TTC Fare Zones (Possible solution to offset Capital and/or Operating costs)?

[Mapleson]

OK, assuming that revenue doesn't go down with a sufficiently complex fraud prevention system, it only serves a limited audience.

If we aren't worrying about variability of pricing per journey, a hybrid distance-based prices system with significant off-peak discounting to equalize demand (or peak surcharge if you look at it like that). This encourages people to try out all the system when it's at it's best and become familiar with timings, etc. However, price variability is a big reason for a flat fare system.

 

[Long Island Mike]

TTC Fare Zones? PEAK and OFF-PEAK fares are easier to collect!

Everyone: I read this topic on the TTC instituting fare zones - remembering the fare collection from my Toronto travels it would make more sense if the TTC instituted PEAK and OFF-PEAK cash fares instead of trying to collect zone fares. Tokens and passes would be valid anytime as they are now. Another thought can be a cheaper pass valid off peak ONLY with a surcharge for peak-hour use...

For the TTC Subway to charge fares by distance new fare collection equipment would be necessary requiring a ticket or pass that would have to be used for BOTH entry and exit. It would require a large expenditure of money by the cash-strapped TTC.

A fare system that charged a higher cash fare for PEAK riders by time of day would be far easier to implement on a system like the TTC...

I also agree that a flat fare across the Unified City of Toronto as it is now is far easier then distance zone fares anytime...LI MIKE

 

[Mapleson]

Presto is coming, if slowly. It should reduce the number of required front-line personnel and provide a cost savings in the long term. Peak surcharges would require new equipment as well, or more front-liners. I advocate time-based fares, but the same base conditions apply to both arguements. Zone-charging only requires a forced transfer or else would take advantage of the same tag-in, tag-out Presto equipment.

 

[dsantesteban]

This is a bit dreamy, but I think it's 100% do-able with Presto coming in. The first thing that needs to be done is merging all of the various transit systems across the GTA. Maybe not GO. Then just split it up into zones, or even better, charge based on pure distance. The big advantage to distance is that a one-zone trip can be much longer than a two or three-zone at times. If they were to do zones, maybe try the Boston model, where you never have to worry about tapping out or re-scanning your ticket if you're in the downtown zone - only if you're in the suburbs on the green line or (i think they got rid of a separate zone for...) the ashmont-mattapan "high"-speed line

 

[golodhendil]

If they were to do zones, maybe try the Boston model, where you never have to worry about tapping out or re-scanning your ticket if you're in the downtown zone - only if you're in the suburbs on the green line or (i think they got rid of a separate zone for...) the ashmont-mattapan "high"-speed line

This has changed a few years ago already. Nowadays, the entire rapid transit system (all HRT, LRT and BRT lines) has a single fare. In fact, neither do buses have actual fare zones (express buses do charge more though). Only commuter rails have true fare zones.

 

[doady]

I believe that we should want to encourage people to make short trips, even if it does cause people to reach their caps faster. If we can encourage people to switch the "quick run to the corner store" from driving to transit then the greater policy goals of instilling a transit culture are met.

I agree, people should be encouraged to make short trips, but transit alone cannot do this. It still has to be competitive with the car. If a lot of people now using transit for long trips could start driving instead because of the increased fares. And decreased transit use itself goes against the goal of higher density and reducing commuting distances. Of course, distance-based fares make transit more competitive with walking and cycling, but walking and cycling are not problems, are they? And how many people outside Downtown Toronto actually walk and cycle? You have to think what is the main point of transit. Isn't it to get people out of their cars? The fare policy should reflect that.