The Impact of Energy Efficient Vehicles on Gas Tax (Highway Trust Fund) and Alternative Funding for Infrastructure Construction, Upgrade, and Maintenance

Road construction, upgrades, and maintenance have largely been financed by a gas tax since the first tax on fuel was instituted by the federal government in 1932. Monies from the gas tax and other sources are deposited in the Highway Trust Fund to handle the country’s transportation infrastructure needs. States also tax fuel to varying degrees. As a result the average fuel tax paid by U.S. drivers is 48.8 cents per gallon. However, the taxes have failed to keep up with inflation and need. The country’s crumbling transportation infrastructure is the result. Further, as the researchers have detailed, based on current conditions and forecasts the funding gap is likely to worsen significantly. One alternative to the gasoline tax is a system based on miles traveled. The Mileage Based User Fee (MBUF) charges drivers based the actual amount of road use, not on fuel consumption. Research shows the implementation of a MBUF system offers significant potential benefits including: (1) Fairness--all drivers pay for the true use and therefore the actual benefits derived from the use of the highway system. (2) Stability of revenue--as gas prices increase there is a corresponding increase in the use of more fuel efficient cars and trucks, hybrids, and even electric vehicles. Less fuel is used resulting in lower gas tax collection even though the mileage traveled remains relatively constant. With an MBUF system revenue remains relatively constant. (3) Flexibility--additional factors such as time of day, congestion, and vehicle weight can be built into the fees charged to road users. (4) Higher revenue yield possible--value-added options, improved roads, and a direct correlation between benefit received and fee incurred will make the public more willing to accept higher user fees. The project team has identified potential concerns and areas requiring additional research in order to implement MBUF. The project team also proposed a Mileage Based Vehicle Registration (MBVR) as a tool to implement MBUF. It is to be noted that MBVR is not the perfect mechanism to implement MBUF but it is a feasible and dependable means to add additional dollars to the state’s highway fund without further delay.