One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
What could cost California drivers more: charges by the mile or gas taxes?
KPCC's transportation reporter, Meghan McCarty, shows the mile-tracking device she's installing in her car as part of a Caltrans pilot program testing per-mile charges versus taxes at the pump.
(
Sandra Oshiro/KPCC
)
Listen
0:54
What could cost California drivers more: charges by the mile or gas taxes?
California is kicking off a test program to see if charging drivers by the mile instead of by the gallon would help pay for much-needed road repairs, and we're on board.
As drivers buy less gas to fuel more efficient automobiles, taxes from the pump to help pay for road repairs haven't kept pace with rising construction costs. The state now faces a $59 billion backlog for road repair and maintenance.
So Caltrans, the state transportation department, is testing how much could be generated if we were to be charged by the mile.
The pilot is similar to a program launched by Oregon in July 2015, the country's first road user fee program. More than 30 other states are looking into similar programs.
I volunteered to participate in the test program on the California Road Charge website.
To participate, you’ve got to track your miles over nine months, and Caltrans offers six different methods to do that. They range from the very low-tech – basically just getting your odometer checked periodically — to devices that track your location, mileage and communicate with your smartphone.
I picked a device that tracks my mileage only and I just got it in the mail.
Sponsored message
Fair warning: this was not an easy device to install for someone like me, who lacks certain mechanical skills. The quick start guide also isn't very detailed. But after some troubleshooting, I did locate my car's "OBD port" under the dashboard and plugged in the device.
Voila! The green light lit up, and I was connected.
To see updates on my mileage, I can use a companion smartphone app or the road charge website. The agency is basing its calculations on a charge of 1.8 cents per mile.
During the test program, you don’t actually have to pay anything for your per-mile charges, although there is a mock credit card sign up. You can simply leave it blank.
If you’re curious how much you might pay under this per-mile system, Caltrans is still taking volunteers on its website.
I’ll check back again in a few weeks and tell you what I’m finding out.
Meantime, what do you think is the best way to pay for California's roads? Tell us in the comments below, on Facebook or by tweeting @KPCC.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
