Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Parking Climate and Equitable Mobility Transaction Fee?
A 20-cent fee on parking meter transactions to send an initial price signal about the costs of driving.
Why is there a Transaction Fee?
The parking climate and equitable mobility transaction fee will send a price signal about the externalized costs of driving (including greenhouse gas emissions, traffic congestion, and use of roadway space) and support investments that advance our climate and equity goals.
When will the Transaction Fee go into effect?
July 1, 2022
How is the Transaction Fee collected?
It will be collected through Parking Kitty and Portland Parking Meters as part of your transaction of paying for parking.
What will the money collected from the Transaction Fee be used for?
Funds generated will support investments in transportation affordability and access, in alignment with Pricing Options for Equitable Mobility (POEM) recommendations. Investments will include:
- Expanding affordable housing Transportation Wallet
- BIKETOWN for All
- Multimodal infrastructure projects
- Research and policy development to inform additional pricing, equitable mobility, demand management, and affordability programs
Background
PBOT is committed to upholding Transportation Justice in everything we do. That means in our work we aim to address the urgent impacts of climate change and racial equity to build a more just transportation system that works for all Portlanders.
Our system today over-prioritizes cars
The current transportation system prioritizes drivers of private vehicles and deprioritizes the mobility and access of people who do not have the physical or legal ability to drive, and/or who do not have reliable use of a functioning private vehicle. Furthermore, in the US more than a third of driving trips are shorter than two miles. In Portland there are approximately one million non-commute trips under two miles made each day by car—more than double the number of all commute trips in the city. Many Portlanders, however, are reliant on driving to meet their needs within our current system.
There is an urgent need to address current challenges
Portland’s transportation system today is inequitable, contributes to the climate crisis, exacerbates poor health outcomes, costs our economy, and presents safety risks to users from traffic crashes and personal threats on our streets. There is an urgent need to improve the transportation system to address these challenges. Existing strategies are not making enough progress on any of these fronts and therefore require a stronger and more intersectional approach.
Creating solutions
Therefore, the Pricing Options for Equitable Mobility (POEM) project, formed a task force of community members to explore whether we should use pricing strategies more intentionally in Portland to create a more equitable and sustainable transportation system.
In October 2021, Portland City Council accepted the POEM Task Force’s pricing recommendations and directed PBOT to develop strategies that would address the climate crisis by reducing driving, while also addressing the historic inequities in our transportation system.
This Parking Climate and Equitable Mobility Transaction Fee is the initial strategy to send a price signal about the cost of driving and using the funds to support investments in transportation affordability and access.
Find out more about the Pricing Options for Equitable Mobility project here.
Travel Options for Transit, Bike-Share, Biking, Walking and Rolling
Take transit - TriMet buses and MAX and Portland Streetcar are all options for getting around.
Pay for Transit with a Hop Card
TriMet Honored Citizen reduced fare for seniors age 65+, people on Medicare, and people with disabilities
TriMet Reduced Fare Hop Card for people who qualify based on income
BIKETOWN - Portland's bike-share system has e-bikes for you to use.
BIKETOWN for All - discounted BIKETOWN membership for students and people living on low incomes.
Adaptive BIKETOWN - Portland's adaptive bike rental program to increase access to cycling for people with disabilities.
Walk, Bike, or Roll - Have your own bike? Want to walk or roll with your mobility device? Utilize Portland's interactive maps for how to get around.
SmartTrips Getting around Portland by foot, bike, and public transit
E-Scooters - A variety of companies providing shared e-scooters, pricing, and service area vary by company