CA Pilot Program Tests Getting EV Drivers To Pay Up For Road Repairs

California is considering replacing the gas tax, which pays for the lion’s share of road repairs and other transportation projects, with a more sustainable source of funding — and they need your help testing it out.

Officials say a new system is needed as more Californians switch to fuel-efficient vehicles, which means lower gas tax revenue at the pump. Drivers of all electric cars don’t pay the tax at all — a budget drain that will grow more serious as more people ditch traditional combustion engines. Roughly 80% of road repair work is funded by gas tax revenue.

In an attempt to offset those losses, Caltrans officials say applications are open for the 2024 Road Charge Collection Pilot, in which people throughout the state can earn up to $400 for participating in the six-month program.

Lauren Prehoda, the program’s manager, told LAist it’s a chance for people to shape the state’s future funding.

“This is a really great opportunity for you to experience and test something out, and then tell decision makers what you think,” she said. “Is this a good solution for the state? Is this something that we should be moving forward and considering?”

What is a road charge?

A road charge is a fee based on how many miles you drive, rather than a gas tax that’s based on how many gallons used.

State lawmakers passed a bill in 2014 to start studying the road charge system, and the first pilot launched a few years later, successfully testing more than 5,000 vehicles and 37 million miles.

“Instead of paying the state’s gas tax, which disproportionately impacts those who cannot afford more fuel-efficient vehicles, everyone would pay a per-mile fee for how much they use the road, regardless of what kind of car they drive,” according to the program.

Basically, the more you drive, the more you’d pay for maintenance.

Most people wouldn’t see a significant change if the system does switch, according to Caltrans, but drivers of zero-emission vehicles would likely notice, as they currently contribute very little to the tax, if at all.

Plus, well maintained roads could lead to a drop in vehicle repairs across the board, which California drivers spend an estimated $840 annually on average, according to the program.

You can use Caltrans’ calculator to check how much you’d roughly pay in road charges.

How will the pilot work?

People will drive like they usually do for six months, pay their monthly road charges online, and receive a gas or EV credit at the end of the program so they’re not being double-taxed.

This year’s pilot will be the first time participants send real money to the state, as previous programs only simulated payments. Officials want to see the risks and challenges of collecting the road charge before moving further with the new funding option, according to Caltrans.

People can express their interest by filling out a brief questionnaire that’s open through at least next month, possibly longer if they need more sign-ups, Prehoda said.

Caltrans is looking for a wide array of people, so acceptance is not guaranteed.

Participants will be chosen in July. They’ll then be asked to register online and select a method for reporting their miles.

“We have three different options that you can choose from,” Prehoda said. “Some are very low tech, some have a location sharing aspect. It's up to you to choose what you do”

The pilot officially kicks off Aug. 1, and participants will be required to pay their road charges off each month. There’s two surveys and incentives throughout the program where people can earn up to $400 in gift cards.

Prehoda said any out of pocket costs should be more than covered by that money.

How to sign up

You can apply for the program here, and find more details about the process here.

All pilot participants must meet these requirements:

• California resident at least 18 years old
• Drive a non-commercial passenger vehicle, including electric or hybrid models
• Have internet access, valid email address, phone number, and mailing address
• Valid credit or debit card
• Agree to report mileage and pay the monthly road charge throughout the program 

Once it wraps up next January, that will mark the end of the research stage and the results will be reported back to the legislature.

“We do want to make sure that it works for all Californians,” Prehoda said.