PRIVACY: THE GOVERNMENT WILL TRACK WHERE I DRIVE.
Privacy has to be guaranteed. That is why pilot trials are needed to evaluate different technologies and to develop privacy protocols. Many methods for mileage metering will be tested including some that do not use GPS type vehicle location technology. Identifying vehicles by location is one possible VMT technology but there are other methods that would be tested that simply measure miles driven and are not location based.
FAIRNESS: RURAL DRIVERS WILL HAVE TO PAY MORE BECAUSE THEY DRIVE LONGER DISTANCES.
Any alternative user charge system has to be fair. One goal for the trials would be to determine how to calibrate the mileage-based user fee system so that it would be fair to both rural and urban drivers. Rural drivers drive longer distances but often in less fuel-efficient vehicles. Urban drivers drive shorter distances but spend more time in traffic. Both already pay gas taxes on fuel consumed. The mileage-based user fee would replace the fee paid for gas taxes with a fee for road use.
DOUBLE TAXATION: THIS WILL JUST BE A WAY FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO TAX ME TWICE.
No, the MBUF would be an alternative to the gas tax. The intent is shore up the Highway Trust Fund and generate sufficient financial capability to meet the country’s transportation infrastructure needs.
ANTI-FUEL EFFICIENCY: MILEAGE-BASED USER FEES WILL PUNISH DRIVERS OF FUEL EFFICIENT VEHICLES AND DISCOURAGE ADOPTION OF HYBRID AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
Our current user fee system is designed to charge road users for the cost of building and maintaining roads and bridges. It is not designed to encourage or discourage fuel efficiency. In fact, MBUF considers the potential increase in the volume of fuel-efficient vehicles to balance that likelihood with stable revenue collection for transportation infrastructure. For example, electric vehicles receive the same benefit from roads and bridges as conventionally fueled vehicles. To be fair, they should also contribute to the cost of use. Pilot studies can, however, look at impact on the roads being used caused by different size and weighted vehicles and calibrate fees accordingly.
INTEROPERABILITY: EVERY STATE AND LOCALITY WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT SYSTEM AND THE NEW SYSTEM WILL BE INEFFICIENT AND DYSFUNCTIONAL.
The private sector and the academic community would be involved in the data collection, technology development and trial assessment. Funds from the federal government could help explore technology requirements like interoperability and standards.