On Tuesday, the Washington State Transportation Commission began enrolling drivers to test out a proposed system that would tax drivers for the number of miles they travel. Those funds would then be used to pay for road work around the state.
Officials note that since they began recruiting last fall, they have heard from almost 5,000 drivers from around the state who are interested in participating in the test run of the Washington Road Usage Charge Pilot Project. In total, there are 2,000 test driver spots available in the year-long study.
“We are thrilled with the strong response and interest in participation from Washington drivers,” said Joe Tortorelli, chairman of the Washington Road Usage Charge Steering Committee and a Washington state transportation commissioner, in a press release. “It’s exciting to know that so many drivers are interested in this unique opportunity to inform future transportation policy — we hope to see a continued strong response throughout the enrollment process.”
The Washington State Transportation Commission will send out email invitations to prospective test drivers over the next few weeks until they have all 2,000 spots filled. The state is seeking a pool of participants that accurately reflects state demographics, including geographic location (rural, urban and suburban), race, income and gender. Additionally, different types of vehicles will be included in the study in order to include a mix of electric, hybrid and gas-powered vehicles. Data collected from the study will be used to evaluate a test simulation of a road usage charge system, and participants will be asked to provide feedback on their experience.
Anyone who applies but is not chosen to participate in the test program will be placed on a waiting list and will be updated on the progress of the project. Drivers on the waiting list will be used to replace participants who fail to enroll or who drop out.
The results of the pilot project will be presented to the state Legislature and the governor at the conclusion of the study in order to help inform a decision about whether or not to enact a road usage charge in Washington. The project is scheduled to conclude in early 2019 and a report will be delivered during the 2020 legislative session.
Among the reasons for the project are reduced revenues from the gas tax as motorists use more alternative fuels or otherwise improve their gas mileage with the purchase of newer vehicles.
