How Will You Like Your Hybrid Now

[JP]

Oregon Exploring Mileage Tax Instead of Gasoline





PORTLAND, Ore.

[ststephen]

Probably makes sense to use a "hybrid" of the two taxes.

[Scott P]

I'm sure that it would work out on paper, but here is the problem I see with it (PS; I don’t own a hybrid).

I work in highway engineering and the amount of wear and tear on the road is exponential rather than linear to the weight of the car (vehicle). For example, a full sized pickup does approximately 100 times more damage than a compact car when it drives over a road. However, an average 18 wheeler does approximately 10,000 times more damage than a full sized pickup when it drives over the road.

We use the above information to calculate our ESALs (equivalent single axle loads) when highways are designed.

Google ESAL or ESAL calculation to verify or to read more on this (choose any source you wish; they will all verify the same information):


http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4TSHB_enUS364US328&q=esal+calculation#scli ent=psy&hl=en&safe=active&rlz=1T4TSHB_enUS364US328 &source=hp&q=ESAL&aq=f&aqi=g5&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&bav=o n.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=99c4ceabc8c9e00

Because of the fact that the heavier vehicles cause exponential damage to the road, we can almost count 18 wheelers only as damage caused by 18 wheelers or other big trucks do by far the most damage to highways.

If anything, the tax is already unfairly biased towards big vehicle. A full sized pickup does not use 100 times more gasoline than a compact car (even a hybrid) and an 18 wheeler does not use 10,000 more gasoline than a pickup truck. If the object is to make the gas tax fair, they are going the exact opposite direction than they should be.

[DiscGo]

Probably makes sense to use a "hybrid" of the two taxes.

That was clever.

[greyhair biker]

I drive a zero emissions vehicle.
....and a truck.

[Deathcricket]

And here I thought my registration fees are what payed for the roads upkeep. I thought the gas tax was for something else.

[Scott P]

And here I thought my registration fees are what payed for the roads upkeep. I thought the gas tax was for something else.

Resgistration fees are only a tiny drop in the bucket when it comes to paying for a road's upkeep. Gas taxes pay about half. The rest comes from the Feds.

[moabfool]

If anything, the tax is already unfairly biased towards big vehicle. A full sized pickup does not use 100 times more gasoline than a compact car (even a hybrid) and an 18 wheeler does not use 10,000 more gasoline than a pickup truck. If the object is to make the gas tax fair, they are going the exact opposite direction than they should be.

Commercial long-haul trucks already pay a use tax per mile. This was the primary reason for the mile marker update along I-15, I-70, and US 89 in Utah a few years ago. The idea of placing a per-mile tax on private vehicles is disingenuous. First the Feds mandate that car makers increase their CAFE standards, then they turn around and complain that we don't use enough gas. As dumb as that sounds I don't know why we should be surprised. These are the same people that think a yearly college tuition increase of 3% over inflation is acceptable and sustainable. Haven't they heard of the law of exponential growth? But that's another topic.

I do agree that heavier vehicles should be charged more. I always hear people complaining that cyclists don't pay gas tax so they don't have any right to be on the road. When I hear that I always propose that instead of gas tax we should pay based on weight. I say that $1/lb/year based on curb weight of the vehicle seems fair to me. I can pay $18/year for my bicycle and they pay $5,500 for their pickup truck. They never find that idea very appealing.

[JP]

Commercial long-haul trucks already pay a use tax per mile.

They most certainly do...thank you log books