Replace the Gas Tax with a "Ton-Mile Fee"

As we inexorably approach the day the Highway Trust Fund goes broke, more policy experts offer creative alternatives to the per gallon gasoline tax. Michael Webber of the Energy Institute at UT Austin describes his option in a New York Times op-ed.

2 minute read

December 27, 2013, 5:00 AM PST

By Irvin Dawid


Los Angeles Traffic - The Newhall Pass

Jeff Turner (JefferyTurner) / Flickr

Webber, an associate professor of mechanical engineering and deputy director of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, suggests that marrying the weight of the vehicle with the distance it travels makes more sense than attempting to increase the 18.4-cent gas tax, unchanged since 1993.

A better option is a “ton mile” fee based on how far vehicles travel and how heavy they are, so that all drivers pay their fair share to fix the resulting road damage. A one-ton car (which is typical for a compact car) that is driven 7,500 miles annually inflicts much less road damage than a two-ton truck that is driven 15,000 miles. While the gas tax captures some of that difference, as the truck driver would buy more fuel, it is not perfectly aligned.

As for the problems associated with vehicle-miles-traveled fees, he proposes a low-tech alternative:

(R)ather than using tracking devices, the fee could be assessed during an annual sticker renewal or inspection that is conducted at state level: All the inspector has to do is read the odometer, look up the gross vehicle weight of the car’s make and model, then assess the fee. With a fee on the order of two cents per ton mile, gas and diesel taxes could be eliminated entirely.

The advantages of the ton-mile-fee is that it encourages lighter vehicles (less wear on the roadway), reduced driving (fewer emissions) while ensuring that all vehicles, including the battery electrics like Tesla, pay their fair share.

Should Congress not act, be it on Webber's proposal or a straight-forward increase of the gas tax such as the bill proposed by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore) on Dec 3, 2013, Webber reminds us that by "2015, the highway fund is expected to spend more than $53 billion while collecting less than $39 billion, leaving a shortfall that Congress will be forced to make up."

Monday, December 23, 2013 in The New York Times - Opinion

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight