Metro - File #: 2023-0296

• File #: 2023-0296
• Type: Program
• Status: Non-Calendar
• File created: 4/26/2023
• In control: Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting
• On agenda: 6/22/2023
• Title: CONSIDER: A. RECEIVING AND FILING the ExpressLanes Pay-As-You-Go Pilot evaluation methodology and findings; B. AUTHORIZING the Pay-As-You-Go Program permanent, eliminate the $25 penalty for notice of toll evasion, and adjust the Program's "processing fee" (which replaces the former penalty amount) from $4 to $8 to align processing costs and fees; C. AUTHORIZING the Chief Executive Officer or their designeee to conduct an annual audit to confirm the fee amount and make downward or upward adjustments to the fee as appropriate to keep costs and fees aligned, consistent with the Fee Adjustment Policy (Attachment D); and D. AUTHORIZING the Chief Executive Officer or their designee to make the necessary changes to the ExpressLanes Toll Ordinance, as required.
• Sponsors: Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting
• Indexes: Audit, Budget, Budgeting, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Customer service, Evaluation and assessment, Express lanes, General purpose lanes, I-10, I-110, Impact fees, Metro Equity Platform, Metro ExpressLanes, Motion / Motion Response, Off peak periods, Payment, Peak periods, Policy, Program, Strategic planning, Tolls, Travel time, Volume
• Related files: 2022-0799, 2023-0382

Date	Action By	Action	Result
5/18/2023	Executive Management Committee

Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
MAY 18, 2023


Subject
SUBJECT: EXPRESSLANES PAY-AS-YOU-GO PILOT EVALUATION


Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS

Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:

A. RECEIVING AND FILING the ExpressLanes Pay-As-You-Go Pilot evaluation methodology and findings;

B. AUTHORIZING the Pay-As-You-Go Program permanent, eliminate the $25 penalty for notice of toll evasion, and adjust the Program's "processing fee" (which replaces the former penalty amount) from $4 to $8 to align processing costs and fees;

C. AUTHORIZING the Chief Executive Officer or their designeee to conduct an annual audit to confirm the fee amount and make downward or upward adjustments to the fee as appropriate to keep costs and fees aligned, consistent with the Fee Adjustment Policy (Attachment D); and

D. AUTHORIZING the Chief Executive Officer or their designee to make the necessary changes to the ExpressLanes Toll Ordinance, as required.

Issue
ISSUE

The Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) Pilot was approved by the Board in January 2019 as a time-limited pilot to evaluate the effects of reducing the penalties associated with using the ExpressLanes for drivers without FasTrak transponders. At the time of approval, Metro staff committed to conducting an evaluation of the Pilot's impacts and to report back to the Board at the conclusion of the Pilot period with findings. This Board Report addresses the impacts of the Pilot, and its associated recommendation regarding the future of the PAYG Program.

Background
BACKGROUND

The PAYG pilot reduced the cost of using the ExpressLanes without a FasTrak transponder by temporarily removing the $25 violation penalty and replacing it with a significantly lower $4 processing fee for non-FasTrak trips. This $4 fee was designed and intended to match the costs of processing each PAYG notice, thereby keeping the PAYG pilot cost-neutral. For PAYG trips, the Roadside Toll Collection System captures photos of the vehicles as the...