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$40 road tolls offer insight into commuter psychology

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Re: $40 road tolls offer insight into commuter psychology

#11

Post by thisisit »

> To many drivers' surprise, though, the tolls during rush hour were high, hitting $34.50 Monday morning and reaching $40 Tuesday.

Is this like "surge pricing" on tolls?

I thought most of the tolls are fixed to allow people know in advance what they must pay. If it increases based on demand, I think people will get mad.

I think the psychology, if any, need not go towards the two choices. But rather what people thought the "dynamic pricing" will be and that was $5-$6 on average.

People get mad at ride sharing companies for their "surge pricing" so this seems in the same mold.

Re: $40 road tolls offer insight into commuter psychology

#12

Post by mnm1 »

Someone1234 wrote: post #3

Ignoring the morals for a second, with tolls that high and difficulty identifying which vehicles qualify for a HOV exemption, I wonder how many days of tolls a single ticket is and likelihood of being caught? Let's say a ticket is $150. If the toll is $6 then you're likely better off paying the toll as you're likely to be caught at least once every 25 days. At $40 they'd need to catch you at least once a week for you…

I think the likelihood of getting caught is close to 100% each day. HOV policing is an extremely high priority in the DC area and because of dedicated highways like this, also extremely easy and profitable for police. Also, I believe fines start around $250 and quickly move to $1000. There is a whole informal system of carpooling called "slugs" that works with the system. That'd be your best bet. Or, at $70 round trip, you can literally hire someone to wait around for 8 hours on minimum wage and still get off cheaper. $7.50 x 8 = $60.

Re: $40 road tolls offer insight into commuter psychology

#13

Post by ACow_Adonis »

Someone1234 wrote: post #3

Ignoring the morals for a second, with tolls that high and difficulty identifying which vehicles qualify for a HOV exemption, I wonder how many days of tolls a single ticket is and likelihood of being caught? Let's say a ticket is $150. If the toll is $6 then you're likely better off paying the toll as you're likely to be caught at least once every 25 days. At $40 they'd need to catch you at least once a week for you…

Do they not have e-tags, cameras and registrations in this part of the world?

I genuinely ask, since my assumption when using toll roads here is that the fine would find you pretty much as soon as you use the road...marginal errors and bugs aside.

Re: $40 road tolls offer insight into commuter psychology

#14

Post by munin »

AndrewKemendo wrote: post #5

I guess I'm at a loss here because I've lived in DC almost 6 years now and it never occurred to me that I-66 was HOV only during certain portions of the day. I know I am not alone in this because I see similar conversations happening elsewhere. Additionally, many comments say that single traveler HOV use is forbidden however I frequently see single drivers in the HOV lanes on 66 and elsewhere un-restricted. As a comp…

There are words on the interstate sign that say “HOV-2 6AM-9AM M-F”. It was the first thing I noticed about that road as a new driver. Maybe fewer people read signs? Few people definitely read speed limit signs...

Re: $40 road tolls offer insight into commuter psychology

#15

Post by joeax »

> Which would you prefer in general: Being forbidden from doing something at all, or allowed to do it at high cost?

This is market economics at its best. If you don't like the $40 toll go back to alternative routes you were using before they introduced the toll. I also find it ironic that "free market" Republicans are suddenly stamping their feet and demanding either price controls at $6 or reverting to the old system.

Re: $40 road tolls offer insight into commuter psychology

#16

Post by mfgmfg »

jessriedel wrote: post #8
iaw wrote: post #2

> "The real reason there's sticker shock is that the real cost of road transportation is hidden from most voters. Gas tax money goes to states and the US Department of Transportation which flows back as what seems like free federal money to build a lot of roads. Meanwhile, every transit project has to scrimp for funds..." "...estimated that tolls would have to be at least $41 to pay off the costs of construction." A…

Large public construction projects are vastly more expensive (in real dollars) today than in Eisenhower's.

Will they last proportionally as long?

Re: $40 road tolls offer insight into commuter psychology

#17

Post by fosco »

thisisit wrote: post #11

> To many drivers' surprise, though, the tolls during rush hour were high, hitting $34.50 Monday morning and reaching $40 Tuesday. Is this like "surge pricing" on tolls? I thought most of the tolls are fixed to allow people know in advance what they must pay. If it increases based on demand, I think people will get mad. I think the psychology, if any, need not go towards the two choices. But rather what people though…

Yes, this is not the first private toll road whose price fluctuates by demand in northern VA. They are also on the behest themselves and probably higher areas by now...sometimes 2 miles being 6-8 dollars...however it can easily save 45 min and therefore to many completely worth it. Many use the savings to also justify the dulles toll road as well as a normal commuting road.

The hov restriction makes committing difficult during normal hours.

When I lived there I wished they would improve the metro system, pricier than NY and not as frequent however much cleaner...

Re: $40 road tolls offer insight into commuter psychology

#18

Post by RickS »

Someone1234 wrote: post #3

Ignoring the morals for a second, with tolls that high and difficulty identifying which vehicles qualify for a HOV exemption, I wonder how many days of tolls a single ticket is and likelihood of being caught? Let's say a ticket is $150. If the toll is $6 then you're likely better off paying the toll as you're likely to be caught at least once every 25 days. At $40 they'd need to catch you at least once a week for you…

They combat this fairly smartly: the fine starts at $125 and doubles with every incident, up into the thousands. This was the case before this toll road, circa 2013 ish.

Re: $40 road tolls offer insight into commuter psychology

#19

Post by ShabbosGoy »

thisisit wrote: post #11

> To many drivers' surprise, though, the tolls during rush hour were high, hitting $34.50 Monday morning and reaching $40 Tuesday. Is this like "surge pricing" on tolls? I thought most of the tolls are fixed to allow people know in advance what they must pay. If it increases based on demand, I think people will get mad. I think the psychology, if any, need not go towards the two choices. But rather what people though…

Not sure how it works in VA. I know in SoCal, you are metered by distance, and you can calculate your own tolls. It has nothing to do with traffic congestion.

Re: $40 road tolls offer insight into commuter psychology

#20

Post by smacktoward »

thisisit wrote: post #11

> To many drivers' surprise, though, the tolls during rush hour were high, hitting $34.50 Monday morning and reaching $40 Tuesday. Is this like "surge pricing" on tolls? I thought most of the tolls are fixed to allow people know in advance what they must pay. If it increases based on demand, I think people will get mad. I think the psychology, if any, need not go towards the two choices. But rather what people though…

These tolls are part of the new-ish "Express Lanes" system, which have tolls set dynamically based on demand: http://www.66expresslanes.org/about_the_lanes/default.asp

Express Lanes were rolled out a few years ago on I-495, aka "the Beltway" that rings DC. Now they've been extended to I-66, the main artery that links the Virginia suburbs to DC's west.

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