Below are key points discussed during “Making a Road Usage Charge Reality,” a session at the 8th Annual National Workshop for State & Local Transportation Advocates. To obtain a copy of the event contact Senior Director of State Funding Policy Carolyn Kramer Simons.
Three Misconceptions About Road Usage Charges
- The public needs convincing that a road usage charge is not an additional charge to the existing state gas tax. “It’s simply another thing to add to our toolbox to address transportation needs,” said Ed Sniffen, deputy highway director at the Hawaii Department of Transportation, who has held 14 public meetings on the subject. “You pay one or the other, not both.”
- Rural residents incorrectly perceive a road usage fee as penalizing them unfairly because they think they drive more than urban residents. “They thought they were driving a lot more, but that’s just not true,” said Oregon state Rep. John Lively (D), who introduced a bill in May that would require fuel-efficient vehicles to pay a fee for every mile they drive starting in 2026.
- In Hawaii, residents support implementing a road usage charge when it’s explained to them, said Sniffen. A recent poll found that 70 percent of respondents supported a road usage fee, while 10 percent opposed the idea. The remaining 20 percent were undecided.
This article first appeared in the July 16 ARTBA Newsline.