultation be undertaken as part of a review.  Top down implementation of anti-public transport fare structures has just resulted in a failed fare mess, and has proved very costly in real dollars and in a political sense."

References:

1. Letter from Tim Mulherin 20th January 2015
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11178.msg151987#msg151987

2. http://www.queenslandlabor.org/wp-content/uploads/2014QldPolicyPlatform_web.pdf

3. http://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/resources/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/open-data/2015-Feb-snapshot.pdf

KPI Summary http://backontrack.org/images/tl/summaryfeb15.jpg



Affordability KPI http://backontrack.org/images/tl/affordabilityfeb15.jpg



Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

^

ABC radio Gold Coast -  interview on fares around 8.45am this morning with Nicole Dyer.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow @Robert_Dow  ·  29m

SEQ: Time for fare action > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11335.msg154420#msg154420 ... #qldpol #farefailSEQ it is policy why no action @jackietrad ?

[cartoonbirdhaus]

For the same amount of money as a paper ticket covering a similar distance in TransLink territory, San Francisco now has premium bus services providing a "living-room" environment:

http://leaptransit.com/

(Your typical San Fran resident is rather affluent, but there is no way anyone on a similar income here would choose to ride the mobile fight-cages in this region.)

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

31st March 2015

Re: SEQ: Time for fare action

Greetings,

Is anything happening in the Transport port folio beside roads?  The fare system for SEQ is a disgrace, time it was sorted.

Lots of bus problems of late.  What is happening with Cross River Rail now that the BaT has been put aside by both the Government and Opposition?

Unemployed still struggling to pay obscene fare costs in SEQ.  Time that was sorted in line with the ALP committments.

Transport is a mess.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Media release 22nd March 2015 re-released 26th March 2015



SEQ: Time for fare action

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has said it is time the State Government moved forward with a fare review for SEQ.  The implementation of concession fares for Health Care Card holders should be done immediately.  The unemployed need equitable and affordable access to public transport in Queensland.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The ALP when in opposition gave a committment to conduct a review of the failed fares for SEQ  ' to establish a future fare structure that is fair, affordable, and designed to boost patronage across the network ' (1).
The ALP have also made a committment to extend concession fares to the unemployed  ' ... will maintain public transport concessions and extend them to recipients of the Newstart allowance ' (2). "

"The unaffordability of fares is the key standout failure of the TransLink Key Performance Indicators (3). There is no doubt that the previous two State Governments and TransLink have failed to deliver a fare system that is equitable, drives patronage and assists in mobilising our community. The failure to properly sort the SEQ fares  is a very sad indictment on previous Governments."

"It is important that proper community consultation be undertaken as part of a review.  Top down implementation of anti-public transport fare structures has just resulted in a failed fare mess, and has proved very costly in real dollars and in a political sense."

References:

1. Letter from Tim Mulherin 20th January 2015
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11178.msg151987#msg151987

2. http://www.queenslandlabor.org/wp-content/uploads/2014QldPolicyPlatform_web.pdf

3. http://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/resources/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/open-data/2015-Feb-snapshot.pdf

KPI Summary http://backontrack.org/images/tl/summaryfeb15.jpg



Affordability KPI http://backontrack.org/images/tl/affordabilityfeb15.jpg



Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times published 1st April 2015 page 17

Time for action on public transport system

[ozbob]

Twitter

Jeff Addison @Jeffrey_Addison  4 hours ago

Wow, wow! $15 Family Fun Day travel for 6 people in Sydney all day, all modes Heading to Circular Quay @Robert_Dow



================

^
http://www.transportnsw.info/en/tickets/ticket-types/day-passes/family-funday-sunday.page

Family Funday Sunday

Have a fun Sunday out with your family with the Family Funday Sunday ticket.

For $2.50 per person, your family can enjoy unlimited travel all day Sunday in Sydney, Newcastle, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, Hunter and Illawarra areas, by train, bus, ferry and light rail.

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times published 7th April 2015 page 13

South east's transport system still 'a mess'

[Stillwater]

An international cost-of-living index shows that  Australia is the most expensive nation in which to live.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/the-economy/why-australias-still-the-worlds-most-expensive-place-to-live-20150416-1mm3lt.html

The comparison lists Sydney as having the costliest 'lowest fare' for PT (at $2.92), followed by Melbourne.

It's doubtful whether Brisbane was surveyed for the comparison ($3.35 peak-period Go-card fare, $2.68 off-peak).

[ozbob]

^ not really convinced that it is a valid comparison.  Peak or off peak?  How far each fare?  etc. etc.

Melbourne has a flat Z1 fare, which in reality is very affordable.

But it is a fact fares in SEQ are >> in cost than both Sydney and Melbourne.  Unless you go the Monday rort   

[James]

NYC's train fares are actually far more affordable than they let on. Sure, it costs $2.75 to travel one stop (one way), but with that $2.75 ticket, you can travel ANYWHERE on the network (it's flat fare). One can't say the same about many other rail networks (or any in Australia, for that matter).

[SurfRail]

NYC's train fares are actually far more affordable than they let on. Sure, it costs $2.75 to travel one stop (one way), but with that $2.75 ticket, you can travel ANYWHERE on the network (it's flat fare). One can't say the same about many other rail networks (or any in Australia, for that matter).

Adelaide is more or less flat-fare, though not quite.

[newbris]

They also seem to have just used the current exchange rate for the comparison which is not a valid way to compare cost of living.

[Jonno]

http://movingforward.discoursemedia.org/costofcommute/

For every $1 spent on driving society pays $9.20. Cutting fares now will save us money!!!

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

24th April 2015

SEQ: Time for fare action

Greetings,

Still waiting for action on fares. Will the latest Public transport performance data snapshot ( http://translink.com.au/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/public-transport-performance-data ) be made available later today, as per the usual modus operandi to avoid scrutiny? 

We live in hope ...

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Media release 22nd March 2015 re-released 26th March 2015



SEQ: Time for fare action

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has said it is time the State Government moved forward with a fare review for SEQ.  The implementation of concession fares for Health Care Card holders should be done immediately.  The unemployed need equitable and affordable access to public transport in Queensland.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The ALP when in opposition gave a committment to conduct a review of the failed fares for SEQ  ' to establish a future fare structure that is fair, affordable, and designed to boost patronage across the network ' (1).
The ALP have also made a committment to extend concession fares to the unemployed  ' ... will maintain public transport concessions and extend them to recipients of the Newstart allowance ' (2). "

"The unaffordability of fares is the key standout failure of the TransLink Key Performance Indicators (3). There is no doubt that the previous two State Governments and TransLink have failed to deliver a fare system that is equitable, drives patronage and assists in mobilising our community. The failure to properly sort the SEQ fares  is a very sad indictment on previous Governments."

"It is important that proper community consultation be undertaken as part of a review.  Top down implementation of anti-public transport fare structures has just resulted in a failed fare mess, and has proved very costly in real dollars and in a political sense."

References:

1. Letter from Tim Mulherin 20th January 2015
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11178.msg151987#msg151987

2. http://www.queenslandlabor.org/wp-content/uploads/2014QldPolicyPlatform_web.pdf

3. http://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/resources/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/open-data/2015-Feb-snapshot.pdf

KPI Summary http://backontrack.org/images/tl/summaryfeb15.jpg



Affordability KPI http://backontrack.org/images/tl/affordabilityfeb15.jpg



Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[Gazza]

NYC's train fares are actually far more affordable than they let on. Sure, it costs $2.75 to travel one stop (one way), but with that $2.75 ticket, you can travel ANYWHERE on the network (it's flat fare). One can't say the same about many other rail networks (or any in Australia, for that matter).

Only on the Subway network though....

[ozbob]

29th April 2015

SEQ: Fare crisis continues - Time for fare action

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has said it is time the State Government moved forward with a fare review for SEQ.  The implementation of concession fares for Health Care Card holders should be done immediately.  The unemployed need equitable and affordable access to public transport in Queensland. The March 2015 Public transport performance data again has affordability as the standout failure of the KPIs.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The ALP when in opposition gave a committment to conduct a review of the failed fares for SEQ  ' to establish a future fare structure that is fair, affordable, and designed to boost patronage across the network ' (1).
The ALP have also made a committment to extend concession fares to the unemployed  ' ... will maintain public transport concessions and extend them to recipients of the Newstart allowance ' (2). "

"The unaffordability of fares is the key standout failure of the latest TransLink Key Performance Indicators released today (3). There is no doubt that the previous two State Governments and TransLink have failed to deliver a fare system that is equitable, drives patronage and assists in mobilising our community. The failure to properly sort the SEQ fares  is a very sad indictment on previous Governments."

"It is important that proper community consultation be undertaken as part of a review.  Top down implementation of anti-public transport fare structures has just resulted in a failed fare mess, and has proved very costly in real dollars and in a political sense."

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

References:

1. Letter from Tim Mulherin 20th January 2015
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11178.msg151987#msg151987

2. http://www.queenslandlabor.org/wp-content/uploads/2014QldPolicyPlatform_web.pdf

3. http://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/resources/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/open-data/2015-Mar-snapshot.pdf

KPI Summary http://backontrack.org/images/tl/summarymar15.jpg



Affordability KPI http://backontrack.org/images/tl/affordabilitymar15.jpg

[dancingmongoose]

On that note perhaps next time we meet with TransLink we could ask them about how they acquire said data. The way ferry jumps around certainly doesn't do the credibility of their survey methodology any favours

[ozbob]

On that note perhaps next time we meet with TransLink we could ask them about how they acquire said data. The way ferry jumps around certainly doesn't do the credibility of their survey methodology any favours

Indeed.  I think it is related to a very small survey sample size for the ferry cohort.  We are constantly fed bullsh%t and not real objective data in Queensland. Bus OTP being the classic.  What is made public is cryptic and far from fully transparent.

And the ' affordability KPI ' has been ratsh%t for years, do they really take any notice or actually care in George St?   

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

30th May 2015

Re: Honeymoon over ... fare action now!

Good Morning,

The Courier Mail has highlighted the diabolical mess that is the fare structure for public transport in SEQ today.

>>  #GetmovingSEQ: Sotheast's public transport among most expensive in the world

Again we simply state, immediate fare relief is needed, pending a fare review with full and proper community consultation.

Concession fare entitlement needs to be rolled out immediately to health care card holders.

Also reduce Zone one peak fare to $2.50 (go card), other zones adjusted to that base.

Increase off peak fare discount to 30%. Re-introduce 50% fares after 9 paid journeys in week.  This will stop the rorting which is a fare box bleed and grossly inequitable.

Allow children to travel free when accompanying a fare paying adult on weekends and public holidays.

All these things can be done virtually overnight on the present go card system.  Don't look for excuses just do it!

This will also provide a time buffer for the new fare system due in 2016/17.  Go to full community consultation concerning the optimal fare structure for the new fare structure.

Public transport in Queensland is headlong into failure.  It is time for action not pontification up on high.  We have shown the way ...

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Sent to all outlets:

17th May 2015

And there is more ...

Greetings,

The bus network for Brisbane is a disgraceful mess.  We have shown how this can be sorted ( http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11047.0 ).  TransLink needs the authority to get on with it. Petty self-interest politics from BCC is killing SEQ.

Even simple things like allowing all door boarding on key bus routes is too hard for Brisbane ... the rest of world just does it.  Brisbane?  A transport backwater ... (http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11322.0 )

Serious consideration has to be given to why transport is such a mess in SEQ.  Is it the bumbling bureaucracy or self interest politics trumping proper policy outcomes?

Time for an inquiry > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11184.0

Best wishes,

Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Sent to all outlets:

17th May 2015

Honeymoon over ... fare action now!

Greetings,

The public has had enough.  It is time there was action on the festering mess that is public transport in SEQ.

Immediate fare relief is needed.  Reduce Zone one peak fare to $2.50, other zones adjusted to that base.

Immediate introduction of concession fares for unemployed.  Every other state and territory in Australia can do this.  Cut 'the we must help the unemployed rhetoric' and actually do something.

Increase off peak fare discount to 30%. Re-introduce 50% fares after 9 paid journeys in week.  This will stop the rorting.

All these things can be done virtually overnight on the present go card system.

This will also provide a time buffer for the new fare system due in 2016/17.  Go to full community consultation concerning the optimal fare structure for the new fare structure.

Additionally allow children to accompany a fare paying adult for free on public transport on weekends and public holidays.

Mobilising the community is an economic driver.

CanDo couldn't do and is now a CanWas ... just saying ...

Best wishes,

Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

29th April 2015

SEQ: Fare crisis continues - Time for fare action

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has said it is time the State Government moved forward with a fare review for SEQ.  The implementation of concession fares for Health Care Card holders should be done immediately.  The unemployed need equitable and affordable access to public transport in Queensland. The March 2015 Public transport performance data again has affordability as the standout failure of the KPIs.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The ALP when in opposition gave a committment to conduct a review of the failed fares for SEQ  ' to establish a future fare structure that is fair, affordable, and designed to boost patronage across the network ' (1).
The ALP have also made a committment to extend concession fares to the unemployed  ' ... will maintain public transport concessions and extend them to recipients of the Newstart allowance ' (2). "

"The unaffordability of fares is the key standout failure of the latest TransLink Key Performance Indicators released today (3). There is no doubt that the previous two State Governments and TransLink have failed to deliver a fare system that is equitable, drives patronage and assists in mobilising our community. The failure to properly sort the SEQ fares  is a very sad indictment on previous Governments."

"It is important that proper community consultation be undertaken as part of a review.  Top down implementation of anti-public transport fare structures has just resulted in a failed fare mess, and has proved very costly in real dollars and in a political sense."

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

References:

1. Letter from Tim Mulherin 20th January 2015
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11178.msg151987#msg151987

2. http://www.queenslandlabor.org/wp-content/uploads/2014QldPolicyPlatform_web.pdf

3. http://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/resources/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/open-data/2015-Mar-snapshot.pdf

KPI Summary http://backontrack.org/images/tl/summarymar15.jpg



Affordability KPI http://backontrack.org/images/tl/affordabilitymar15.jpg

[ozbob]

1st June 2015



SEQ: Fare unaffordability crisis continues - Time for fair fare action

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has said it is time the State Government moved forward with a fare review for SEQ.  The implementation of concession fares for Health Care Card holders should be done immediately.  The unemployed need equitable and affordable access to public transport in Queensland. The April 2015 Public transport performance data again has affordability as the standout failure of the KPIs.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The ALP when in opposition gave a committment to conduct a review of the failed fares for SEQ  ' to establish a future fare structure that is fair, affordable, and designed to boost patronage across the network ' (1).
The ALP have also made a committment to extend concession fares to the unemployed  ' ... will maintain public transport concessions and extend them to recipients of the Newstart allowance ' (2). "

"The unaffordability of fares is the key standout failure of the latest TransLink Key Performance Indicators released today (3). There is no doubt that the previous two State Governments and TransLink have failed to deliver a fare system that is equitable, drives patronage and assists in mobilising our community. The failure to properly sort the SEQ fares  is a very sad indictment on previous Governments."

"It is important that proper community consultation be undertaken as part of a review.  Top down implementation of anti-public transport fare structures has just resulted in a failed fare mess, and has proved very costly in real dollars and in a political sense."

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

References:

1. Letter from Tim Mulherin 20th January 2015
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11178.msg151987#msg151987

2. http://www.queenslandlabor.org/wp-content/uploads/2014QldPolicyPlatform_web.pdf

3. http://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/resources/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/open-data/2015-Apr-snapshot.pdf

KPI Summary http://backontrack.org/images/tl/summaryapr15.jpg


Affordability KPI http://backontrack.org/images/tl/affordabilityapr15.jpg

[Fares_Fair]

Given the track record thus far, they are probably setting up a Transport Fares Review Review Committee to review the review of the transport fares.

In the fullness of time, and after taking all things into consideration, but for the Federal Government's transport intransigence, we cannot do anything but review the reviewers review of the fares.

Queenslander 

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Driving 'cheaper than public transport', say Queenslanders

Research has found Queenslanders were more convinced than people in any other Australian state that driving was a cheaper way to get around than public transport, prompting fresh calls for fares to be cut.

A survey by consumer research firm Canstar Blue found 72 per cent of Queenslanders agreed with the statement "I find it's cheaper to drive than use public transport".

That was well ahead of Tasmania (60 per cent), Western Australia (57 per cent), New South Wales (54 per cent), Victoria (53 per cent) and South Australia (50 per cent).

Canstar Blue spokesman Simon Downes said 3000 motorists were surveyed across Australia.

"Respondents in Queensland were by far the most convinced that driving is cheaper than using public transport, but Queenslanders do show a strong willingness to use it more, should costs reduce," he said.

Forty-three per cent of Queensland respondents said they would drive less if public transport were cheaper, compared with 41 per cent in NSW and Victoria, 34 per cent in SA, 33 per cent in WA and just 20 per cent in Tasmania.

Robert Dow, from public transport advocacy group Rail Back on Track, said the results were no surprise.

"That confirms what we know, that fares in south-east Queensland are certainly the most expensive in Australia for the majority of commutes and, in terms of world ranking, we're up in the top three or four as well," he said.

Mr Dow said there needed to be an urgent review of the fare structure in south-east Queensland and the Palaszczuk government had been too slow to act since it came into power earlier this year.

"If it's got to the point where people think it's much cheaper to drive, it's a fairly worrying situation," he said.

"Because what can happen, unless the government bites the bullet here and does something significant with the fare system to encourage people on it, we could start to see service cuts.

"Now that would be absolutely calamitous for south-east Queensland."

Transport Minister Jackie Trad did not respond to a request for comment.

The Canstar Blue survey also found Queenslanders spent an average of about $127 a month, less than Victoria ($140), SA ($134) and NSW ($133), but more than Tasmania ($118) and WA ($110).

"(Queenslanders) may not spend as much on fuel as others," Mr Downes said, "but Queenslanders are the most likely to have days when they can't afford to fill up."

Thirty per cent of Queenslanders agreed with the statement "there have been days when I couldn't afford to put fuel in my car", compared with 28 per cent in NSW, 27 per cent in SA and WA, 25 per cent in Victoria and 22 per cent in Tasmania.

[ozbob]

^

Booked for an interview with Tim Cox around 8.45am 612 ABC Brisbane on this.

[Jonno]

http://www.uspirg.org/reports/usp/who-pays-roads

New Report Finds Drivers Pay Less Than Half the Cost of Roads

Webinar to Explain Why Raising Gas Taxes Won't Necessarily Solve Problems

As Congress struggles to renew the federal transportation law, a new report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund [U.S. PIRG Education Fund] and Frontier Group finds that drivers currently pay less than half the total cost of roads, and argues that while increasing gas taxes could fill the shortfall, it would leave other problems unaddressed.

The new report, "Who Pays for Roads? How the 'Users Pays' Myth Gets in the Way of Solutions to America's Transportation Problems" exposes the widening gap between how Americans think we pay for transportation – through gas taxes and other fees – and how we actually do. The authors of the report will cohost a live webinar today at 1pm [EST] to explain the report findings and answer questions (click here to register and attend).

The new report comes with just a month left before expiration of the federal transportation act, and with the federal Highway Trust Fund on the brink of insolvency. Revenues from gas taxes and other user fees this year are expected to come up $16 billion short of the level needed to maintain current federal transportation spending, leading to the need for urgent congressional action.

"Congress is stuck in an endless loop," said Phineas Baxandall, Senior Analyst at U.S. PIRG and coauthor of the report. "Either Congress will have to raise gas taxes to the high levels that would be needed to fully pay for the costs of highways or it will have to admit that the 'users pay' system no longer exists and needs to be reformed."

"Congress faces important choices about transportation," Baxandall continued. "Playing make believe about where our transportation dollars come from shouldn't be an option."

The new report pulls back the veil on the "users pay" myth, finding that:

·         Gas taxes and other fees paid by drivers now cover less than half of road construction and maintenance costs nationally – down from more than 70 percent in the 1960s – with the balance coming chiefly from income, sales and property taxes and other levies on general taxpayers.

·         General taxpayers at all levels of government now subsidize highway construction and maintenance to the tune of $69 billion per year – an amount exceeding the expenditure of general tax funds to support transit, bicycling, walking and passenger rail combined.

·         Regardless of how much they drive, the average American household bears an annual financial burden of more than $1,100 in taxes and indirect costs from driving – over and above any gas taxes or other fees they pay that are connected with driving.

"The 'users pay' myth is deeply ingrained in U.S. transportation policy, shaping how billions of dollars in transportation funds are raised and spent each year," said Tony Dutzik, co-author of the report and Senior Analyst at Frontier Group, a non-profit think tank. "More and more, though, all of us are bearing the cost of transportation in our tax bills, regardless of how much we drive."

"We need to dispel the myth that user fees are paying for the building and maintenance of our road network. The reality is that these funds are barely covering a fraction of the cost," said Gabe Klein, SVP of Fontinalis Partners, and former Commissioner of Transportation for Chicago and Washington, D.C. "The highest return on investment is on bike, pedestrian and transit projects," he said.

State and federal policies often give priority to spending on highways based on the assumption that drivers pay the cost of roads through gas taxes and user fees. The report argues that, with the nation's transportation needs changing and general taxpayers bearing an ever-greater share of the cost of transportation, America should instead invest transportation dollars in projects that are likely to deliver the greatest benefits.

Ordinary Americans agree. Nearly two-thirds of Americans believe it is appropriate to use gasoline tax revenue to support public transportation, according to a national study released last week by researchers at the Norman Mineta Transportation Institute.  Other recent opinion polls suggest that Americans believe that the nation should give greater priority to transit, bicycling and walking in transportation spending.

http://movingforward.discoursemedia.org/costofcommute/

The 003 Main Street bus, which runs between downtown Vancouver and Marine Drive SkyTrain station, is such an efficient way of moving people that it actually saves society two cents every time a passenger travels one kilometre.

That is just one insight from the Cost of Commute Calculator, an interactive tool we developed that aims to capture the full cost and benefit of driving, taking the bus, cycling and walking in Metro Vancouver. Big ticket items like the cost to build road infrastructure or operate buses typically dominate debate over the ongoing transit referendum in Metro Vancouver. In addition to those, this calculator also considers the costs of less obvious impacts like emissions, climate change, accidents, congestion and even noise pollution.

"Although these costs are easy to overlook, that doesn't make them any less real," says George Poulos, a transportation engineer and planner who analyzed the data behind the Cost of Commute Calculator. "Sometimes we pay them upfront, other times indirectly. But, at the end of the day, we still pay them, so we should consider them in our calculus when making big decisions."

Applying this type of analysis − known as "full-cost accounting" − to transportation is commonplace in Europe, but rarely undertaken in North America. With voting in Metro Vancouver's transit plebiscite underway, Poulos says the calculator enables voters to consider the broader costs to themselves and to society as a whole.



How much the proposed 0.5 per cent hike to PST will cost Metro Vancouver residents has been much debated (the Mayors' Council estimates an average household will pay $125 more annually while the No camp puts that number at $258). However, these figures only account for a sliver of the full impact that the referendum's outcome will have on individuals' pocketbooks.

"We have a tendency to only look at direct costs, like the PST increase or the cost of gasoline," explains Poulos. "We don't always consider the hidden costs and benefits to ourselves and society of our transportation habits when we decide how to vote. But, in reality, we do this mental calculation every day when we decide how to travel. We ask ourselves: Do I have time to wait for the bus? Am I going to get stuck in traffic? Should I get some exercise by walking?" The calculator puts a dollar figure on factors like the cost of waiting in traffic or the health benefits of walking.

While many organizations have produced reports in the lead-up to the referendum on topics such as the potential costs of congestion and impacts of transit on equity, these focus on single elements of the overall impact. The Cost of Commute Calculator is an attempt to capture the bigger picture and equip voters with a calculation personalized to their individual travel patterns.

Scroll to the bottom of this article or go here to find the Cost of Commute Calculator.

The challenge of accounting for hidden costs


Poulos developed his approach to accounting for the broader costs of travelling in the city of Vancouver as part of research he conducted while a graduate student at the School for Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia. In collaboration with Discourse Media, he expanded his analysis for the entire Metro Vancouver region.

One reason full-cost accounting across all forms of transportation is rare in North America is because of debate in planning and policy circles over what costs to include. As a general rule, transportation costs fall into two categories: costs paid directly by the user and costs society bears.

For example, the most obvious direct cost to the user of taking the bus is fares. Yet there are other things that factor into our decision about whether or not to take the bus, such as time spent waiting and travelling. Less obvious costs include the user's risk of being in an accident while travelling on the bus.

The costs to society of taking the bus take many forms. The most obvious are those paid by TransLink, direct costs such as purchasing the vehicle and paying the driver's salary. Others include the impact of the bus' carbon dioxide emissions, contribution to road congestion and noise pollution, which influences property values and has minor impacts on health.

As Poulos noted, we consider our individual costs when we decide how to travel. We might choose to walk to work one day to save money on fuel and get some exercise. If we're short on time another day, we might choose to drive because the added cost is worth it to us in that moment. But what we rarely consider, in any concrete way, is the impact of our decision on the larger system.

Yet, accounting for all these different factors is a tricky feat. "Traffic is easy to measure, but how do you put a dollar sign on the impact of congestion?" explains Poulos. "How do you calculate how much a 10-minute wait for the bus is worth to someone?"

This means planners like Poulos ultimately have to make decisions about what to include (and not), in part based on the quality of data available. For example, the Cost of Commute Calculator does not include the capital cost of the overhead cables that run the handful of electric trolley buses that operate in downtown Vancouver, the land value of roadways or water pollution from road infrastructure, among other costs.

Then there's the challenge of assigning a dollar value to each impact. In the case of travel time, Poulos relied on a standardized calculation used by the B.C. government to value time in transit that is based on the average regional wage. Other impacts, such as accidents, are more complicated. Poulos reviewed hundreds of ICBC accident case files and Vancouver Police Department fatality records to estimate the number, type and severity of accidents in Vancouver. Then he sought figures from the Centre for Transportation Studies at the Sauder School of Business to account for forgone wages due to premature death.

Why look at the broader impacts of transportation?


European transportation planners have long used full-cost accounting to help them set levies and taxes that reflect both direct and indirect societal impacts of different forms of transportation. This is known as "internalizing" externalities; the idea is that if individuals directly pay an amount that accounts for the hidden costs to society of their transportation choice, they'll consider them when choosing how to travel.

In 2008, the European Commission issued its first iteration of what is now known as the Handbook on External Costs of Transport, which defines externalities as the "side effects" of transportation. "Road vehicles, for example, contribute to congestion, trains and aircraft to ambient noise levels and ships to air pollution," the handbook states. "Such side effects [...] can be expressed in monetary terms: time costs of delays, health costs caused by air pollution, productivity losses due to lives lost in traffic accidents, abatement costs due to climate impacts of transport."MF_factoid_6_v03

Such a policy tool is useful when setting the price of a bridge or road toll, for instance. (In North America tolls typically only cover infrastructure costs, not all externalities.) It's the same concept that the BC government used when creating its carbon tax. The aim is to reduce emissions by putting a price on each tonne of GHG emitted, which will, in turn, "elicit a powerful market response across the entire economy," according to an explainer on the B.C. government's website.

Canada takes some externalities into account, but not in a consistent or comprehensive manner. But that's not for lack of trying. Transport Canada grappled with the challenge for five years, from 2003 to 2008, through an intensive study known as the Full Cost Investigation Project. Despite making some steps forward, its efforts eventually faltered. "Resolving methodological issues to the satisfaction of all parties would not be possible," the final report stated.

Even in Europe, deciding what to include, and how to account for it, is still hotly debated. For example, the European Commission doesn't account for how a mode of transportation, such as a major road or pedestrian infrastructure, impacts the quality of public space, an externality that Transport London assigns a dollar value. When Copenhagen began analysing the full economic impact of cycling infrastructure in 2009, its calculation went so far as to include "branding/tourism." (Every 10 kilometres cycled corresponds with about four cents in added value to the city's brand, Copenhagen estimates).

Deciding who should pay for costs is also a challenge. How much of the expense of building roads should be assigned to passenger vehicles versus busses versus bicycles? How much of the cost of collisions between vehicles and pedestrians should be attributed to each party?

There are also inherent limitations to the tool. For example, when you calculate a bus commute, it doesn't include the benefits you would naturally receive from walking to the bus stop. That you would need to calculate separately.

That's why Poulos, who based much of his research on that pioneered in Europe, is the first person to admit the methods behind the Cost of Commute Calculator aren't perfect. "There are limitations," he says. "But this is a good first step, and there is plenty of room to grow."

Why driving is so heavily subsidized


In the absence of mechanisms that force us to directly pay for the broader impacts of how we travel, we tend to underestimate the total cost to both ourselves and to society of different modes of transportation. This influences our daily decisions about how to commute − but also our views on whether or not to support proposed transportation investments on the referendum ballot.

For example, the price tag of replacing the Pattulo Bridge or building rapid transit in Surrey is frequently mentioned when discussing the referendum. But we don't consider the added cost of waiting longer when busses are full. We don't account for the increased life expectancy we gain from cycling, even though our decision to commute by bike means actual savings to the healthcare system. The Cost of Commute Calculator even assigns a value to the discomfort of riding a packed bus. After all, commuting on crowded public transit feels longer than the same time spent walking on a pleasant day.

The tendency to underestimate is most striking when calculating the cost of driving. The amount we pay through taxes for direct costs like road infrastructure and indirect costs like pollution, accidents and noise is significant. But this becomes more poignant when compared to the broader costs associated with transit. Also, because busses carry far more people than automobiles, the impact per passenger of busses is much lower than of passenger vehicles. (That's why, in some cases, heavily-used bus routes like the 003 Main Street actually contribute more than they cost society.)



One way to understand this contrast is by considering the ratio of money contributed to the system by users to the amount each mode of transportation costs the system. For every dollar drivers pay into the system through direct taxes and levies in Metro Vancouver, for example, society pays $9.20 for infrastructure, road maintenance, increased healthcare costs due to air pollution and other impacts. In contrast, for every dollar bus riders contribute, taxpayers put in $1.50 collectively. While cyclists and pedestrians don't contribute much financially upfront (if anything at all), their travel habits result in health care savings and improved workplace productivity thanks to the additional exercise they are getting. So their commutes, on average, contribute a net benefit to society.

The dominant narrative is that investing in public transit is important because it's good for the environment and for low-income people. But when the hidden costs and benefits are also weighed, the argument over how we should invest in our transportation system is revealed to be much more complex.

Full disclosure: Reporter Christine McLaren's partner is an employee of TransLink.

Note: This calculator app refreshes every hour. If it appears grey on your screen, just refresh your browser and it will appear normally again.

[ozbob]

^

Booked for an interview with Tim Cox around 8.45am 612 ABC Brisbane on this.

Thanks Jonno ^

Spoke with Tim.  Explained simply what needs to be done.  Deputy Premier followed and confirmed the fare review process, within 12 months.

Mention of the lack of concessions for unemployed.  I followed up again after the Deputy Premier and suggested that 12 months was too long for the unemployed to wait for concessions in SEQ, considering the high cost of the fares.

Thanks for the interest Tim and 612!

[ozbob]

Meeting 10 News at my ' office ' at Goodna kiss n' ride later this morning.

Interview booked 4BC with Clare Blake Afternoons at 12.30pm or so.

Busy day!   

[ozbob]

^

Booked for an interview with Tim Cox around 8.45am 612 ABC Brisbane on this.

Thanks Jonno ^

Spoke with Tim.  Explained simply what needs to be done.  Deputy Premier followed and confirmed the fare review process, within 12 months.

Mention of the lack of concessions for unemployed.  I followed up again after the Deputy Premier and suggested that 12 months was too long for the unemployed to wait for concessions in SEQ, considering the high cost of the fares.

Thanks for the interest Tim and 612!

Mornings with Tim Cox

What would it take to get you on a bus ot train?

22 June 2015 , 10:31 AM by Elly Bradfield

Price changes and concessions for the unemployed are some of the ideas being proposed for the public transport system.

Robert Dow is from Rail back on track, a public transport advocacy group, he says a public transport review needs to happen sooner rtaher than later.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad is the Minister for Transport - she says the termsof review are not yet finalised, but the review will be completed in next 12 months.

>> http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2015/06/what-would-it-take-to-get-you-on-a-bus-ot-train.html?site=brisbane&program=612_morning

[ozbob]

Thanks Clare and 4BC for the opportunity to chat about fares!

[SurfRail]

I think there needs to be public input on whatever terms of reference are to be drawn up for this.  It is to important to be done entirely in a top down fashion - that is how we ended up with the current dreck.

[verbatim9]

Some kind of daily cap after 3 or 4 trips ?

[ozbob]

Some kind of daily cap after 3 or 4 trips ?

Large number of zones in SEQ does present some challenges for a daily cap.

Smart cards are smart.

The solution is simple - cap at twice highest journey for a 24h period. 

Both Sydney and Melbourne have a daily cap that is essentially a flat fare.  That will not be equitable on our system.

[verbatim9]

A great idea

[SurfRail]

What I want is for the decision to be based on some underlying rationale other than buying votes.  They need to go out and look at what various systems do, find what translates best into our context and work out the extent that can be implemented cost-effectively.

The only things I am prepared to strongly argue for at this stage are:

- The basic flagfall (if there is to be one at all) is far too high
- It needs to be proportionately much cheaper per km to travel over distances of say up to 20km than longer distance trips, rather than the opposite being true

The actual mechanics should be left to people who can model the data and provide good, publicly available reasoning for the options they have developed.

[hU0N]

Large number of zones in SEQ does present some challenges for a daily cap.

Smart cards are smart.

The solution is simple - cap at twice highest journey for a 24h period. 

Both Sydney and Melbourne have a daily cap that is essentially a flat fare.  That will not be equitable on our system.

Here's a simple algorithm.

Fare 1 - full price
Fare 2 - full price -> plus set the daily free travel zones to the shorter of the two fares.
Fare 3 - if within the daily free zones area then free
             else full price* -> plus update the daily free travel zones to the shorter of the two longest fares.
Fare 4 - as per Fare 3
etc.

* Alternatively, you could discount this fare by the current number of daily free travel zones (ie since the difference between zones currently averages out to about $1) $1 for each zone, or something similar.

How this works in (sort of) real life:
Example 1
Morning journey to work (3 zones) - $4.66 : Daily free travel zones stays at 0
Quick Trip at lunchtime (1 zone) - $3.35 : Daily free travel zones set to 1
Afternoon meeting (zone) - free : Daily free travel zones stays at 1
Evening journey home (3 zones) - $4.66 : Daily free travel zones set to 3  *OR $3.66 ie $1 discount since daily free travel zones is currently at 1*
Night time trip to movies (2 zones) - free : Daily free travel zones stays at 3
Trip home from movies (2 zones) - free

I think something like this would work pretty well.  Reasonably resistant to rorting (since short trips earn you a discount on later long trips less than the flagfall), and quite simple to implement.  (The go card system is already obviously capable of counting journeys and adjusting the fare to $0 when the counter gets to a particular threshold, and it is also obviously already capable of comparing two trip lengths and offering a partial or full discount on the second trip depending on whether it is shorter or longer than the previous trip, so it seems like all of the tools are available in the current software to achieve this algorithm.  It would just be a matter of plugging them together properly).

It wouldn't matter where you were coming from, or what journeys you were taking, the most you would pay in a single day is slightly more than 2x your daily fare.  Thus it would be quite equitable.

[BrizCommuter]

Any automatic daily or weekly capping needs to be zone based, as per London Underground. None of this x amount of journeys (irrespective of zones used) then free business.

[#Metro]

Let's look at this free business.

10 then free
9 then free
8 then free
7 then free
6 then free
5 then free
4 then free
3 then free
2 then free
1 then free <--- A transit pass
none then free <--- free PT (not happening)

[#Metro]

Re: a comment made in the audio: Other places are cheaper - and may have economies of scale - however, Perth is way cheaper and for statistical/demographic purposes is essentially identical to Brisbane.