Travel Behavior, Equity, and Financial Impacts of Fare Capping

Fare-capping is an emerging fare policy where agencies track passenger spending over a set period (daily, weekly, or monthly) and automatically convert fare payments into a pass once spending reaches the pass cost, ensuring passengers don’t pay more than passholders. This approach can promote equity by offering discounted per-trip rates to those unable to afford upfront pass costs or with unpredictable travel patterns. While fare-capping appears to enhance equity, understanding its impact on different passenger groups—especially low-income riders and those with disabilities—requires deeper analysis of travel behaviors. Key questions include who benefits most and under what conditions fare-capping supports vulnerable populations. The objective of this research is to develop a comprehensive report that includes: (1) A review of previous studies on fare-capping’s effects on travel behavior, with emphasis on demographic breakdowns (e.g., age, income, disability). (2) An analysis of cost savings and increased mobility benefits across different population groups in various metropolitan areas. (3) A framework or tools for transit agencies to assess the equity and mobility benefits of fare-capping policies.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5825
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $300000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project A-55

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Transit Cooperative Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20001

  Federal Transit Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Schwager, Dianne

• Start Date: 20241126
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Demographics; Equity; Fares; Mobility; Public transit; Travel behavior
• Subject Areas: Finance; Passenger Transportation; Policy; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01937966
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project A-55
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Nov 26 2024 6:17AM