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TransLink distance-based fare system moves ahead

Metro Vancouver mayors ask staff to write up technical plan on SkyTrain and SeaBus
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The mayors’ council on regional transportation has moved ahead on introducing distance-based fares along SkyTrain and SeaBus routes.

The group voted on Thursday in favour of TransLink staff developing a technical plan on the new fare system and how to implement it. The plan will include hourly-based discounts on certain routes.

The changes to transit fares were recommended in June, after TransLink executive cites complaints from riders about “arbitrary” zone boundaries and “really high costs for people travelling one or two stations.”

TransLink believes 17 per cent of riders will see an increase of more than 10 per cent in their fares, while an equivalent portion will see a decrease of more than 10 per cent. The remaining 66 per cent won’t see any major fare price changes.

Back in June, TransLink’s manager of policy development Andrew Devlin said the fares will be revenue neutral, and shouldn’t be expensive to implement with the current Compass Card system.

The technical plan will be presented and voted on at a later date.

More to come.


@ashwadhwani
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca

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About the Author: Ashley Wadhwani-Smith

I began my journalistic journey at Black Press Media as a community reporter in my hometown of Maple Ridge, B.C.
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