Attitudes on 91-X Public will accept dynamic tolling

ATTITUDES ON 91-X

Public will accept dynamic tolling

The public is naturally apprehensive about the idea but will accept dynamic tolls if they are properly implemented, according to the independent reviewer of 91-Express (91-X), Ed Sullivan.

91-X prepared to implement dynamic tolling before it opened late 1995 but decided on its present system of pre-announced schedule of different toll rates after focus group surveys with potential patrons showed a strong preference for toll rates that would be known before the motorist started out. Gerry Pfeffer who was in charge then said that the company decided what they were doing with varied tolls in a privately operated section of a public freeway was radical enough without introducing the additional novelty of tolls that varied dynamically. But he said, and 91-X still says that it may take at some point revisit the issue and introduce dynamic tolling. They had the software written and were technically ready to go with it when they first opened.

Ed Sullivan of Cal Poly State Univ San Luis Obispo who is surveying 91-X under contract to the US government says that last spring he included in a survey of 91-X users a carefully worded question on dynamic tolling. Users surveyed were asked whether they thought it was, or wasn't, a good idea for 91-X to publish maximum tolls (at the time, $2.75) but allow the actual tolls to vary depending on traffic conditions. The actual toll would be posted on variable message signs upstream.

About 50% of current 91-X users responded that they thought this seemed like a good idea. “It surprised me that the acceptance level was this high,” says Sullivan.

He calls it a classic "glass half full and half empty" finding.

“Clearly, there is a substantial amount of public concern about dynamic tolls, but if they're implemented carefully with due attention to PR. and the concerns about ‘gouging’ maybe they'll fly.”

Surveys prior to opening of the 91 toll lanes showed that around 60% of corridor commuters at that time didn't like the idea of variable tolls at all, he says.

But after a year of experience, over 60% thought variable tolls to be a good idea. So people do change their minds with favorable experience, Sullivan says. But at the same time the natural fear of the unknown is an issue to be reckoned. (Contact Sullivan 805 756 1166 esulliva@calpoly.edu)