Port Mann Bridge incentive offered for paperless switch

The province is offering drivers who use the Port Mann Bridge a $10 toll credit to switch to paperless billing in an effort to curb costs amid continuing revenue shortfalls for the crossing.

The Transportation Investment Corporation (TIC) the Crown corporation that manages the bridge says mailed paper bills are among its biggest costs. It claims to print and mail more than three million invoicesper year at a cost of millions of dollars.

"The more customers signed up for e-bill keeps the system streamlined and our operating costs low," TIC President and CEO Irene Kerr wrote in a news release.

Drivers have until March 15 of this year to take advantage of the deal.

Revenue shortfalls

The offer comes in the wake of more revenue shortfalls for the tolled crossing as revealed in last week's provincial budget.

Figures from the province show TIClost$86 million on the bridgelast budget year. The same numbers forecast continued financial trouble, with the bridge estimated to lose $102 million in 2016/17and $106 million in 2017/18.

In 2012, the provincial budget projected a$28.3 million loss on the bridge for 2014/2015.

The new crossing first opened to traffic in Sept. 2012,and full toll rates were introduced in Jan. 2014. Those rates rose slightly in Aug. 2015 due to costs linked to building, operating, and maintaining the new span.

Tolls range from $1.60 for motorcycles, $3.15 for small vehicles toas high as $9.45 for large vehicles.