Download or read book Vehicle Miles Traveled VMT Fees written by Richard Tremain Baker and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 67 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fuel taxes are the primary source of funding for state and federal transportation programs and have been for well over 80 years. However, the long term viability of this revenue source is in question. The development of more fuel efficient engine technologies and growth in vehicles that do not run on taxable fuels (such as gasoline and diesel) have reduced fuel consumption. While this is beneficial from an energy independence and air quality perspective, it means that less and less revenue is generated in fuel taxes to expand and maintain the nation's infrastructure. Many states are looking at funding alternatives to the fuel tax. Among the most promising are fees directly related to use. Such road use fees have many different names but their defining characteristic is that they are a fee levied based on distance traveled. However, other facets of use such as vehicle weight or time-of-day could be factored into the fee rate. This paper summarizes recent research efforts undertaken at the state level to research and, in one case, implement road user charging systems as a replacement funding mechanism for the fuel tax. This paper also presents a brief overview of recently filed federal legislation related to road user charging and discusses a few collaborative multistate initiatives.
Download or read book Focus on Vehicle Miles Traveled Fees written by Sean Slone and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 12 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A More Perfect User Fee written by Heath Hansen and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The United States is currently facing a highway funding crisis. Both federal and state transportation budgets are under mounting duress as road maintenance and construction costs continue to outpace revenues each year. While a number of factors contribute to this problem, one of the primary causes is the inherently flawed nature of gas taxes, which provide the vast majority of revenues for the nation0́9s surface transportation system. In response to growing budgetary shortfalls and the increasingly apparent shortcomings of gas taxes, state and federal policymakers have begun searching for an alternative approach to funding and financing roads. Recently, a concept known as a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee has gained popularity among transportation policy experts and policymakers as a potential replacement for the gas tax. Under a VMT fee system, drivers pay for their actual road use instead of, as now, for the motor fuel they consume. Although the concept is new and there exists very little real-world experience with a VMT fee, several pilot studies conducted within the last decade in the United States have demonstrated their potential as a viable, long-term solution to the nation0́9s road funding challenges. In this paper, I examine the concept of VMT fees and evaluate specific VMT fee systems that have been proposed as alternatives to the gas tax. I begin with an overview of the current gas tax system in the United States and then discuss its advantages and disadvantages as well as why it is not a sustainable funding mechanism going forward. In the second section, I examine the general concept of a VMT fee, including its potential benefits, costs, and the challenges associated with transitioning from the gas tax to a VMT fee. Section three outlines seven essential criteria that specific VMT proposals should meet in order to be considered a viable alternative. In the fourth section, I evaluate four different VMT fee proposals that have been 2 tested in pilot studies in the United States based on the six criteria spelled out in Section 3. In section 5, I compare and contrast the four proposals and discuss their relative advantages and disadvantages. Section 6 concludes with recommendations for implementing a VMT fee in the United States.
Download or read book Equity Evaluation of Vehicle Miles Traveled Fees in Texas written by Mark Whitman Burris and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A Framework and Analytical Approach to Evaluate Alternative Vehicle Miles Traveled VMT Fee Systems written by Elizabeth V. Ebacher and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the fuel tax is a dwindling source of revenue, states need to find alternative funding sources. A vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee has received serious consideration from a number of states and the federal government. What is missing from the VMT fee consideration is a framework for developing VMT fee systems and an analytical approach with which to study how well a proposed system conforms to the policies promulgated in the framework. This research strives to fill that void. The framework developed presents five areas of importance in VMT fee systems: 1. Revenue sufficiency; 2. Revenue stability; 3. Environmental Justice; 4. Low implementation cost; and 5. Security and privacy preservation. The analytical approach consists of two methods: 1. Use of NPV in order to evaluate the cost/benefit position of a proposed VMT fee system with respect to monetary and non-monetary but monetizable aspects; and 2. Use of an Index to evaluate all other aspects. To demonstrate the application of the framework and analytical approach, four VMT system designs were formulated, analyzed, and then compared to each other and to the fuel tax. The four VMT fee system designs are: 1. Alternative A where the total annual VMT is determined at the state inspection and charged for those miles; 2. Alternative B where the out-of-state VMT is deducted from the total annual VMT as determined at the annual state inspection and the fee charged for in-state VMT only; 3. Alternative C where a fee matrix is applied to GPS reported trip data so that fees may vary based on time and locale; and 4. Alternative D where there is a strategic implementation of Alternatives A, B, and C in that order and with two years separating the implementations. If added revenue is the main goal, then Alternative A is the best choice by being the lowest cost. If added revenue and the provision of a better strategy for alleviating such conditions as congestion, noise or air pollution or charging for higher quality roadways, then Alternatives C or D is the best fit. Alternative B performs best as a stepping-stone in Alternative D. All alternatives have better revenue sufficiency and stability than the fuel tax. The fuel tax exceeds all alternatives with respect to security and privacy preservation since no data, personal or otherwise, is recorded. Since security and privacy preservation are considered the weakest aspects of most VMT fee collection systems, added attention must be applied to incorporating design elements that cover aspects where breaches are possible such as in any data transmission, any computational and database processing, and billing/payment functions. The next step beyond this work is to study the construction of the fee matrix and exercise its use either in simulation or with actual data as collected by a state's department of transportation.
Download or read book Vehicle Miles Traveled VMT Tax written by Misty A. Boos and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 62 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As traditional fuel taxes fail to meet revenue needs, transportation professionals explore the VMT tax as an alternative funding mechanism. Fuel taxes have been the primary means of collecting revenue to finance construction, operation and maintenance of US highways since the 1920s. With increasing use of hybrid and fuel efficient vehicles, aging transportation infrastructure, rising construction costs and inflation, transportation budgets are strained. The fuel tax alone is expected to be inadequate to meet public highway finance requirements within the next 20 years. The National Chamber Foundation, a public policy think tank affiliated with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, estimates that between 2006-2015 Highway Trust Fund revenues will fall $23 billion short of the amount needed to maintain the present U.S. highway system and $48 billion short of the revenue needed to improve the existing system. (Innovation Briefs, March/April 2006) From 1970 to 2003, the gasoline tax revenue in Oregon had declined by half in 'cents per vehicle mile traveled' (after adjusting for inflation). "The gasoline tax is failing the purpose for which it was originally intended - funding the operation and maintenance of Oregon's road system." (Whitty, 2007). Many other states now recognize that for political and economic reasons fuel tax revenues will not keep pace with improvement in vehicle fuel efficiency, which is identified as the leading cause of declining fuel tax revenues in the future. One alternative widely proposed to the fuel tax is a "Vehicle Miles Traveled" (VMT) tax. Under this system, drivers pay a fee based on miles traveled rather than a tax on the amount of fuel used. The VMT tax concept can serve broader policy aims as well, by enabling policy makers to set variable fees in different network areas to reduce congestion during peak travel times, a critical and worsening issue in some metropolitan areas. Potential challenges to implementation of a VMT tax were addressed recently by the Oregon Department of Transportation in a pilot study of a VMT-type tax. Oregon DOT encountered issues of the efficiency and reliability of the technology required, the cost associated with fitting vehicle-monitoring equipment, public acceptance of the new system, increased burden on the private sector to collect fees, the cost of the new fee collection systems and the associated security and privacy issues involved in tracking miles traveled. The Oregon Pilot Study ultimately found, however, that the VMT tax is "workable and practical, a genuine alternative to the gasoline tax." (Whitty, 2007).
Download or read book Examining the Impacts of a Vehicle Miles Traveled Fee for Daily Weekday Travel written by Michael Alexander Moore and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mileage-based taxes have been suggested as a long-term solution for collecting fees from highway users. Clustering was used to group respondents to an Oregon traveler survey based on daily travel characteristics. State fuel tax and equivalent VMT taxes are assessed to evaluate the change in revenue associated with a switch to a VMT tax structure and potential impacts upon respondent groups. The difference in revenues were evaluated on a per trip, daily trip, and annual basis. Results show that there is little difference in yearly revenues associated with a switch to VMT fee, with all user groups seeing less than 5% increase compared to fuel tax. The VMT fee is found to be marginally more regressive than the fuel tax. Relative to urban households, rural households were less impacted than urban households resulting from a switch to a VMT fee. Alternative fee structures were developed based on state gas tax revenue distribution and yielded results that when accounting for demand responses showed improvements in the regressivity of the VMT fee
Download or read book A Comprehensive Review of Critical Issues on Transitioning to a Vehicle Miles Traveled Fee System written by Dimitra Maragakis and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Due to increased vehicle fuel efficiency, electric vehicles, inflation, and the fuel tax not being raised in the past 20 years, the Highway Trust Fund has been unable to cover the costs associated with expanding and maintaining the transportation system. Despite improved construction methods, better planning and superior materials, municipalities cannot keep up with wear and tear on roadways, let alone keep up with future expansion. There is simply not enough revenue to support the roadway system. This shortfall has led experts to look for alternative solutions to the current major method of funding the Highway Trust Fund: the fuel tax. The most attractive solution to emerge is the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) fee. A VMT fee is an answer to many of the current problems facing fuel taxes such as increased fuel efficiency in vehicles, the rise in hybrids and electric vehicles, and responding to inflation. The VMT fee has been recommended by a number of professionals and experts as a complete replacement for the current fuel tax for these reasons. However, there are many obstacles to this attractive alternative including perception, administration, and implementation. The purpose of this study is to provide a thorough literature review of several states' approaches to the VMT fee, address prominent issues and concerns associated with the VMT fee, and provide several transition schemes which would minimize the concerns of the public, motorists, and decision-makers. It was found that allowing the motorist to choose the VMT fee collection system eases privacy concerns and thus has less resistance when passing the fee through legislation. It was found that allowing for a longer transition phase will be most desirable, because the user will have the option of paying the VMT fee or the fuel tax.
Download or read book Vehicle Miles Traveled VMT Fee Financing Alternatives written by Ashley Costa and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) today are seeking financing alternatives so that transportation infrastructure investments can become less dependent on the amount of fuel U.S. drivers consume. Because the fuel tax is no longer viewed as a sustainable and stable option, other financing alternatives are being considered. One such alternative includes the vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee. Examples of such VMT fee alternatives include: 1) collection using an onboard diagnostic system (OBD), 2) collection at the fuel pump using an OBD in conjunction with GPS technology, and 3) collection at a vehicle inspection station using the OBD. This proposed research has two primary objectives: 1) to conduct a comparative review of VMT fee alternatives and their data collection methods, payment collection processes, expected costs and revenues, and anticipated challenges; and 2) to examine the suitability of these VMT fee alternative for consideration in Massachusetts. The major results and conclusions are the fuel tax, if increased and reviewed annually, is a viable short term solution and that a VMT fee should be considered further as part of a long term strategy. It is expected that the results of this research will be of interest to Federal and State DOT personnel and policy makers.
Download or read book Jaarboek industriel ontwerpen Nederland 1990 written by and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Nevada VMT Vehicle Miles Traveled Fee Study Program Summary written by and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 45 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book From Fuel Taxes to Milage based User Fees written by and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 79 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Estimation and Prediction of Statewide Vehicle Miles Traveled VMT by Highway Category and Vehicle Classification written by Trevor Klatko and published by . This book was released on 2016-12-31 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) is a critical measure of highway system performance used extensively in highway transportation management not only for reporting to oversight agencies such as the FHWA but also as an input for financial analysis, resource allocation, and impact assessments. In the current era as highway revenue from fuel taxes continues to fall and direct user charging such as VMT fees become increasingly attractive, consistent and reliable VMT estimates have become critical for evaluating highway funding options. In the current practice at most highway agencies including the Indiana DOT, there exists several alternative methods for VMT estimation that typically yield a spectrum of estimates that are inconsistent and for certain methods, even inaccurate. This study was commissioned by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to develop a benchmark method for VMT estimation and to provide calibration factors for adjusting the VMT estimates derived from the other VMT estimation methods. The benchmark method used in this study was a segment-level framework that decomposes the entire road inventory into links and for each link, determining the product of the traffic volume and the inventory length. For the state highway system, the entire population was used; a comprehensive database was developed which facilitates extensive aggregations of VMT by geographical scope, route, functional class, and vehicle class. For the local roads, a sample of counties of different spatial locations and degrees of urbanization were used, and cluster analysis, geographic information systems (GIS), and spatial interpolation techniques were used to expand the VMT estimates from the local road samples to the population of all counties in the state. The results of this study indicate that there is significant variation, with respect to the benchmark method, of the VMT estimates of the other estimation methods. An implementation platform was developed in this study to produce outcomes that address the VMT data needs of the intended end users and stakeholders; this can be expanded to include new roads in future. It was determined that the current statewide VMT (2013) is 78 billion vehicle-miles, which is expected to grow to 95 billion vehicle miles in 2035.
Download or read book Highway Cost and Pricing Study written by and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 126 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Highway User Fees written by and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Mileage Based User Fees for Transportation Funding written by Paul Sorensen and published by Rand Corporation. This book was released on 2012 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This primer presents some promising and innovative mileage fee system designs and transition strategies. For states or localities that are considering a transition to mileage fees, awareness of these strategies can help determine whether shifting from fuel taxes to mileage fees merits further consideration. For jurisdictions already engaged in detailed assessments of mileage fees, these concepts can help reduce costs and build public support.
Download or read book Mileage based User Fees written by Richard Tremain Baker and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: