Uses of National Household Travel Survey Data in - NHTS Home ...

Policy and Mobility
Quantitative Analysis of Impacts of Moving Toward a Vehicle Mileage-Based User Fee
Authors:
Sana, Bhargava; Konduri, Karthik C; Pendyala, Ram M
Economics, Demand Management, and Parking Policy
Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board Issue: 2187
2010
Abstract:
This paper offers a broad examination of the revenue generation and social equity implications of a
national mileage-based user fee that could be substituted for all or part of the current gas tax. Data from
the 2001 National Household Travel Survey are combined with documented elasticity values that can be
used to calculate changes in vehicle fleet composition and miles of travel by time of day in response to
price signals. These data provide the basis for calculating the impacts of a mileage-based user fee system.
It is found that modest mileage-based fees of just 0.5 cent per mile to 1.3 cents per mile can offer revenue
streams that replace current gas tax revenue. In addition, the mileage-based user fee system appears to
have minimal, if any, differential impacts across income classes and thus eliminates any potential equity
concerns that may arise from the implementation of such a user fee system. Impediments to a mileagebased
user fee system appear likely to be technological and personal privacy issues as opposed to
transportation or social equity issues.
Subject areas and Index Terms
Finance; Highways; I10: Economics and Administration
Equity (Justice); Financing; Fuel taxes; Highways; Impacts; Privacy; Revenues; Mileage-based user fees
Availability: Transportation Research Board Business Office Order URL:
http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/Economics_Demand_Management_and_Parking_Policy_164863.aspx;
Find a library where document is available Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780309160605
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