In connection with the recent passage of another short-term highway bill and tax revenue from taxes due to higher fuel efficiency and alternative vehicles such as plug-ins, states are exploring other payment options for transport projects.
For example, Oregon recently launched its car-charging program (now known as OreGo), and twenty-four other states have been actively exploring this concept over the past few years, either through state-authorized research or pilot programs. The idea is to charge drivers by the number of miles that they drive, and not by the amount of gas they use. But the Oregon program voluntarily includes a small number of drivers (5,000) within the Oregon boundaries. And although there are plans to eventually make the program mandatory to include almost all of the Oregon licensed drivers, one important problem that has not yet been solved: how to charge out-of-state drivers?
Enter the Consortium for Charging the Western Road (WRUCC) - a two-year subsidiary of the transport departments of twelve western states - to focus on this issue. Their charter states that the group will cooperate in the field of research and development of a financing method that will charge for the use of roads from drivers based on the “actual use of roads”.
Although members are not required to accept tolls on the use of roads in their states, many may well do so. This could potentially expand the mileage payment system to a huge number of countries with one third of the population and one third of the territory.
Currently, members are Arizona, Oregon, California, Washington, Texas, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Utah, Hawaii, Idaho and Colorado; 7 more states can join.
Over the next year, the consortium will exchange information and resources, analyze the progress of the Oregon program, and explore the possibility of implementing a pilot program with several jurisdictions. The group will also create best practices as they gain experience and learn from each other, as well as exploring the implications of using a toll system.
To become a member, the DOT must belong to the Western Association of State Road and Transport Officials and agree to the terms of the Consortium Charter.
The consortium is financed exclusively by membership fees of $ 25,000, and they are allowed to use state planning funds and research money under the Joint Transport Fund program (a joint program with the Federal Highway Administration and state DOT). In addition to this financial support, the participation of the federal government is minimal.
Experts have long recognized that in order for a distance-based payment mechanism to work, there must be “interoperability”; A fantastic way to say that different jurisdictions should be able to exchange information and agree on methods and procedures for registering and sending reports on mileage, accounts, and stock returns.
Experience shows that this new method of payment for transportation can work on a national and multi-competitive scale. Using 2,650 volunteers from 12 metropolitan areas from across the country, the biennial University of Iowa studied GPS technology to track the vehicle’s location and the onboard device for recording and transmitting mileage data to a central payment station. By the end of the study, the technology used by the majority of the surveyed participants had a favorable view of this experience. They were also ready for billing based on location as well as mileage, contrary to the belief that participating drivers value confidentiality for accuracy.
There is also a school of thought that says that drivers who live long distances from the place where they work, go to school or do business (the so-called “village drivers”) pay a gallon rather than a mile. Therefore, although it is possible to vary costs based on postal codes or location, the adoption of these systems with road users will be politically difficult, since many of them have a large number of rural residents. But the fact that they are ready to coordinate their efforts and, at least, to seriously consider this option, says a lot about the urgent need they feel in order to find a fairer and more sustainable alternative to gas tax.
Joshua Skunk, president and chief executive officer of Eno Transportation Center, believes the creation of the WRUCC is a big deal. “Creating a federal car rental fee or VMT of any type becomes unexpected, unsurpassed,” he said. “So the idea that this multi-state effort can occur is impressive.”
Looking ahead, the precedent set by the WRUCC may affect what happens in the rest of the country. If he successfully develops a regional pilot, he can be used as a model for other states and forces the federal government to play a more active role.
