Should motorists pay by the mile to drive?
SEATTLE (AP) — Facing steep declines in gas-tax revenues that pay for road repairs, Washington state is exploring a creative solution: charging drivers by the mile to use state highways and roads.
A committee of transportation experts recently concluded it's feasible to move the state away from gasoline taxes to a "pay as you go" road fee system for transportation.
"Now we're questioning: Is it acceptable for Washington and if so, in what form?" state Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond said.
More than a dozen states have studied the idea, but the concept is still new and so far no state has implemented it widely.
The gasoline tax has been the main source of money for highway maintenance and repair in Washington for decades. But revenues from the tax, which is levied as a fixed amount per gallon, have been declining as residents drive fewer miles and more fuel-efficient cars hit the road.
Further steep declines are expected when fuel-efficiency standards passed last year by the Obama administration take effect, requiring automakers to nearly double the average gas mileage of all new cars and trucks by 2025.
"The gas tax is dwindling," Hammond said. "It would be irresponsible for us not to look ahead and take care of our system in the future."
Between 2007 and 2023, fuel tax revenues are projected to fall by more than $5 billion, according to state estimates.
Last year, the Legislature charged a steering committee with studying whether a road user fee was possible, and recommending next steps. The Washington Transportation Commission is expected to finalize the committee's report later this month and ask state lawmakers for about $1.6 million in the 2013-15 budget to study how the idea would work.
"We're a long way yet from knowing whether it's a good idea," said Jeff Doyle, the state's project director for the road user charge assessment.
Hammond said it could be 10 years before the state implements any sort of road user fee. "We're taking it one step at a time," she said, adding, "I think a robust policy debate is absolutely necessary, and a public vetting."
Still to be debated is how the fee would be charged — by miles driven, time spent on the road or another alternative — and how mileage would be reported or collected.
Options for collecting mileage include annual odometer readings, smartphone apps and equipping cars with GPS devices that would track miles driven. But the prospect of tracking drivers by GPS is likely to raise protests from those concerned about privacy issues.
The idea of charging drivers by the mile isn't a new one. At least 18 states have studied the idea as one of many ways to replace fuel tax, but no state has implemented it widely, said Jaime Rall, a senior policy specialist with the National Conference of State Legislatures.
"It's a very popular idea to think about, but there's no jurisdiction that has that kind of fee on all vehicles. It's still very much experimental," Rall said. "It's one of the options on the table. Many transportation experts think it's one of the better options, but the general public still has very real concerns about privacy and equity."
An Oregon pilot project is testing a way to collect road user fees.
Martin Callery of North Bend, Ore., is one of 40 volunteers who have agreed to pay a charge for each mile they drive during the three-month project.
He equipped his 2009 Honda CRV with a GPS device that tracks his miles. Other volunteers had the choice to pay a flat-rate plan that doesn't report mileage or to report mileage without a GPS.
Based on early reports, Callery thinks he and his wife have paid less than what they would have paid in fuel taxes.
"I think this is an important phase of getting a system that's ready to go," said Callery, who works for the Port of Coos Bay.
Privacy may be a concern by some who don't want government tracking their movements, but Callery said it wasn't a big deal for him.
Callery said he thinks all roadway users need to pay their fair share. "If people want to see the transportation system maintained and improved, they're going to pay as you go."
A committee of transportation experts recently concluded it's feasible to move the state away from gasoline taxes to a "pay as you go" road fee system for transportation.
"Now we're questioning: Is it acceptable for Washington and if so, in what form?" state Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond said.
More than a dozen states have studied the idea, but the concept is still new and so far no state has implemented it widely.
The gasoline tax has been the main source of money for highway maintenance and repair in Washington for decades. But revenues from the tax, which is levied as a fixed amount per gallon, have been declining as residents drive fewer miles and more fuel-efficient cars hit the road.
Further steep declines are expected when fuel-efficiency standards passed last year by the Obama administration take effect, requiring automakers to nearly double the average gas mileage of all new cars and trucks by 2025.
"The gas tax is dwindling," Hammond said. "It would be irresponsible for us not to look ahead and take care of our system in the future."
Between 2007 and 2023, fuel tax revenues are projected to fall by more than $5 billion, according to state estimates.
Last year, the Legislature charged a steering committee with studying whether a road user fee was possible, and recommending next steps. The Washington Transportation Commission is expected to finalize the committee's report later this month and ask state lawmakers for about $1.6 million in the 2013-15 budget to study how the idea would work.
"We're a long way yet from knowing whether it's a good idea," said Jeff Doyle, the state's project director for the road user charge assessment.
Hammond said it could be 10 years before the state implements any sort of road user fee. "We're taking it one step at a time," she said, adding, "I think a robust policy debate is absolutely necessary, and a public vetting."
Still to be debated is how the fee would be charged — by miles driven, time spent on the road or another alternative — and how mileage would be reported or collected.
Options for collecting mileage include annual odometer readings, smartphone apps and equipping cars with GPS devices that would track miles driven. But the prospect of tracking drivers by GPS is likely to raise protests from those concerned about privacy issues.
The idea of charging drivers by the mile isn't a new one. At least 18 states have studied the idea as one of many ways to replace fuel tax, but no state has implemented it widely, said Jaime Rall, a senior policy specialist with the National Conference of State Legislatures.
"It's a very popular idea to think about, but there's no jurisdiction that has that kind of fee on all vehicles. It's still very much experimental," Rall said. "It's one of the options on the table. Many transportation experts think it's one of the better options, but the general public still has very real concerns about privacy and equity."
An Oregon pilot project is testing a way to collect road user fees.
Martin Callery of North Bend, Ore., is one of 40 volunteers who have agreed to pay a charge for each mile they drive during the three-month project.
He equipped his 2009 Honda CRV with a GPS device that tracks his miles. Other volunteers had the choice to pay a flat-rate plan that doesn't report mileage or to report mileage without a GPS.
Based on early reports, Callery thinks he and his wife have paid less than what they would have paid in fuel taxes.
"I think this is an important phase of getting a system that's ready to go," said Callery, who works for the Port of Coos Bay.
Privacy may be a concern by some who don't want government tracking their movements, but Callery said it wasn't a big deal for him.
Callery said he thinks all roadway users need to pay their fair share. "If people want to see the transportation system maintained and improved, they're going to pay as you go."
How about we just write our state lawmakers and tell them to quit spending money they don't have! Then convince the voters that government has streamlined as much as possible, then and only then should they try to sell us on tax increases or new taxes. And ANY new tax should have some kind of a "sunset" clause so that it expires in no more than 1 to 2 years, and has to be renewed. No more new taxes that are perminate.
Two words. Toll Roads.
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I drove around NY and CT back in October. Their toll highways are in excellent condition. I don't understand why tolling isn't used more significantly rather than gas taxing. That way your vehicles fuel source as well as fuel economy is not a factor.
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As far as mileage, how hard is it to have an odometer reading? I'd be all for that as well, I drive less than 8 miles to work. :)
 @the Tolls require either people to stop and pay a toll (congestion!) or to have a transponder in their car ($$).  Scanning through the comments in this story reveals many people who are opposed to what they perceive as "government tracking their every move" (while ignoring how cell phones track you regardless).
 @Travis Hartnett Have you ever gone through a toll pavilion? It's not like trying to cross into Canada lol You aren't there to chat, you give them the money and off you go. Even if you have to get change it's quick. Also, it's not like there is going to be a toll pavilion across I5 by Boeing field or something. They don't create congestion. There is a reason the system is still in use all over the place. It works. Is it the best solution? Maybe not but it's working in other parts of the country and world.
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haha yeah you're revealing WAY more about yourself by using a smart phone than a GPS tracker in your car ever would.
 @the I always go for the in-car pass to avoid the idiots who hold up the cash line, and when there's a lot of traffic, the cash line is always slower.
F**K NO!
Make the jerks with studded tires pay an extra $5000 to cover all the damage they do to the roads.
They want $1.6 million to study the feasibility of this plan?
If they're so strapped for cash to take care of the roads, I think that $1.6 milliion could be better spent in FIXING THE BLOODY ROADS!!
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Just have everyone pay a Tab fee of 500.00 dollars every year-no matter what you drive - old or new
remove the gas Tax, and make sure every penny gos for roads...and if the state just once uses the money for anything else'' they break the Law and go to jail for 3 years and lose their job and retirement pay.
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Actually we had that here years ago. An excise tax based upon what the state considered the value of your vehical every year. It was very expensive if you owned anything less than about 10 years old and really added up(my bro paid 700 dollars for his 3 year old 6 cylinder jeep in 1998). Anyways when I695 come along the screaming started, and guess what? It turns out a big chunk of that money that money was never going to roads, it was to maintain the ferry system and police and other stuff!
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Keep in mind the lawmakers do not want to replace the gas tax, they want to add another tax because they are not getting enough from the taxes and they dont want to cut spending otherwise they might not get re-elected.  Always have always will.
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 @deadcandance that would be unfair to those of us with digestive diseases as well as auto-immune diseases like Crones. lol
Well said, my sentiments exactly! Is this transportation secretary an elected official? If not then how about we get a referendum on the ballot that it must be and we vote her arse out of office!
A big HE11 NO!! Stop with the damn social engineering and monetarily punishing working, commuting citizens over and over again. You kept raising the gas tax, kept stealing it, kept spending, now tolling, STOP! No more! Our govt should also stop subsidizing purchases of hybrids... hybrids pay even less gas tax! If they want more Priuses on the road then the feds can give a bonus grant for roads to each state annually based on the % of cars sold that are fuel efficient, instead of giving it to Toyota.
A Federal two-part fuel tax, x per gal. for Federal maintained roads and y per gal. for State maintained roads (paid back to each state on a monthly basis). As a rule the more fuel consumption the greater the wear on the road system. Business owners could claim a tax credit for fuel tax paid against their Federal/State tax. Electric vehicles are such a minuscule part of the equation for now and could be looked at in 10 years or so.  Hey I'm from BC (Canadian), we get taxed on something called 'carbon'. At least I don't get taxed on my firewood!
So if I take a vacation driving across the United States, do I have to pay Washington for those miles? No this does not sound fair to me.
 @MyIdeas Good point. Especially if you lived somewhere (not WA) where there was an extensive toll system like the east coast.
I see this as, yet another, form of taxpayer and citizen discrimination. Those of us who are self-employed or independent contractors, or commissioned sales people, are already discriminated against because we cannot use the HOV lanes ANYTIME during normal working hours in order to get to our individual clients, yet the retired and the non-employed moms with children, who don't pay sales or B & O (Business & Occupation) taxes, can.
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So here is yet, another scheme from the so-called "transportation experts" to discriminate against these same folks, just because they NEED TO DRIVE in order to make a living. This is SO WRONG!!!!!!!
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My solution: Make if fair across the board: EVERY driver, albeit of their gas mileage or passengers, pays a flat fee for the use of our roads. Period. Don't try to penalize the working people nor hybrid users. It's nothing less than greedy.
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If the state would just quit screwing us with fee, after fee, cap the gas tax, spit at an excise tax, and just get real, I wouldn't mind paying $50.00, or less for license tabs, and NO MORE than a flat $100.00 per year from EVERY LICENSED DRIVER, for use and maintenance of our roads; a fee paid at license renewal.
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After all the years, all the efforts, and now all the mandates to increase gas mileage, now the state of WA wants to penalize those of us who either work from home, drive less, or who have invested in fuel efficient cars. Which page are they on??????
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Just get real, get simple, make it fair for ALL, and quit the multiple forms of discrimination!
I didnt see the obvious post in all of these.. I am sure that the price of gas will not come down if they went to a pay by mile tax. You can call if a fee if you want, but its really a tax. No, the price will not come down and the tax that is on the gas per gallon will not go away, so the state will be getting the tax on the gas and the new pay as you go tax. Its a win win situation for Washington state. Truly a marvelous idea.. Add all that money to the new Toll roads they will be making and heck, the state will be swimming in money.
 @Devils_Advocate It seems to me (rather) that this is a little partnership formed between WA state and the oil corporations. They don't like to see a short fall in any profit-making.
OK, when this information was first broadcast by KOMO, it was stated that all of us would be paying this charge per mile to make up for the "short-fall" in profits to the oil companies due to fuel-saving vehicles. Why should we have to be held to pour money down deep pockets? HECK NO WE SHOULD NOT BE ASSESSED THIS ANNUAL AMOUNT OF MONEY. On the average, if we drive 10,000 a year, it would cost each one of us an extra $150 in addition to our licensing fee for tabs, our car insurance, our car maintenance, monthly payments, and worst of all, we're being told that the increase in gas prices will rise to $5 a gallon soon!
    PLEASE know people that this was also thrown at the good people in the Netherlands and they voted it down. Let's not be stupid and accept yet another fee to put us all in the poorhouse this year. Don't fall for it because you didn't take a stand! Fight it ALL the WAY! I don't own a Prius and I shouldn't have to pay for people who do! Quit milking us to add to any oil corporation's profit sheet.
....or for WA state.
That might work well for king county and the state capitol but what about all the border cities were the vehicles are 50% in and 50% out of state? are you going to toll oregon drivers for coming into washington? why not charge oregon residents sales tax? if they want to shop in washington they should pay our sales tax. the government in olympia wants all residents to pay sales tax when they buy out of state. i buy a car in oregon the state charges me my home town tax BUT oregon residents can buy a car in washington and pay NO TAXES. that is just WRONG! the state wants me to send them my home town tax for any thing i purchase in oregon and they even have state laws on the books to extort us from buying across the river with fines and prison time for not playing that tax.
No. Because cars will end up paying for the bulk of the use/damage, which is actually made by semi-trucks. This is another way to soak the little guy for money because taking on businesses is expensive (what with their fancy lawyers and all.) Â If you don't believe me, Google: "How many cars equal the damage of one semi-truck on asphalt"Â Here, I'll even add the link. Â https://www.google.com/#hl=en&tbo=d&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=How+many+cars+equal+the+damage+of+one+semi-truck+on+asphalt&oq=How+many+cars+equal+the+damage+of+one+semi-truck+on+asphalt&gs_l=hp.3...888.8863.0.9068.59.55.0.1.1.0.164.4219.49j6.55.0.les%3B..0.0...1c.1.UUS-IbFg6oc&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.1357700187,d.cGE&fp=b38d95cafc704d8f&biw=1680&bih=948
Ugh, the link didn't take. Well, you can copy paste the link or the search. Whichever floats your boat! :)
Where is the tax on bicycles to pay for all those bike lanes?
 @just_me Fabulous idea!  Tax everyone with a bike--particularly the children, who seem to outnumber the adults on bikes by 10:1.
 @Travis Hartnett  @just_me the parents would pay for their childs bike sticker just like any vehicle they have in the family. you can't get one set of license plates and use them on more than one vehicle, so you should have to pay for each bike you want on the road.
 @32jim2  @just_me Great idea!  And we could impound the bikes without valid bike license stickers and fine the scofflaws. Â
 @Travis Hartnett Bike commuters, if they use then they should pay for it.
 @JLS1950  @Travis Hartnett  @just_me Sure: 50% sounds about right!
 @Travis Hartnett  @just_me Or flat-rate income tax?
 @JLS1950  @just_me I'm thinking a head tax would be more fair for everyone.
 @Travis Hartnett  @just_me Parent ARE so taxed: real property taxes which are paid either directly, by mortgage or indirectly through rent. More children, more house - and more taxes. Generally.
 @Travis Hartnett  @just_me Tax on shoe soles?
 @Travis Hartnett  Because the childless benefit from children being educated and getting jobs to buy goods and services the childless sell. Without education you'd be paying billions to house all the criminals that would result.
 @just_me Also, parents should be taxed to send their kids to school.  Why should the childless pay for someone else's education?
 @Travis Hartnett Awesome, makes about as much sense as the gas mile tax.Â
 @just_me Absolutely!  Also, pedestrians should be taxed for sidewalks. Â
I can see it now. there will be a new profession spring up to rollback your mileage every year. And as for a GPS unit, my 1967 Plymouth has no computer, LOL. Track that Paula......
Pay by the mile? Â Totally fair. Â Just read the odometer at the tag update/emissions check.
 @Travis Hartnett Emissions checks have been phased out for all cars MY 2009 and newer as of July 2012.Â
 @Travis Hartnett Right, and when it reads that someone only drove 10 miles since last year, you're really going to believe that aren't you? /hint, old cars can roll back odometers, new cars can be hacked.
 @cuzsis I don't buy used cars.
 @cuzsis No system is perfect, old cars are aging out of the system, most people would follow the law so as not to invalidate their warranty.
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And when you get caught you'll pay a fine WAY higher then the tax rate
 @Travis Hartnett Emissions check is going away.
 @JLS1950 when? I haven't heard this. Man I would love that!
 @JLS1950 Okay, just do it when you renew your tags.  Insurance companies would love that info too.
 @Travis Hartnett And how do you prove this was done out of the area or on private property? I drive out of state to visit family.
 @just_me No problem: you're picking up the tab for all the out-of-staters who visit here.
 @TheOne I would bet you didn't vote for Obama.
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What do I win?
 @Travis Hartnett  @just_me I would bet you voted for obama.
 @Travis Hartnett And how do you prove this was done out of the area or on private property?
You're already paying for it by buying gas, what's the difference?