"Critics say GPS technology could make it too easy for governments to track the movement of citizens."
Would you rather pay a toll or the gas tax?
Feb. 03, 2006
By GORDON DICKSON
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Copyright 2006
Tolls are considered a double tax by many motorists, who argue that they already pay for roads with gas taxes.
But what if drivers had the option of paying tolls instead of a tax?
Oregon is testing such a system and, if it works, Texas and other states may someday follow suit.
“You would stop paying the gas tax,” David Porter, an Oregon State University engineering professor leading the research, said during a class room presentation this week at the University of Texas at Arlington. “It’s not a double tax. It’s a choice.”
The Oregon test begins in March, when vehicles belonging to 280 volunteers will be outfitted with special devices that use global positioning satellite (GPS) technology to track how many miles are driven.
A small number of gas stations will be rigged with wireless equipment that automatically reads the GPS devices when the volunteers pull into those stations. The volunteers will pay the pre-state tax price for gas, which in Oregon is 24 cents per gallon less than other drivers pay.
Then in a separate account, perhaps pre-paid or backed by a credit card, they will be charged a per-mile fee that could range from 1.25 cents to 4.3 cents per mile, depending upon where and at what times they drive.
The pilot program is expected to continue through summer 2007.
Gas taxes can’t keep up with road projects even in Oregon, a state that has far less traffic than Texas, Porter said.
“In about 10 years, the ability to support roads is at risk — that’s what economists predict — because of increased fuel efficiency,” Porter said.
However, critics say GPS technology could make it too easy for governments to track the movement of citizens.
“I’m going to venture to say that will be a hard sell in Texas,” Roger S. Walker, UTA professor of computer science and engineering, said during a Q&A period of Porter’s presentation.
Even so, Texas and many other states are already looking at other ways of charging drivers on a per-mile basis as a way to limit traffic on certain roads during rush hour.
In the Metroplex, the Federal Highway Administration in late 2004 approved a plan to charge tolls on single-occupant vehicles using the Interstate 30 carpool lanes between Arlington and Dallas, said Michael Morris, transportation director for the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
The “value pricing” project on I-30, which could begin next year, will make it possible to charge motorists varying rates on the high-occupancy vehicle lanes based upon how heavy traffic is on the I-30 main lanes.
Also, later this year private companies will be asked to bid on the construction of toll lanes on Interstate 35W, Northeast Loop 820 and Airport Freeway in Tarrant County. Motorists likely will be charged variable prices on those lanes as well.
But Metroplex researchers say it’s too early to speculate whether gas taxes — in Texas, that’s 20 cents per gallon in state tax, and 18.4 cents federal tax. — could ever be eliminated.
But some level of per-mile charging is imminent, Texas researchers say. Perhaps not far in the future, cars will no longer be powered by gasoline or diesel, rendering the gas tax obsolete. If that happens, they say, government officials will need some other way to pay for roads.
The debate, they said, is really over how to create a system that’s accurate and fair.
ONLINE: To read more about the Oregon study, visit www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/OIPP/ruftf.shtm
The study began after Oregon lawmakers created a Road User Fee Task Force to explore a realistic alternative to the gas tax.
Gordon Dickson, (817) 685-3816
gdickson@star-telegram.com
© 2006 Fort Worth Star-Telegram: www.dfw.com
Feb. 03, 2006
By GORDON DICKSON
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Copyright 2006
Tolls are considered a double tax by many motorists, who argue that they already pay for roads with gas taxes.
But what if drivers had the option of paying tolls instead of a tax?
Oregon is testing such a system and, if it works, Texas and other states may someday follow suit.
“You would stop paying the gas tax,” David Porter, an Oregon State University engineering professor leading the research, said during a class room presentation this week at the University of Texas at Arlington. “It’s not a double tax. It’s a choice.”
The Oregon test begins in March, when vehicles belonging to 280 volunteers will be outfitted with special devices that use global positioning satellite (GPS) technology to track how many miles are driven.
A small number of gas stations will be rigged with wireless equipment that automatically reads the GPS devices when the volunteers pull into those stations. The volunteers will pay the pre-state tax price for gas, which in Oregon is 24 cents per gallon less than other drivers pay.
Then in a separate account, perhaps pre-paid or backed by a credit card, they will be charged a per-mile fee that could range from 1.25 cents to 4.3 cents per mile, depending upon where and at what times they drive.
The pilot program is expected to continue through summer 2007.
Gas taxes can’t keep up with road projects even in Oregon, a state that has far less traffic than Texas, Porter said.
“In about 10 years, the ability to support roads is at risk — that’s what economists predict — because of increased fuel efficiency,” Porter said.
However, critics say GPS technology could make it too easy for governments to track the movement of citizens.
“I’m going to venture to say that will be a hard sell in Texas,” Roger S. Walker, UTA professor of computer science and engineering, said during a Q&A period of Porter’s presentation.
Even so, Texas and many other states are already looking at other ways of charging drivers on a per-mile basis as a way to limit traffic on certain roads during rush hour.
In the Metroplex, the Federal Highway Administration in late 2004 approved a plan to charge tolls on single-occupant vehicles using the Interstate 30 carpool lanes between Arlington and Dallas, said Michael Morris, transportation director for the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
The “value pricing” project on I-30, which could begin next year, will make it possible to charge motorists varying rates on the high-occupancy vehicle lanes based upon how heavy traffic is on the I-30 main lanes.
Also, later this year private companies will be asked to bid on the construction of toll lanes on Interstate 35W, Northeast Loop 820 and Airport Freeway in Tarrant County. Motorists likely will be charged variable prices on those lanes as well.
But Metroplex researchers say it’s too early to speculate whether gas taxes — in Texas, that’s 20 cents per gallon in state tax, and 18.4 cents federal tax. — could ever be eliminated.
But some level of per-mile charging is imminent, Texas researchers say. Perhaps not far in the future, cars will no longer be powered by gasoline or diesel, rendering the gas tax obsolete. If that happens, they say, government officials will need some other way to pay for roads.
The debate, they said, is really over how to create a system that’s accurate and fair.
ONLINE: To read more about the Oregon study, visit www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/OIPP/ruftf.shtm
The study began after Oregon lawmakers created a Road User Fee Task Force to explore a realistic alternative to the gas tax.
Gordon Dickson, (817) 685-3816
gdickson@star-telegram.com
© 2006 Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Friday, February 03, 2006
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