California Road Charge

View of traffic on freeway with Los Angeles skyline and palm trees in background

California On Schedule to Launch Second Road Charge Pilot Program

The California Transportation Commission met the initial deadline specified in 2021 state legislation requiring the state to perform a fully operational pilot program where participants will pay for the miles they drive.

July 19, 2023 - California Transportation Commission

Dublin, California Freeway

Innovative Road Funding Pilot Program Advances in California

State Sen. Scott Wiener authored legislation dubbed the Gas Tax Alternative Pilot to extend the California Road Charge Program that completed its pilot in 2017. The program takes on more significance with the 2035 sales ban of gas-powered vehicles.

June 14, 2021 - Office of California State Senator Scott Wiener

Expo Line

Equity Considerations Delay Congestion Pricing in Los Angeles

After discussing a staff report on road pricing at their Jan. 24 meeting, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority directors paused to weigh the equity implications of charging motorists to drive on roads.

January 31, 2019 - Curbed Los Angeles

Electric Car

Mileage Fee or Annual Fee for Electric Vehicles?

What's the best way to ensure that electric vehicle drivers pay to maintain the roads they drive on, considering they don't pay fuel taxes? A new report from the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies was sent to the California legislature.

January 11, 2019 - UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies

Gasoline

California to Explore Next Steps in Converting From Gas Tax to Road Charge

A summary report of California's 9-month pilot program to test the use of a mileage charge to replace the gas tax to fund road infrastructure has been released. Next steps include exploring available technology to implement the road charge.

December 14, 2017 - The Sacramento Bee

Gas Tax Increases Have Their Limits

Even if newly revised transportation legislation supported by Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic leaders to raise fuel taxes and fees should pass into law, the funding mechanism may not prove sustainable in the long term.

April 8, 2017 - KPCC

Over $14 Million Awarded to Eight Projects to Find Alternatives to Gas Taxes

The U.S. Department of Transportation is funding ways to transition from the gas tax to other user-based revenue mechanisms to fund transportation infrastructure. The federal gas tax hasn't keep pace with transportation expenditures since 2008.

September 6, 2016 - U.S. D.O.T. Press Release

Los Angeles

Will California's Road Charge Fix California's Transportation Funding Shortfall?

California began the Road Charge Pilot Program on July 1 to see how participants would respond to being charged by the mile driven rather than by gallons of fuel consumed. Participants may now have received their first 'mock' invoices.

August 9, 2016 - KPCC

Bakersfield and Fresno Sign

California Road Charge Pilot Launches July 1; Gas Tax Increase Still Needed

Two notable transportation developments occur in California on July 1. First, a pilot road charge program begins—5,000 motorists will be charged by the mile driven. Second, the gas tax drops by 2.2 cents. An analysis by ITEP looks at both.

June 24, 2016 - Tax Justice Blog

Chicago Toll Road

Illinois Considering a Vehicle Miles Traveled Tax

Illinois State Senate President John Cullerton released a infrastructure funding plan earlier this month that includes a proposal for a vehicle miles traveled tax.

April 19, 2016 - Daily Herald

U.S. DOT Announces First Year of Grant Funding for State VMT Fee Pilot Programs

$15 million in a U.S. Department of Transportation grant program is now available for states to implement pilot projects based on a "user-based alternative revenue mechanism," aka vehicle-miles-traveled fee.

March 24, 2016 - Planetizen

Technology Companies Selected for California Road Charge Pilot

California's Road Charge Pilot Program is set to start this July. Applications for the 5,000 volunteers are being collected. Three companies hope to entice participants to select their programs by offering them 'high-tech perks.'

March 20, 2016 - FutureStructure

House Transportation Committee to Explore Sustainable Funding Options

Federal transportation leaders recognize that sustainable transportation funding options are needed to meet America's infrastructure needs. At AASHTO's Annual Washington Briefing, different funding strategies were proposed by key Congress members.

March 1, 2016 - AASHTO Journal

California's Road Usage Charge Pilot Program to Begin on July 1

The California Road Charge Pilot will be the nation's second road usage charge program. Unlike OReGO, which launched last July, it is a pilot program that will last nine months, but like the Oregon program, it is restricted to 5,000 volunteers.

January 30, 2016 - Streetsblog California

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