The Eastern Transportation Coalition (the Coalition) continues to advance the conversation on trucking and mileage-based user fees (MBUF) across its’ 20 member states and D.C. In the Winter 2025 edition of Behind the Wheel, author Seth Skydel outlines the essential role trucks play in Maryland and beyond, how trucks currently contribute to the state’s transportation funding through fuel taxes, and the challenges of transportation expenditures outpacing revenue in his article, “The Road Ahead.” In the article, he discusses options for sustainable transportation funding, such as MBUF, where vehicles contribute based on the miles they drive, not the gallons of fuel that they use.
Executive Director Dr. Patricia Hendren was quoted saying, “this isn’t about creating a new tax, it’s finding a new transportation funding model that works in the long run.” The article explains how the Coalition partners with states and the trucking industry to explore transportation funding alternatives through multi-state and international truck pilots. The Coalition also equips decision-makers with resources and data to inform policy. “Changing the way we fund infrastructure is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The goal should be to make the entire system more efficient, not simply layer a new fee on top of an already complex system,” says Dr. Hendren. Learn more and read the full article starting on page 14.
