The Eastern Transportation Coalition, a 17-state partnership focusing on transportation safety and efficiency, is taking the study on here in Connecticut.
Volunteer drivers will offer up mileage traveled and fuel used from their vehicles to give the coalition a better understanding of driver habits and mileage on Connecticut’s roads.
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WATCH HERE“I think it’s a reasonable idea,” said Charles Dunlay of Bloomfield. “People ought to pay their fair share.”
But not all drivers were interested in additional fees on Connecticut’s roads.
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SIGN UP “We already pay property tax on our vehicles, and adding another, extra, on top of the cost of everything, where we are already being charged over and above what we are supposed to, no way," Carol Lucey said.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation isn’t allowed to use state funds to study mileage-based user fees per a legislative decision in 2017. They are working with the Eastern Transportation coalition to help promote the federally funded independent study.
“How do you start planning for that now, if you don’t study you don’t plan you get left behind so that’s why we are happy to work with the coalition," said Josh Morgan, DOT spokesperson.
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About 40% of the state's transportation budget is covered by gas tax revenue, according to the DOT. They anticipate that revenue to shrink as cars become more fuel efficient and as more electric vehicles hit the state's roadways.
They don’t want to rule out a mileage-based user fee as a possible solution.
“How do you start planning for that now, if you don’t study, you don’t plan, you get left behind so that’s why we are happy to work with the coalition,” said Morgan.
But some in the transportation sector see studying the issue as a waste of time.
“I don’t really understand why we need to study this issue," said John Blair with the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut. “This issue has been studied, tried and failed.”
Blair anticipates the trucking and transportation companies he represents would be hit hardest, and says the costs they would accrue could indirectly hit Connecticut residents' pockets.
“My members would have to pass this on to consumers," Blair said.
He would rather see the state consider other more equitable alternatives, like a fee at registration directly related to the size of the vehicle you are registering.
The study is set to run from now until November of 2023.
