Picture this: a world where you only pay for the roads you actually use. Sounds… nice, right? Well, as far as taxes go, anyways. Welcome to mileage-based taxation, also known as pay by the mile taxes. As more consumers opt for hybrids and electric vehicles (EV sales hit record highs in the first quarter of 2023), traditional fuel taxes have struggled to keep pace and supply the necessary funding for infrastructure like roads and bridges. Pay by the mile taxes offer a more equitable, sustainable solution to support our transportation infrastructure.
Pay By the Mile Tax: How It Works
So, how exactly does a pay by the mile or vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax work? The concept is straightforward: drivers pay a fee based on the number of miles they drive. Miles driven can be determined using GPS technology, odometer readings, toll booths, roadside cameras, digital license plates, etc. Drivers are then billed periodically for road usage, typically monthly or annually.
Some pay by the mile tax models also factor in the vehicle type, time of day, or the roads used. More specific tracking allows for even greater fairness and flexibility, as drivers of heavier vehicles, which cause more wear and tear on roads, can be charged higher rates, and drivers using less congested roads or driving during off-peak hours can be charged less.
The Advantages of a Pay by the Mile Tax System
At first glance, paying for the miles you drive might seem… you know, like a pain. But when you consider the broader implications, it’s easy to see why lawmakers increasingly favor pay by the mile taxes as a method of infrastructure funding (last year, U.S. President Joe Biden called for a study on how much money a mileage tax could generate as part of an infrastructure bill). It’s not just lawmakers, either — half of Americans want people who drive more to pay more.
Benefits of Mileage-Based Tax Systems Include:
- Fairness: Unlike traditional fuel taxes, which disproportionately burden drivers of less fuel-efficient vehicles, road usage charging ensures that everyone pays a fair share based on the distance they drive — creating a more equitable system for all road users.
- Incentivizing smarter driving habits: With a pay by the mile tax system, drivers may be more likely to adopt efficient driving habits, reducing congestion and improving overall traffic flow.
- Environmental benefits: By encouraging drivers to be more conscious of their road usage, mileage-based taxation can reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality.
- Promoting sustainable transportation choices: When drivers are charged based on their road usage, they may be more inclined to consider public transit, carpooling, or even biking or walking for shorter trips.
- Adapting to emerging technologies: As electric and fuel-efficient vehicles become more popular, traditional fuel taxes will continue to decline as a source of infrastructure funding. Pay by the mile taxes can more effectively adapt to these changes and ensure adequate funding for our transportation network.
- Revenue stability: Mileage-based taxation can provide a more stable source of revenue for infrastructure projects since hypothetical fluctuations in fuel prices or changes in vehicle technology wouldn’t impact a pay by the mile tax.
- Targeted pricing: Pay by the mile tax systems can incorporate factors like vehicle weight, time of day, or location, allowing for more targeted pricing to further incentivize desired behaviors, such as reducing peak-hour driving or using less congested routes.
How Would a Pay By the Mile Tax Impact Rideshare Drivers?
At this point, you may be wondering — how would mileage-based taxation impact rideshare drivers?
Long story short: We don’t know. A comprehensive pay by the mile tax could exempt rideshare and taxi companies from mileage-based taxation entirely and apply a supplementary tax to them instead. Alternatively, riders could potentially pay a mileage-based taxation fee at the end of rides, covering the cost of pay by the mile taxes incurred by rideshare or taxi companies.
With rideshare and delivery apps such as Uber, UberEats, GrubHub, Lyft, and more increasing in popularity, it will be interesting to see how state and federal governments consider taxing modern transport services in mileage-based taxation plans.
Infrastructure Funding Challenges and the Need for Change
As the U.S.’s transportation infrastructure ages, the need for a sustainable, reliable funding source has never been more critical. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave the U.S. infrastructure a grade of C- in their 2022 report card, indicating the need for significant improvements. Traditional fuel taxes, once a primary source of infrastructure funding, may no longer meet our growing transportation needs.
The Decline of Traditional Fuel Taxes
Many feel that fuel taxes have become a less reliable and less equitable means of funding infrastructure projects. As vehicles become more fuel-efficient, fuel consumption declines, and so does the revenue generated from fuel taxes. This leads to a widening gap between the funds needed for infrastructure maintenance and improvements and the revenue available to support these projects.
Underfunded Infrastructure: A Growing Concern
The underfunding of transportation infrastructure has wide-ranging implications. Roads, bridges, and highways in poor condition pose safety risks for drivers, increase vehicle maintenance costs, and contribute to traffic congestion. Moreover, inadequate public transportation infrastructure can limit access to jobs, education, and other opportunities for those who rely on public transit.
In recent years, outdated U.S. infrastructure has begun to lag behind economic competitors and spark safety concerns among civil engineers. A pay by the mile tax could help offer some much-needed funding for roads, bridges, and other aspects of our transportation infrastructure.
Implementing Mileage-Based Taxation: Lessons from Pilot Programs
Several states have already begun testing and implementing pay by the mile tax systems, providing valuable insights and lessons for future adoption. Oregon, for example, launched a pilot program called OReGO in 2015, which allows volunteer drivers to pay a road usage charge based on their actual mileage driven, rather than paying fuel taxes at the pump.
Similarly, European countries like Germany, Austria, and Switzerland have implemented distance-based fees for heavy goods vehicles, which has proven effective in generating revenue for infrastructure funding and reducing traffic congestion.
Although research is still coming in, using pay by the mile taxes as a method of counteracting lost funding from fuel taxes looks increasingly viable.
The Future of Transportation: Road Usage Charging and Smart Mobility Solutions
As we look toward the future of transportation, innovative solutions like pay by the mile taxes will play an essential role in supporting our infrastructure needs. By adopting road usage charging and other smart mobility solutions, we can ensure that our transportation network remains reliable and efficient while promoting more sustainable and equitable transportation choices.
In the coming years, we can expect to see more widespread adoption of mileage-based taxation systems, as well as the integration of these systems with other smart mobility technologies. Together, these advancements will revolutionize how we fund, use, and think about transportation infrastructure.
