Road User Report Delivered to Congress

The Secretary of the US Department of Transportation submitted preliminary results of the study, National Evaluation of a Mileage-Based Road User Charge, to Congress on April 13. This two-year field study conducted by the University of Iowa Public Policy Center evaluated the technical feasibility and user acceptance of mileage-based charging as a replacement for the motor fuel tax.

The study involved approximately 2,650 participants from 12 metro areas across the country. Computers with GPS successfully measured 92.5 percent of the 21 millions miles driven by participants. Participant attitudes regarding the acceptibility of the system and concept were largely positive, with 71 percent reporting either a highly or somewhat positive view of this approach to transportation financing by the end of their participation.

For more information on the early results of the study, see National Evaluation of Mileage-Based Charges for Drivers in Transportation Research Record, the journal of the Transportation Research Board.