With only one day to go until Road User Charging Conference Americas 2021, CiTTi meets speaker Fearghal King, project manager for mobility pricing at TransLink.
Taking place on 10-11 March 2021 via Zoom, Road User Charging Conference Americas 2021 will bring together 27 senior-level speakers from Peru, Chile, Brazil, Jamaica, Canada and across the USA to share insight on the latest tolling technologies, road pricing projects and intelligent transport systems being implemented throughout the Americas.
Name: Fearghal King
Job Role: Project Manager – Mobility Pricing
What is the best thing about your job?
I get to apply my economics training in practice, where we identify inefficiencies and market failure on the transportation system (e.g. congestion, GHG emissions, inequity, etc.) and develop pricing tools to internalise the costs that are borne by society. At the same time, because I’m in a position that is so close to where policy decisions are made, I’m fortunate to be able to inform some of those decisions.
What is the biggest challenge facing those with responsibility for intelligent transportation systems and tolling/road pricing in 2021?
I think the fallout from the pandemic is both the greatest challenge and the greatest opportunity for road pricing right now. Many traditional travel patterns have been uprooted, and many homes and businesses are facing significant economic hardships right now. This is raising questions about whether it’s the right time to pursue road pricing. But at the same time, some important questions are also being raised about how transportation should be funded and priced. If a ‘return to normal’ means a return to congestion, climate change, inequality, etc. then perhaps road pricing can be part of the discussion towards reaching a new normal that is also a better normal.
What’s your best piece of advice for those looking to implement road-user charging or tolling solutions?
Be clear about your objectives, including why you’re pursuing RUC, what problems you’re trying to address, and what outcomes you hope to achieve. Be pragmatic about what the ideal looks like versus what is possible to implement. Be open-minded about what you can achieve and don’t start with an agenda already in mind. Undertake an objective, transparent, and meaningful engagement process with stakeholders and the public. Seek out political champions. And trust the process!
Does legislation help or hinder development in the sector?
I think legislation is ultimately required if we are to change the ways in which we pay for our roads. But careful consideration should be given as to the level of specificity of legislation, especially given how much the mobility sector is evolving right now. Legislation should be reasonably flexible and enable different levels of government to explore different types of pricing solutions that work for them.
How will the business of road-user charging have changed by 2030?
The rise of in-vehicle telematics could enable dynamic pricing policies that seem far-fetched today to be common practice by 2030. Given the current evolutions within the mobility sector, it is not unreasonable to think that our roads could be occupied by zero-occupancy autonomous vehicles in the future, which are powered by electricity. Driving is cheap (no fuel tax), and time becomes less of an issue in this scenario, which could lead to a significant increase in congestion as well as a watering down of government finances. Pricing will play an important role to prevent this from happening. It should be common practice to apply a dynamic user-pays principle to road use. And if that use also contributes to things like congestion, GHG emissions, air pollution, etc. then perhaps the costs are even higher.
Why are you looking forward to speaking atRoad User Charging Conference Americas 2021?
I look forward to learning more about the policy developments taking place in other jurisdictions. But I also look forward to learning more about how technology is evolving to enable desired pricing policies.
At the conference you’ll also be able to hear from LA Metro, Cubic Transportation Systems, Mileage Based User Fee Alliance, the Eastern Transportation Coalition, IBTTA… and more! You can view the full agenda here. All times for Day 1 are shown in PST (GMT-8) and for Day 2 are shown in EST (GMT-5). All sessions will be available after the conference on-demand.
The two-day Road User Charging Conference Americas on 10 and 11 March 2021 is the perfect platform for senior decision-makers who have responsibility for tolling, intelligent transportation systems and road pricing to network and learn from experts in their field. To find out more go to: www.roaduserchargingconference.co.uk/ruc-americas.
For partnership enquiries, please contact Robert Gouge at robert.gouge@akabomedia.co.uk or by calling +44 (0) 20 8065 0465. For speaking opportunities, please contact Claudia Davidson at claudia.davidson@akabomedia.co.uk or by calling +44 (0) 20 8037 1777.
Meet some of our other speakers at Road User Charging Conference Americas 2021…
- Maureen Bock, chief innovation officer, OReGO
- Steve Morello, partner, Milestone Solutions
- Tyler Milligan, partner, Milligan Associates
- Lauren Prehoda, road user charging program manager, California Department of Transport (Caltrans)
- Freddy Naranjo, assistant bureau chief – quality control, at the Alabama Department of Transportation
- Tanya Bedward, senior director, transport policy (international and land), Jamaican Ministry of Transport and Mining
- Blaine Leonard, transportation technology engineer, Utah Department of Transportation
- Hannah Walter, associate deputy director, California Transportation Commission
- Erin Aleman, executive director, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
