The days of paying a flat fare to ride the TTC could be coming to an end. In a bid to break down barriers between GTA transit operators, Metrolinx is examining three proposals for an integrated regional fare system that could charge riders according to how far they travel, and which transit mode they use.

The current system

The nine municipal transit operators whose fares Metrolinx wants to integrate generally charge a flat fare for local and rapid transit within their own borders. Riders usually have to pay a second fare if they cross a municipal boundary (from Vaughan to Toronto, for example) or if they transfer between the TTC and GO Transit. Metrolinx chief planning officer Leslie Woo said riders don’t feel the complicated fare system gives them good value for money, and it’s deterring drivers from switching to transit. “We need to move away from it being a barrier.”

Option 1: Modified status quo

This option would even the playing field by harmonizing policies for transferring between various GTA transit operators. The cost of a bus, streetcar, subway or LRT trip would be flat regardless of the length, and GO or Smart Track rides would be based on distance, with a medium-length trip costing about the same as a subway or LRT trip of similar length. Because this option is closest to the existing model, it may be easiest to implement. “Deliverability would be one of its strengths,” said Woo.

Option 2: Transit zones

The GTA would be divided into geographic zones, and fares would be determined according to how many zones a rider crosses. Fares for rapid transit (subway and LRT) could be more expensive than for local transit (bus and streetcar), but the same zones would apply. Ticket prices for regional rail trips would continue to be based on distance. “The most critical thing … is how big is a zone?” said Woo. Many, smaller zones would make travel too complicated, while fewer, larger zones would make it impossible to assign a fair value to the ride.

Option 3: Hybrid

The third option would combine the previous two concepts: riders could take local trips by bus and streetcar for a flat fare, but the cost of subway, LRT and regional rail fares would be based on distance, using either zones or the length of the trip itself. Woo said that many cities, such as Amsterdam and Melbourne, have successfully implemented this type of system, but they evolved towards it over time. “What we’re trying to examine is, what if you designed it from the get-go as a hybrid?”

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