Regional Fare Coordination and ORCA LIFT
Last week, I explained how the proposal to implement a low-income (ORCA LIFT) fare on all ST Express routes and raise fares to keep up with partner agencies would not just increase ridership, reduce operating costs and travel time, and lower barriers to accessing public transit, but would also almost certainly increase fare revenue.
Some commenters took the opportunity to complain about the complexity of fare structures for other agencies, and among the agencies.
Sound Transit's fare policy lays out some goals for regional fare coordination:
Coordination with other regional transit systems - fare media and pricing are integrated regionally among partner transit agencies to:
o avoid conflicting pricing;
o facilitate customer and transit employee understanding;
o minimize fare payment confusion as a barrier to regional transit use;
o promote regional consistency in provisions for low income and transit dependent riders; and
o promote public safety
The proposal for raising ST Express fares and implementing a LIFT fare on all routes follows from these goals. The proposal to implement LIFT fares just on routes operated wholly within King County (522, 540-567, and 577) confuses the situation and contravenes some of these goals.
It is useful to chart out how fares on all the agencies that accept PugetPass would look before and after the various proposals, including a proposal pending before the Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners.
The various Regional Reduced Fare Permit fares (for seniors 65+ and riders with disabilities) are as follows:
$0.25: Everett Transit local
$0.75: ST Express 1-county (current), Pierce Transit (current)
$1.00: King County Metro, Link Light Rail, Seattle Streetcar, ST Express 1-county (proposed), Pierce Transit (proposed), Community Transit local, Everett Transit commuter, Kitsap Transit
$1.50: ST Express multi-county (current)
$1.75: ST Express multi-county (proposed)
$2.00: Community Transit commuter, West Seattle Water Taxi
$1.25-$2.50: Sounder (current)
$2.50: Community Transit commuter north/east, Vashon Water Taxi
$1.50-$2.75: Sounder (proposed)
The youth fares (for riders age 6-18) are as follows:
$0.75: Pierce Transit (current), Everett Transit local
$1.00: Pierce Transit (proposed), Kitsap Transit
$1.25: ST Express 1-county (current)
$1.50: King County Metro, Link Light Rail, Seattle Streetcar, ST Express 1-county (proposed), Community Transit local, Everett Transit commuter
$2.50: ST Express multi-county (current)
$2.75: ST Express multi-county (proposed)
$3.00: Community Transit commuter, West Seattle Water Taxi (ORCA)
$2.00-$3.75: Sounder (current)
$3.75: Vashon Water Taxi (ORCA)
$4.00: Community Transit commuter north/east
$2.50-$4.25: Sounder (proposed)
$4.75: West Seattle Water Taxi (cash)
$5.50: Vashon Water Taxi (cash)
Children 0-5 ride free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.
The regular fares (for riders age 19-64) are as follows:
$1.00: Everett Transit local
$2.00: Pierce Transit, Kitsap Transit
$2.25: Seattle Streetcar, Community Transit local, Everett Transit commuter
$2.50: King County Metro off-peak, ST Express 1-county (current)
$2.75: King County Metro 1-zone peak, ST Express 1-county (proposed)
$2.25-$3.00: Link Light Rail
$3.25: King County Metro 2-zone peak
$3.50: ST Express multi-county (current)
$3.75: ST Express multi-county (proposed)
$4.00: West Seattle Water Taxi (ORCA)
$4.25: Community Transit commuter
$4.75: West Seattle Water Taxi (cash), Vashon Water Taxi (ORCA)
$2.75-$5.25: Sounder (current)
$5.50: Community Transit commuter north/east, Vashon Water Taxi (cash)
$3.25-$5.75: Sounder (proposed)
The fares for LIFT cardholders, using loaded ORCA product, are as follows:
$1.00: Kitsap Transit, Everett Transit local
$1.50: King County Metro, Link Light Rail, Seattle Streetcar, ST Express 1-county (all-routes proposal), ST Express 1-county on routes wholly operated within King County (King-County-only proposal)
$2.00: Pierce Transit
$2.25: Community Transit local, Everett Transit commuter
$2.50: ST Express 1-county (current)
$2.75: ST Express 1-county on routes not operating wholly within King County (King-County-only proposal), ST Express multi-county (all-routes proposal)
$3.00: West Seattle Water Taxi
$3.50: ST Express multi-county (current)
$3.75: Vashon Water Taxi, ST Express multi-county (King-County-only proposal)
$2.50-$4.25: Sounder (proposed)
$4.25: Community Transit commuter
$2.75-%5.25: Sounder (current)
$5.50: Community Transit commuter north/east
With the proposal for LIFT fares on all ST Express routes, RRFP, youth, and LIFT 1-county fares would be aligned with fares from several other agencies, while the rest of the changes add no disalignment. The LIFT fares would match the youth fares on all PugetPass services except Pierce, Community, and Everett Transit.
The Sound Transit Board of Directors will vote on the proposals Thursday afternoon. The public comment period is over, but anyone can still contact board members directly.