Coalition Executive Director Dr. Trish Hendren spoke to policymakers about mileage-based user fees (MBUF) and the future of transportation during the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Legislative Summit.
Legislators and legislative staff gathered at the Legislative Summit to connect, learn from national experts, and gather information needed to prepare for upcoming legislative sessions.
During a session titled “Future of Transportation” on Nov. 3, Dr. Hendren shared how the Coalition’s real-world work is exploring the potential impacts of MBUF on drivers, including examining the effects on drivers’ privacy concerns as well as effects on rural drivers.
Experiencing MBUF often reduces privacy worries among pilot participants, Coalition studies have found. In pre- and post-pilot surveys, passenger vehicle pilot participants consistently express reduced concerns about privacy after experiencing MBUF firsthand.
Additionally, rural drivers may also fare better with MBUF, Hendren noted. A 2020 Coalition household analysis showed that under MBUF, rural drivers may end up paying less than they do with the current fuel tax model, depending on how MBUF rates are set.
In her remarks, Dr. Hendren noted that MBUF is likely to be part of the future transportation landscape.
“How it’s going to come and when it comes is up to us to figure out,” she said, “It’s not going to be one path—we’re not going to do it all the same. … But I think we know we’re trying to get to that link between what you use, you should pay for.”
Read more about Dr. Hendren’s remarks during the Legislative Summit on the NCSL website.
