This spring, The Eastern Transportation Coalition took the stage at the 2025 IBTTA Finance and Road Usage Charging Summit, spotlighting real-world solutions to one of transportation’s biggest challenges: sustainable funding. With three dynamic presentations, the Coalition and its partners didn’t just talk about MBUF—they showed how to make it work, sharing tools, strategies, and lessons learned that are already making an impact across the industry.
On Track in North Carolina
Amna Cameron, Deputy Director of NCDOT’s Office of Strategic Initiatives and Program Support, led an interactive session titled On the Right Track to Clear the RUC Hurdles. She shared how, in partnership with the NC Chamber of Commerce, NCDOT and the Coalition built a public feedback loop through years of public surveys, focus groups, and pilots to bridge the knowledge gap around transportation funding and alternative solutions. Attendees walked away with practical tools from the AdvaNCe Transportation campaign—including a funding model calculator, a message-tested video, and a ready-to-use outreach toolkit for leveraging partnerships to champion the message..
MBUF Simulation Success in Maine
Dale Doughty, Deputy Commissioner at MaineDOT, introduced the MBUF Simulator—a low-cost, high-impact tool that provides users with a web-based MBUF experience. The results? A resounding 90% of respondents expressed support for MBUF after using the simulator. This interactive presentation gave attendees the inside track by showcasing the simulator and exploring the survey data highlights.
Trucks Are NOT Big Cars
The Coalition’s Executive Director, Patricia Hendren, moderated a powerhouse panel tackling the complexities of integrating trucks into RUC systems: Trucks Are NOT Big Cars. Experts from American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (Marcy Coleman); Kapsch TrafficCom (Brenda Brady); CDM Smith (Scott Wilson); International Registration Plan, Inc (James Starling); and WSP (Michael Winterbottom) unpacked the regulatory maze of regulations, fees, and reporting requirements that trucks navigate, highlighting the unique challenges trucks would face in integrating with RUC systems. They discussed international best practices and lessons learned, strategies to streamline systems for commercial vehicles with existing taxes and fees along with leveraging technology to create a fair and efficient RUC system.
Since 2017, the Coalition has been more than part of the MBUF conversation—it’s been leading it. From tackling tough questions to sharing hands-on tools, the Coalition continues to drive innovation and understanding across the transportation industry—one stage, one story, and one solution at a time.
