TriMet has emphasized, in the media and in its series of open-house meetings, that changes have to be made to make up for its $17 million budget shortfall. It needs higher rates and a streamlined system in order to balance the budget and especially to prevent further cuts in services. But what exactly does TriMet mean by a “flat-fare” system?
TriMet has emphasized, in the media and in its series of open-house meetings, that changes have to be made to make up for its $17 million budget shortfall. It needs higher rates and a streamlined system in order to balance the budget and especially to prevent further cuts in services. But what exactly does TriMet mean by a “flat-fare” system?
If implemented, the flat-fare system would eliminate distance zone-based fares for bus and MAX trains. In the current system, the cost of a ride is based on the distance traveled within a two-hour window. At $2.40, an all-zone pass costs 30 cents more than a two-zone pass at $2.10. In the proposed system, tickets would cost either $2.50 for a one-way, two-hour ticket or $5 for a round-trip ticket or all-day pass. These tickets could be used for all areas TriMet services.
While the price of an all-day pass doesn’t change, the implementation of one-way tickets will double the cost of many shorter commutes. The elimination of zones includes the elimination of the free-rail zone in downtown Portland, which for some students may change how they choose to commute to campus.
“I ride the MAX to PSU, even though I own a car, for convenience,” said creative writing post-baccalaureate student Richard L. Gould, Jr. “Plus, I don’t want to be another single driver further crowding downtown. I can afford to pay more, but what about those who can’t?”
Portland State’s associate director of transportation, Sarah Renkens, explained some of PSU’s concerns with the proposal and what the costs may look like for students. According to Renkens, the student FlexPass will increase by 21 percent from the current term cost of $190 to an estimated $230. PSU’s parking facilities regularly sell out of parking passes, and with a possible rise in car commuters, passes would sell out earlier and there would be longer waiting lists. “While the costs associated with owning and driving a car will still outweigh the cost of a transit pass, some students may reconsider their choice to use transit over driving based on the high one-time cost of a transit pass,” Renkens said.
According to its website, TriMet projects that the switch to a flat-fare system will generate approximately $11.7 million annually in new revenue. TriMet also emphasizes that a flat rate would make the system easier to use and would help in a possible future electronic fare system. The elimination of zones will also erase many of the complexities that accompany the task of navigating a multi-zone system.
“The zones didn’t make much sense. A 16-mile trip from Forest Grove to Beaverton is a one-zone trip ($2.10) and the three-mile trip from Sunset Transit Center to Washington Park is an all-zone ($2.40),” wrote TriMet official Mary Fetsch in an email.
Fetsch cited this example in explaining some of the reasoning behind the change to the system. “Change in the fare structure reflects how the region’s demographics have changed and the significant expansion of the system since the zone system was established in 1982.”
Connie Ozawa, professor in the School of Urban Studies and Planning at PSU, explained that a simplification of public transit systems can be a positive thing, and that simplification in itself can lower costs. However, Ozawa emphasized the importance of the free-rail zone and defended it as being an integral part of Portland’s identity and reputation in the global community of transportation and urban planning. It is an example of egalitarian values on the city level, she said.
“Public policy that removes cost barriers to human movement across space signals support for creating a vibrant area. In other words, a fare-less square or a rail-free zone shows a public commitment to a lively downtown core,” Ozawa said.
Ozawa acknowledged the economic necessity of changes for TriMet regarding economic problems, but she stressed that the free-rail zone should be preserved if at all possible, saying that the small convenience of the free downtown commutes has a resonance that should not be undervalued.
“In the Portland climate, making it easy for pedestrians to hop on trains or buses for short distances to avoid the rain can be viewed as a sign of a cooperative spirit,” Ozawa said. “These are small and big signals that have not been missed by urban planners and others concerned with creating healthy, sustainable communities around the world.”
TriMet has repeatedly said that these changes are only proposals as of yet. Any changes to the current proposal will be seen in March as TriMet moves into the public hearings phase. All details of the proposal can be found on the TriMet website, trimet.org.
