Alexandre Bayen, PhD, Teddy Forscher, and Susan Shaheen, PhD
2018
One of the major concerns for the technical implementation of a RUC is the ability to collect the mileage of motorists in a way that preserves and protects individual privacy. With the widespread use of connected devices/smartphones and the growth of connected vehicles and the existence of toll tag readers, it is possible to build and deploy architectures capable of computing advanced fee structures (based upon on mileage, road type, time of day, and speed, among other features) that respect motorist privacy. A possible architecture can rely on the use of virtual trip lines (VTLs) –...
Teddy Forscher, Alexandre Bayen, PhD and Susan Shaheen, PhD
2018
Pricing transportation infrastructure, either to achieve a desired outcome or to raise revenue, is a concept that has been present in economics and transportation since the early to mid-20th century. Different approaches to pricing (e.g., area-wide pricing, vehicle miles traveled, express lanes, etc.) have been adopted in parts of Europe and Asia; some strategies cover all road users, some only passenger vehicles, and others only commercial and goods movement vehicles. Pricing, as a revenue source, has recently gained momentum in the U.S., driven by federal legislation (MAP-21; FAST...
In the early ages of the mobile Internet, routing apps appeared as a viable tool for the few motorists equipped with an in-vehicle navigation system or an aftermarket navigation device. With market penetration increasing, and recent market consolidation, a few companies are now the sole providers of driving directions to the majority of the US population. Additionally, the emergence of large ridesourcing or transportation network companies (TNCs) totaling up to tens of thousands of registered drivers in single cities (all using the same routing app), there is further consolidation....
Alexandre Bayen, PhD; Susan Shaheen, PhD; Teddy Forscher; and Jessica Lazarus
2019
A brief overview of transportation user fees (historically and in a contemporary context) is presented followed by a discussion on how segmenting travel into three categories – long haul, the last mile, and at the curb – creates a new typology for transportation pricing and access mechanisms. A case study based upon California’s recent Road Charge Pilot Program demonstrates a quantitative example for a blended long haul/last mile approach using a parametric mileage-based user fee (MBUF); the case investigates distributional cost burdens under different pricing...
Jessica Lazarus, Jacquelyn Broader, Adam Cohen, Alexandre Bayen, Susan Shaheen
2022
California is currently exploring a mileage-based road user charge (RUC) program as an alternative to the existing gas tax. This research explores the potential social equity implications of this change through a literature review, expert interviews (N=21), general population survey (N = 3,489; final N = 3,061), and discrete choice model. The literature review and expert interviews reveal that populations that may face equity concerns include women, rural residents, un- and under-banked households, and low-income individuals. However, various strategies and program design considerations...