The question for city planners and traffic engineers then becomes, how do we get people out of their cars? While building more lanes and bigger roads is one solution, the better long-term fix ( see the law of induced demand) that also addresses environmental concerns is to get people to drive less. If one area has VMT that is steadily climbing at a faster rate over time, they can infer more people are moving there and therefore plan to build infrastructure to keep up with the growing demand.Īdditionally, tracking VMT can help governments understand the impact of transportation on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions in different areas which can inform efforts to reduce pollution.Īs regions densify and populations increase it’s inevitable that vehicle miles will rise as well, along with congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. It also serves as a useful tool to help them react to the changes. VMT helps planners and governments keep a pulse on vehicle transportation in their communities. Is travel booming in one area? Is it declining in another? What are the predictions for future congestion levels? For example, if the projection is high, planners can look into more public transportation options to help alleviate it. As mentioned earlier, vehicle miles traveled is key in transportation planning as it helps illuminate trends. How busy is an area? Knowing how much need there is influences infrastructure investment and policy decisions such as speed limits. For starters, it’s the leading way to measure demand for both personal and commercial vehicle travel. To find out more information on the VMT tax, visit California Road Charge, sponsored by Caltrans and the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA).VMT has many different applications. This debate must take place before the legislature moves forward with this idea. It is clear that a larger discussion with a broader group of stakeholders is necessary. This proposal penalizes low-income and working families who drive great distances to work. The VMT would be an additional financial burden on them. Many hardworking Californians living paycheck to paycheck cannot fill their tanks due to the high cost of fuel. And those working for minimum wage will be the most impacted. In many cases, these commuters driving longer distances are blue collar working families. California residents who cannot afford to live close to their work have to drive long distances to get to their place of employment, and as a result, they would have to pay more VMT taxes than those who can afford pricier homes near city centers. However, an elimination of the gas tax in exchange for the VMT isn’t guaranteed.Ī nationwide VMT proposal has faced opposition in Washington, D.C., where it has been floated as an alternative to the 18.4 cents per gallon gas tax that is currently used to pay for federal infrastructure projects.īut it’s not just a question about money, it’s also a question about fairness.Ĭalifornia also has the highest housing costs in the country. Proponents argue that the state gasoline tax of 52.9 cents per gallon could be replaced with a “miles driven fee” of $0.05 cents or so per mile driven, under proposed state legislation. It is also a way for the state to collect taxes from motorists who are buying and driving electric vehicles. The California Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Tax is billed as a way for the state to move from its longstanding pump tax to a system where drivers pay based on their mileage. Even though California’s gas tax is among the highest in the country and the rate increased in 2019, it still isn’t bringing in enough revenue.Ĭalifornia is the second state to test mileage fees in recent years, joining Oregon, which launched a pilot program of its own several years ago. The state says it needs more money for road repairs. The State of California is moving closer to charging drivers for every mile they travel. Article Powering California Network Stories
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