The road mileage user-fee: Level, intensity, and predictors of public support

Denvil Duncan, Venkata Nadella, Stacey Giroux, Ashley Bowers and John D. Graham

Transport Policy, 2017, vol. 53, issue C, 70-78

Abstract: The road mileage user-fee is viewed as a promising alternative to the fuel tax, which in recent years has proven to be an inadequate means of financing road infrastructure. Public opposition is often thought to be a barrier to the political feasibility of the road mileage user-fee. We use a nationally representative public opinion survey to investigate the level and intensity of support for replacing the fuel tax with a general mileage user-fee and with three specific modes of administration of the fee. Our results confirm that public opposition to the adoption of mileage user-fees to address the growing revenue inadequacy of fuel taxes is high, with the number of opponents exceeding the number of supporters by a ratio of 4-1. Furthermore, public support is somewhat sensitive to respondents' belief in the user-pays principle and perceptions of the characteristics of the mode of administration. Additionally, relative to supporters, those who oppose the mileage user-fee are more likely to state that they are willing to take political action against the adoption of mileage user-fees.

Keywords: H2; H4; H54; R4; Road mileage user-fee; Gasoline tax; Highway financing; Public opinion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2016.09.002

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