Colorado mileage-based user fee study.

Ungemah, David H.; Swenson, Chris R.; Juriga, Jessica; Baker, Richard T.; Goodin, Virginia · 2013 · ROSA P / Colorado. Dept. of Transportation. Research Branch

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Summary

This study addresses the declining efficacy of fuel taxes as a primary funding source for transportation infrastructure in Colorado. As vehicle fuel efficiency increases and alternative fuel vehicles gain market share, revenue from per-gallon fuel taxes is eroding, creating a projected multi-billion dollar funding gap by 2030. Motivated by recommendations from the Colorado Transportation Finance and Implementation Panel and national bodies like the Transportation Research Board, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) commissioned this research to evaluate Mileage-Based User Fees (MBUF) as a sustainable alternative. The study aimed to assess the state of MBUF practice, gauge stakeholder and public perceptions, develop operational guidance, and recommend next steps for implementation. Conducted by Parsons Brinckerhoff and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, the research employed a mixed-methods approach. The team reviewed the global state of practice, noting that while no personal vehicle MBUF systems exist worldwide, similar truck tolling and congestion pricing systems operate in Europe and Asia, and pilot programs have occurred in Oregon, Minnesota, and Nevada. The researchers developed three potential implementation models for Colorado: a "Current System Model" (indexing fuel taxes and adding registration fees for efficient vehicles), an "Infrastructure-based Model" (tolls on specific facilities and utility fees), and a "Model" involving per-mile fees via odometer or GPS reporting. To assess viability, the team conducted interviews with 19 diverse stakeholder organizations and held public focus groups to evaluate attitudes toward these mechanisms. The findings indicate that while MBUF is technically feasible and viewed by stakeholders as equitable and sustainable, significant barriers remain regarding public acceptance, privacy concerns, and technological readiness. Stakeholders and the public expressed a strong preference for the "Current System Model" due to its simplicity and low cost, viewing it as the most likely option to gain public embrace. Conversely, more sophisticated GPS-based systems raised substantial privacy concerns regarding the tracking of travel patterns. The public generally desired CDOT to act as a "near follower" rather than a national leader, preferring to wait for other states to refine their approaches. Consequently, the study concluded that Colorado is not yet ready for statewide MBUF implementation due to unresolved operational, technical, and policy questions. The significance of this research lies in its recommendation for short-term alternative measures rather than immediate MBUF adoption. The authors suggest that Colorado should pursue interim strategies, such as indexing fuel taxes to inflation or implementing vehicle registration "gap" fees for high-efficiency and electric vehicles, to address revenue shortfalls. These measures can achieve many MBUF objectives, such as equitable cost distribution, without the complexities of a full mileage-based system. The study implies that while MBUF remains a viable long-term solution for proportional roadway cost recovery, Colorado should continue monitoring developments in other states and focus on simpler, less intrusive funding mechanisms in the near term.

Key finding

Stakeholders and the public preferred a current system model with registration fees over GPS-based mileage fees due to privacy concerns and implementation costs, leading to the conclusion that significant technical and policy issues prevent immediate statewide MBUF implementation.

Methodology

mixed_methods

Sample size: 19

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

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