Transit Fares for Low Income Calgarians

1. Transit Fares for Low Income Calgarians Stephen Hansen Calgary Transit, Manager, Safety and Security Calgary, Alberta

2. Presentation Overview • Calgary Overview • Calgary Transit Profile • Fare Facts • History of Low Income Transit Pass Program • Current Situation • Lessons Learned

3. Calgary Overview • 1.2 million population • Relatively young and affluent • Head quarters to Canada’s oil and gas industry • Transportation hub

4. 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

5. Fare Facts • 55% cost recovery • Flat fare system • $171.3 million annual revenue (2012) • $1.54 average fare

6. Fare Facts (continued)

7. 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

8. 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)

9. Current (LITP) Program • Annual eligibility determination • Two locations – for eligibility • Income criteria – 87.5% of low income cut-offs based on family income

10. 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

11. Current (LITP) Program (continued) • 15,478 LITP registrants • 2012 estimated lost revenue: $4.96 million • 2012 program administration costs: $350K

12. Lessons Learned • Two persistent people can make a difference • Social role of transit • Less uptake than estimated • Fraud prevention measures