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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2738 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3397
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Steven Owens
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to create a mobility pricing commission.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Steven Owens29th Middlesex1/13/2023 1 of 4
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2738 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3397
By Representative Owens of Watertown, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3397) of
Steven Owens for legislation to establish a special commission on mobility pricing to investigate,
study and make recommendations on the development and deployment of comprehensive and
regionally-equitable public transportation pricing, roadway pricing and congestion pricing.
Transportation.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to create a mobility pricing commission.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. (a) For the purposes of this section, the term “public transportation” shall
2include the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and regional transportation authorities.
3 (b) There shall be a special commission on mobility pricing to investigate, study and
4make recommendations on the development and deployment of comprehensive and regionally-
5equitable public transportation pricing, roadway pricing and congestion pricing.
6 The commission shall consist of: the secretary of transportation, or a designee; the chief
7executive officer of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce; and 15 members to be appointed
8by the governor, 1 of whom shall be an expert in transportation planning and policy and who
9shall not be an employee of the commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof, who shall
10serve as chair, 1 of whom shall be an expert in tolling systems or toll authorities, 1 of whom shall
11be an expert in transportation financing, 1 of whom shall be an expert in traffic congestion and 2 of 4
12congestion pricing, 1 of whom shall be an expert in climate change and environmental policy; 1
13of whom shall be a representative of Transportation for Massachusetts, 1 of whom shall be a
14representative of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, Inc., 1 of whom shall be members of
15the Massachusetts Municipal Association, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the
16Metropolitan Area Planning Council, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts
17Bay Transportation Authority advisory board, 1 of whom shall be a representative from the
18Massachusetts Association of Regional Transit Authorities, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a
19representative from A Better City, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of the
20495/MetroWest Corridor Partnership, Inc. and 2 of whom shall be employed by organizations
21that represent low-income communities that have been historically underserved by transit and
22acutely adversely affected by the public health impacts of traffic congestion; provided, however,
23that the members representing low-income communities shall not be from the same organization.
24 (c) For roadway and congestion pricing, the commission shall: (i) identify and analyze
25physical, technological, legal and other issues or requirements related to roadway pricing in the
26commonwealth; (ii) propose detailed specifications and regionally-equitable locations for toll
27gantries and other equipment necessary to assess and collect tolls; (iii) advise the Massachusetts
28Department of Transportation on roadway pricing scenarios under the federal Value Pricing Pilot
29Program; (iv) provide estimates of annual operation and maintenance costs; (v) provide estimates
30of annual revenue with consideration of declining motor vehicle fuel excise revenue due to
31vehicle electrification; (vi) provide traffic forecasts, including forecasts of traffic diversion
32impacts; (vii) provide a regional and social equity analysis with specific recommendations
33related to mitigating adverse impacts for low income residents; (viii) provide potential impacts
34on vehicular emissions reduction; (ix) identify all local, state and federal approvals necessary to 3 of 4
35deploy new tolls and other roadway pricing mechanisms on relevant roadways; and (x) take into
36consideration roadway and congestion pricing programs in other jurisdictions throughout the
37United States and the world.
38 (d) For public transportation pricing, the commission shall: (i) study commute and
39demand patterns for public transit entities; (ii) study economic development and housing patterns
40and projections and the impact each has on public transit demand; (iii) review the
41commonwealth’s laws regarding emissions reductions within the transportation sector; (iv)
42determine fare structures including but not limited to low income fares, flat rate fares, and fare
43capping; (v) determine service levels for all modes of transit of the Massachusetts Bay
44Transportation Authority and regional transit authorities that account for commute patterns and
45demand, economic development and housing patterns and emissions reduction requirements; (vi)
46provide estimates of annual operation and maintenance costs; (vii) provide estimates of annual
47revenue; (viii) provide ridership forecasts; (ix) provide a regional and social equity analysis with
48specific recommendations related to mitigating adverse impacts; (x) provide potential impacts on
49vehicular emissions reduction; (xi) identify all local, state and federal approvals necessary to
50deploy new fare structures at regional transit authorities and the Massachusetts Bay
51Transportation Authority; and (xii) take into consideration public transportation pricing programs
52in other jurisdictions throughout the United States and the world.
53 (e) The commission may also: (i) propose any other revenue sources and strategies that
54may be needed to meet the commonwealth’s 2050 emissions mandates; and (ii) provide year-to-
55year direct measurements and estimates of annual operation and maintenance costs; and (iii)
56propose methods of distributing methods of raised revenue that are in line with the program’s
57goals. 4 of 4
58 (f) The commission may investigate, study and make recommendations on additional
59mobility methods as necessary.
60 (g) Not later than July 1, 2025, the commission shall file a report of its findings and
61recommendations, including legislative recommendations and not more than 5 scenarios for
62mobility pricing plans, with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the senate and
63house committees on ways and means and the joint committee on transportation. The report shall
64include, but not be limited to, an analysis of mitigation measures to address social equity issues,
65including, but not limited to, social equity issues for communities underserved by the current
66transportation system.