Symposium Summary documents
Full Summary
PDF, 587K, 26 pages
Session 1: Implementation Pathways
Session 2: Public and Political Acceptance
Session 4: State of the Practice: Demonstration Projects
Session 6: Roles of the Public and Private Sector
Session 7: Perspectives from Taxation and Revenue Agencies
Session 8: Interactive Discussion
Findings from the Third National Symposium on Mileage-Based User Fees, by Nicholas Wood, Ginger Goodin and Richard T. Baker
Prepared for submission to the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, 2012.
PDF, 188K, 11 pages
June 15th Workshop Proceedings:
Summary of Workshop on Integrating PAYD Insurance and Mileage-Based Road User Fees
PDF, 66K, 5 pages
Summary: Session 6
Roles of the Public and Private Sector
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
ED REGAN, Moderator/Panelist (Bio)
Wilbur Smith Associates
JACK OPIOLA, Panelist (Bio)
D'Artagnan Consulting LLP
BERN GRUSH, Panelist (Bio)
Bern Grush Associates
Panelists responded to a number of questions on the roles of the public and private sector in the implementation of mileage-based fees: How can private sector involvement reduce administrative costs? What can the private sector add to public sector administration? What are value-added services and is there a market for them?
Ed Regan
Mileage-Based User Fee National Toll InteroperabilityThe North American toll industry, through IBTTA, has set a goal for national toll interoperability by 2016.
- The goal is to have one account per user that can work everywhere in North America.
- Both electronic and video toll collection systems will be expected to work together seamlessly.
A national toll pricing system is expected to become a precursor to national road pricing.
- The expansion of tolling and pricing applications has been occurring rapidly.
- New managed lane networks have been proposed in major metropolitan areas.
Interstate tolling is being pursued as an option to bridge the transportation funding gap. Some states are pushing for the ability to toll their own highways due to decreasing support from the Federal government. In other words, the federal government paid 90% of the cost to build the Interstate system, but the States have the responsibility to rebuild and maintain the system.
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Jack Opiola
PowerPoint Presentation: Next Generation Technologies and the New Zealand User Fee SystemTechnology from mobile phones can enable the private sector to provide value-added services as a complement to road user charging.
- Mobile payments are already used in applications for retail stores, restaurants, parking, sporting events, and airports.
- A forecast from Frost & Sullivan predicts that by 2015, near-field communication technology will be the most used method for conducting mobile financial transactions.
New Zealand has administered a national road user charging system since 1977.
- Components of the fee assessment are:
- The fee assessment system charges all diesel vehicles based on weight-mass and distance. Odometer readings are used in the assessment of fees for light diesel vehicles.
- Users are able to purchase mileage in 1,000-mile blocks before travel is conducted.
- Refunds are given for off-road use and driving on private land.
- Components of the fee computation process are:
- An on-board thick-client unit equipped with GPS and DSRC capabilities determines the location and extent of use and communicates travel data back to a central server for processing.
- Third parties were permitted to provide on-board units to users beginning in 2005, and currently, 80% of all active units are privately-made – as opposed to government-made boxes.
- Enforcement of the mileage fee is administered through a single police team of ten units that are responsible for monitoring 10,700 kilometers of highway. Four weight stations check the weight-mass attribute of the charge and the government is authorized to audit company travel records.
- Operation costs are only 3% of total gross revenue.
- A few key lessons learned from the New Zealand vehicle mileage fee system:
- The system was able to fit user needs and requirements.
- Tangible value was provided to the user.
- Choices were given to the user by permitting different service plans.
- A familiar business model was provided to the user.
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Bern Grush
PowerPoint Presentation: The Roles of the Public and Private SectorsThe public sector role under a mileage fee system:
- Government agencies are more capable of supporting "seed" money to support sustainable programs.
- Government can ensure auditing practices, standard, interoperability guidelines, protect privacy, provide equity, and grant access.
The private sector role under a mileage fee system:
- Thousands of services can be provided by the private sector.
- Customer satisfaction can be emphasized.
- The profitability of system administration processes can be maximized.
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