How Politics Even Affect Good Pricing Projects

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How Politics Even Affect Good Pricing Projects

• Eric N. Schreffler, ESTC
• TRB Intl Symposium on Road Pricing
• Key Biscayne, Florida
• November 21, 2003

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My Involvement in I-15 San Diego

• Part of SDSU Evaluation Team
• Performed Institutional Assessment
• Interviewed 40 stakeholders
• Performed first Bus Study
• Prepared evaluation plan for Managed Lanes
  Pricing Project

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I-15 FasTrak Pilot ProjectSan Diego, California

• Uses 8 mi/14 km reversible HOV facility
• SOVs pay US0.50 4.00 per trip
• Toll varies with volumes in HOV Lanes
• FasTrak accounts debited monthly
• Revenue for operations and transit
• Continuing beyond federal pilot

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I-15 Express Lane/HOV Access
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Variable Toll Message Signs
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FASTRAK Transponder
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Enforcement by CHP
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Inland Breeze Bus Service
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Now for the Politics

• Solely my opinion!!!
• Not SDSU, SANDAG, Caltrans, FHWA
• Political champion enabled concept to become
  reality
• Good marriage between concept and desires of
  champion, but

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The Political Champion

• Began as mayor of
• town in corridor

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Mayor Champion

• Wanted monorail or other solution to relieve
  congestion on town road
• or expansion of light
• rail line on 15

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Boardmember Champion

• Wanted new bus service in corridor to prove
  demand for high capacity transit
• Insisted on unique red buses

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Assemblyman Champion

• Assured revenue could only go to transit capital
  and operating and HOV facility improvements
• Caltrans imposed LOS threshold

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Findings from San Diego

• Improved efficiency of HOV lanes
• Carpooling has not suffered as a result
• Pricing is an option, not imposition
• Users love it non-users dont really care
• FasTrak cross-subsidizes public transport

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What About the Red Buses?

• About 1 M of 2 M in revenue to transit
• Original route attracted reverse commuters
• Did not attract solo drivers
• Did not meet original expectations
• Route split to add commuter runs
• About 130,000 annual boardings

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How else could revenue be used?

• User-side subsidy
• - carpoolers
• - vanpoolers
• - bus riders
• - teleworkers
• Marketing of HOV modes
• Support county commuter express buses

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What do other politicos think?

• Interviewed city and county elected officials
  representing corridor
• Initially saw toll as unfair tax, but liked
  federal pilot funding
• Knew that users were happy
• Did not see pricing as part of long-term solution
  in corridor

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Could it have been better?

• Widely viewed as U.S. success story
• Did not fully test elasticity
• Did improve efficiency of HOV lanes
• Could have improved effectiveness by increasing
  HOV use
• Red buses are goodcould have been better

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More Information

• www.sandag.org/fastrak