Fare and schedule coordination rank highly for 101 managed lanes; can institutions deliver? 

The latest assessment for an innovative “Mobility Action Plan” for the 101 Corridor Managed Lanes program found that fare and schedule integration were among the highest performing strategies to address goals of moving more people in fewer cars, and improving equitable access to transportation. 

The new “managed lanes,” under construction now and planned to open in 2022, will be usable by buses, carpools, and by solo drivers who pay a toll. Corridor leaders want to be much more active in promoting equity and shifting travellers to higher-occupancy modes, rather than simply charging a toll for solo drivers, which provides better access to high-income drivers.

The 101 Corridor MAP assessment echoed recent findings of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which awarded fare integration the the grand prize in its “transformative project” contest for PlanBay Area. MTC’s modeling of integrated fares predicted significant increases in transit ridership, substantial equity benefits for low-income populations, and strong cost-benefit performance.

To assess which strategies to use for the managed lanes, SamTrans worked with consultants from Nelson\Nygaard, and have been reviewing the results with project partners, including TransForm, CalTrans, and SMCTA. funding partner agencies SFCTA, MTC, C/CAG and VTA, as well as technical and stakeholder advisory groups.  Strategies were evaluated considering results for increasing the use of high occupancy modes, improving reliability, and fostering healthy and sustainable communities, as well as readiness and cost.  

High-ranking strategies improved transit service, fare integration and affordability

The highest performing strategy was to “Improve transfers/ synchronization of multiple transit providers” in MAP study areas, which included the 101 corridor and parallel roadways including 280 and El Camino Real, and connecting routes.  

The Mobility Action Plan study also assessed a set of related strategies that focus on fare integration and affordability, and ranked these very highly, including:

  • A monthly, pay-as-you go “accumulator” fare using Clipper, which would allow transit users to pay for any transit service, one ride at a time, and earn free rides for the rest of the month once the value of pass was reached.  

  • Fare affordability strategies including expanding eligibility for bulk transit pass programs to include contractors, consultants, interns and temporary employees who work more than 20 hours per week; as well as TMAs, neighborhood associations, and colleges.   

  • Expanding free or reduced priced transportation for youth 18 years of age or under, and extending means-based fare structures to all transit providers throughout the study area, through regional programs such as MTC’s means-based fare pilot.

  • A “transportation credit” program that would provide transit credit for toll lane users and toll credit for transit users, providing people with flexibility to meet their transportation needs.

  • Special combination fares and perks for popular destinations such as sports and airports. 

Can our institutions deliver?

Preliminary study results reported in this post were presented to a stakeholder advisory group and technical advisory group on February 4.  In the coming months, the study results will be presented to the advisory groups and boards of SamTrans and partner agencies including SMCTA, C/CAG, SFCTA, C/CAG, VTA, MTC and CalTrans.

As the many partner agencies get closer to thinking about how to implement the innovative and integrated solutions, we are concerned that promising solutions may founder on the shoals of the Bay Area’s traditional fragmentation.

  • The limited, four-agency regional means-based fare pilot program took more than ten years to develop and implement.

  • The idea of coordinating the schedules of Caltrain and SamTrans, agencies that are managed under a single GM and shared staff under one roof, has been met with objections. 

  • The concept of integrating the FasTrak system used to pay for tolls and the Clipper system used for transit has been proposed many times, and was deferred again in the last year

  • A pilot program for fare coordination options between BART and AC Transit seems to have faded away 

  • Pass programs that provided free transfers between BART and connecting bus and rail services were unwound when the services migrated to Clipper

Each agency has separate budgets, separate boards, and separate mandates. This contributes to slow progress and periodic dissolution of transit coordination initiatives. As a result, customers are often penalized in cost and time multi-modal, sustainable trips when a seamless transit network and integrated fare system can provide both efficiency and equity. 

In regions that provide integrated transit service, there is typically a “network manager” entity that is in charge of delivering integrated fares and service.  It is common to have an entity that collects fares in an integrated system, and that divides up the funding back to the separate agencies.

Meanwhile, the Bay Area’s Managed Lane network is being built out with a mix of managing agencies.  The 101 Managed Lane program is being managed by a Joint Powers Authority of corridor partners. Other segments of the express lane network are managed by other counties and by the Bay Area Infrastructure Financing Authority (BAIFA).

There are regional and state initiatives to improve integration:

  • Currently, the MTC and transit agencies are in conducting a regional fare integration study, with part of its scope to recommend any institutional changes needed to roll out its recommendations.

  • And, there is a bill in Sacramento, AB2057, with the goal of ensuring a regionally integrated public transportation system. 

Changes will be needed to enable our transportation institutions to successfully manage coordinated programs like the draft recommendations for the 101 Managed Lanes Mobility Action Plan.

Adina Levin