Transit Fares for Low Income Calgarians

Stephen HansenCalgary Transit, Manager, Safety

and SecurityCalgary, Alberta

Presentation Overview

• Calgary Overview• Calgary Transit Profile• Fare Facts• History of Low Income Transit

Pass Program• Current Situation• Lessons Learned

Calgary Overview

• 1.2 million population• Relatively young and affluent• Head quarters to Canada’s oil

and gas industry• Transportation hub

Calgary Transit Profile

• Bus, light rail and accessible services

• 2.7 million hours of service• 102 million revenue

passengers (50% mode split) • 34% increase in ridership/10

years

Fare Facts

• 55% cost recovery • Flat fare system• $171.3 million annual

revenue (2012)• $1.54 average fare

Fare Facts (continued)

Fare Type Rate (2013)

Cash

Adult $3.00

Youth $1.75

Tickets

Adult (book of 10) $30.00

Youth (book of 10) $17.50

Monthly Passes

Adult $94.00

Youth $57.50

History of the Low Income Transit Pass Program

• Community Committee on Discounted Transit fares in 2000

• Approached City for subsidized monthly transit pass

• Four concerns from City of Calgary

History of the Low Income Transit Pass Program(continued)

• Created in 2005 as a pilot• 18 to 64 years of age• 75% of low income cut-offs• Program cost to be covered by

transit revenues • Fair Calgary Policy (2006)

Current (LITP) Program

• Annual eligibility determination

• Two locations – for eligibility• Income criteria – 87.5% of low

income cut-offs based on family income

Current (LITP) Program (continued)

• Proof of income, live in Calgary, photo identification

• Pass valid on all CT services(Conditions of Use)

• One pass per month• Four locations for pass sales

Current (LITP) Program (continued)

• 15,478 LITP registrants• 2012 estimated lost revenue:

$4.96 million • 2012 program administration

costs: $350K

Lessons Learned

• Two persistent people can make a difference

• Social role of transit• Less uptake than estimated• Fraud prevention measures