Exploration of Mileage-Based User Fee Approaches for All Users

To re-establish the connection between how much a driver uses the road and how much they pay for it, state and federal governments are exploring a distance-based approach to transportation funding—referred to as a mileage-based user fee (MBUF) and also known as a road usage charge (RUC)—as an alternative to the fuel tax. Unlike the pay-per-gallon approach, an MBUF charges drivers according to the amount of miles they drive on roadways. The assessment of MBUF has advanced as a result of the U.S. Department of Transportation Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives (STSFA) grant program established under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act that provides grants to demonstrate user-based alternative revenue mechanisms that utilize a user fee structure. This report focuses on the Eastern Transportation Coalition's STSFA-funded activities that occurred in 2020 and 2021 (2020-2021 MBUF Work). The 2020-2021 MBUF Work to explore MBUF as a replacement for the fuel tax included the following: (1) National Truck Pilot, including: demonstration pilot that spanned the 48 contiguous states and D.C.; tiered rate analysis; and pilot participant interviews. (2) Motor Carrier Working Group, including: Rate Setting Task Force. (3) 2020-2021 State Passenger Vehicle Pilot, including: demonstration pilots in Delaware, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania (2020-2021 State Passenger Vehicle Pilot) in partnership with state departments of transportation (DOTs); tiered rate analysis; pilot participant surveys and focus groups; and fuel location analysis. (4) Public Opinion Surveys. (5) Geographic Equity Analysis. (6) Tolling Synergies, including tolling synergies test in Delaware, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania; 2021 Tolling Entity-Led Synergies Pilot in partnership with Transurban, a toll road operator, to explore how tolling business practices can be leveraged to implement a viable MBUF system. (7) Congestion Mitigation Using MBUF Technology.

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; Tables;
  • Pagination: 108p

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01839124
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Mar 22 2022 9:45AM