Just announced today by the Mayors’ Council:
WHAT IS THE MOBILITY PRICING INDEPENDENT COMMISSION?
The Mobility Pricing Independent Commission’s purpose is to make recommendations to the TransLink Board of Directors and Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation on how to improve the way we price transportation in Metro Vancouver, including roads and bridges, in order to manage congestion, promote fairness, and support continued investment in urgently needed transportation infrastructure. The Independent Commission is comprised of 12 community leaders from across the region who call Metro Vancouver home.
HOW WILL THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION GO ABOUT ITS WORK?
The Independent Commission is tasked with considering all available options for mobility pricing and making recommendations for made-in-Metro-Vancouver solutions informed by a careful review of the best evidence and the views, perspectives and input of Metro Vancouver residents. From minor tweaks to the existing system to a broad re-imagining, this Independent Commission is invited to rethink all approaches and explore new ways of doing things that are fair and make the transportation system work better for everyone. The Independent Commission will start its work in June 2017 and will provide its report and recommendations approximately 10 months later.
WHAT IS MOBILITY PRICING?
Mobility pricing refers to the range of fees and charges for using everyday transportation services. It can include things like road usage charges (tolls, fuel sales tax, or vehicle permit and insurance fees), transit fares, and charges for using shared use services like taxis, bike sharing, car sharing or ride hailing. Different jurisdictions around the world – such as London, Stockholm, Singapore and Oregon – have put in place a number of different models for mobility pricing to meet some or all of the objectives of reducing congestion, improving fairness and supporting transportation investment.
WHY STUDY MOBILITY PRICING?
The Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation’s 10-Year Vision for Metro Vancouver Transportation outlines investments in public transit, roads, bridges and active transportation to reduce congestion across the region. The 10-Year Vision also commits to studying mobility pricing as a strategy for helping achieve the goals of this plan. The current way we pay for usage of some transportation infrastructure and service and not others is increasingly unfair and unsustainable. Studying mobility pricing will make sure that future decisions made by municipal, regional and provincial decision makers are informed by the best available evidence, and the views of Metro Vancouver residents, stakeholders and businesses.
WHAT ARE THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION’S KEY OBJECTIVES?
The Independent Commission is being asked to evaluate mobility pricing options for Metro Vancouver based on the following objectives:
- Manage Congestion – recommendations should reduce the congestion on our roads and transit system that frustrates commuters, and hurts our economy, our health, and our quality of life.
- Promote Fairness – recommendations should increase the connection between what you use and what you pay, promote affordability for local residents and businesses, and ensure that residents have access to a robust network of transportation options.
- Support Investment – recommendations should help generate revenues that are needed to make smart, ongoing investments in public transit, roads, bridges, and active transportation across Metro Vancouver, and ensure revenues are collected and distributed in a manner that is transparent, equitable and accountable.
HOW CAN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC LEARN MORE AND GET INVOLVED?
The Independent Commission will engage broadly throughout and use those findings as key inputs to help inform and guide its recommendations. Members of the public will have the opportunity to take part in the Independent Commission’s work at public meetings in communities across Metro Vancouver and online.
More information on the Independent Commission and how to get involved will be made available on its website shortly: www.mobilitypricing.ca.
