Zone out: TransLink proposes fare system based on distance

VANCOUVER — TransLink wants to change the way it charges its SeaBus and SkyTrain passengers, saying distance-based pricing will bring more fairness to the system.

Since the mid-1980s, the transit authority has charged riders using a zonebased model, where the more zones you cross, the more you pay. It is a system that sees some unlucky commuters pay hefty fares for short rides, while others pay far less for longer commutes.

SkyTrain riders in South Vancouver, for example, pay $2.85 to travel eight stops from Marine Drive to Waterfront on the Canada Line, while riders in East Vancouver pay $4.10 for the one-stop journey between Rupert and Gilmore on the Millennium Line.

Under the proposed new system, SeaBus and SkyTrain riders would be charged based on the distance they travel. The base fare would remain about the same and it would cover five kilometres of travel — about three or four stations, according to a discussion guide by TransLink that was prepared for a final round of consultation that ends June 29. The fare would gradually increase with distance, up to a maximum similar to the three-zone fare charged now.

TransLink has not yet determined the exact prices for additional distance-based charges above its base fare, but a graphic included among its consultation documents suggested hypothetical charges of 15 to 20 cents per km for kilometres six through 10, 10 cents to 15 cents per km for kilometres 11 through 15, and five to 10 cents per km for kilometres 16 through 22. The maximum fare would be charged for trips longer than 23 km.