Program will explore charging drivers based on the miles they drive
ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority is encouraging Orange County drivers to participate in the California Road Charge Pilot Program to ensure that the county has a voice as state officials explore transportation funding alternatives.
The California Road Charge Pilot Program will allow the state to weigh the advantages, disadvantages, challenges and opportunities of road charging – where drivers are taxed based on the miles they drive rather than the gallons of fuel they consume.
To effectively evaluate the program, the state is looking for at least 5,000 volunteers from throughout the state to participate in the 9-month study scheduled to begin in the summer of 2016.
Currently, highway and road repairs are funded through a gas tax. With vehicles becoming more fuel efficient, this has been a declining source of revenue to fund maintenance of existing highways and provide funds for additional improvements.
The increasing vehicle fuel efficiency, which generates less revenues per mile, and decreasing purchasing power because of inflation has led to significant backlogs in highway and local road maintenance and congestion relief projects, according to the state.
For more information and to sign up as a volunteer, visit www.californiaroadchargepilot.com.
