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Future of Transportation Taxation and ways to move about the country
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<P mce_keep="true">[quote user="samfp1943"] <P>Here in our area (South Central Kansas) some time in the later part of 2009; there were advertisements for participants in a federally funded Uinv of Iowa study that was going to attempt to track with on-board monitors the traffic and driving patterns of this Region. The ulitmate goal was to find ways to be able to assess new road use taxes based upon usage of those roads and drivers trip needs and the States abilities to track usage (mileage) for the purpose of leveling use taxes.</P> <P>Here's a quote and link to the study web site: <A href="http://www.roaduserstudy.org/" mce_href="http://www.roaduserstudy.org/">http://www.roaduserstudy.org/</A></P> <P><EM>"...The University of Iowa Public Policy Center is conducting a federally funded study to see how the public responds to the new mileage-based road user charge system. We are looking for participants for this study to develop and test the best possible system for vehicle drivers. The study is very important, as this system could one day replace the gas system....</EM></P> <P><EM>Participants in the study will have the on-board computer temporarily installed in their vehicles. This installation will not in any way damage the vehicle. The computer will store a record of charges due from road use. This record will be uploaded to a data processing center. If the system were to be put into practice, the center would then bill the vehicle owner. For the study, however, no money will be collected..." </EM></P> <P>And here is the title and link to the Univ of Iowa's web site on the National study:</P> <P><STRONG><FONT size=4>Project Overview<BR>National Evaluation of a Mileage-Based Road User Charge</FONT></STRONG><BR><BR><EM><U><A href="http://ppc.iowa.uiowa.edu/dnn4/TransportationbrPolicyResearch/RoadUserChargeStudy/tabid/65/Default.aspx" mce_href="http://ppc.iowa.uiowa.edu/dnn4/TransportationbrPolicyResearch/RoadUserChargeStudy/tabid/65/Default.aspx">http://ppc.iowa.uiowa.edu/dnn4/TransportationbrPolicyResearch/RoadUserChargeStudy/tabid/65/Default.aspx</A></U></EM></P> <P>[/quote]</P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Regarding the above, here is a piece that I wrote in 2005 concerning the pay-as-you-go universal toll road concept that is moving forward on several fronts.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The purpose of this piece is to show where it is headed.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Tripmaster is just my term for the purpose of naming the concept at this time. I have revised the dates to the perspective of 2010.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P><I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I><I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I><I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I><I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT face=verdana,geneva><FONT size=2>HOW WE FIXED THE TRAFFIC CRISIS; <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I> <H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><U><FONT face=verdana,geneva size=2>Looking at history from the year 2025</FONT></U></H1><FONT face=verdana,geneva> <o:p></o:p></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=verdana,geneva><U>IN THE YEAR 2010</U>:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We are standing at the frontier of a brave new era in motoring.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We are told that the increasing fuel efficiency of cars is reducing the gas tax revenue that is needed to maintain and build roads, and that the remedy is to pay the tax by the mile rather than by the gallon.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It’s simple.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The State will install a GPS tracking device in our cars, which will communicate the miles we have driven to a computer in the gas pump when we fill up.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Then the tax will be charged and collected when we pay for the gas.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>So we will still be paying the tax at the gas station, but it will be based on the miles driven rather than gallons consumed.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If you think about it, it really turns every road into a toll way and every gas station into a tollbooth.</FONT></P><FONT face=verdana,geneva> <o:p></o:p></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=verdana,geneva><U>TEN YEARS FROM NOW</U>:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We will look back wistfully at the days when the only purpose for the government installed GPS tracker was to collect gas tax by the mile rather than by the gallon.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Let’s fast-forward fifteen years and take a look.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In the year 2025, the GPS tracker has evolved considerably, and is now called the <I><U>TRIPMASTER</U></I>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The light rail transit fad of fifteen years ago has since been made obsolete by the development of this Tripmaster.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></P><FONT face=verdana,geneva> <o:p></o:p></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=verdana,geneva>Instead of a government run transportation system of trains and tracks, we now have a government system of personal transportation devices (PTDs).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We can choose from several makes and models, just as we always used to do with cars, but the Tripmaster makes today’s PTD a far different animal than the cars we once knew.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Although the PTDs are gas powered, rubber-tired, driver operated, road vehicles, just like the cars were, there has been a reduction of the higher levels of performance that were once popular with cars.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In fact, because the special communication and safety equipment of the PTD adds to its cost, that added cost is partially offset by a corresponding reduction in performance compared to the cars we once knew.</FONT></P><FONT face=verdana,geneva> <o:p></o:p></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=verdana,geneva>The Tripmaster doesn’t actually drive the PTD, it just oversees the operation of the driver.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Gone are the days of police watching for traffic violations, issuing citations, levying fines, and hoping for collection.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Violations such as red light running, and lane control are immediately detected and processed by the Tripmaster.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We have long been told that driving is a privilege, so we now must post a driving privilege deposit (DPD) to provide the security that tolls and any fines that happen to be levied are paid.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Fines are levied either as a one-time charge, or as a surcharge to future tolls at the discretion of the Tripmaster.</FONT></P><FONT face=verdana,geneva> <o:p></o:p></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=verdana,geneva>Today, our motoring adventure begins much like in the past, but with a few important differences.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We enter the PTD, fasten our restraints, and turn the key.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But instead of the engine roaring to life, the key simply opens a communication with the Tripmaster.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Our journey cannot begin until we have registered our trip plan with this cyber authority through his <I>Trip Registration Wizard.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></I>There is also the option of open voice contact that begins with a message stating the approximate hold time, usually about five minutes.<I><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></I></FONT></P><FONT face=verdana,geneva> <o:p></o:p></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=verdana,geneva>With the more convenient wizard, we simply enter our destination and purpose, and the Tripmaster determines our route, and calculates the toll, which will automatically be deducted from our privilege deposit once the trip is finished.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The toll will vary according to the time of day, traffic density of the roads involved, weather conditions, purpose and necessity of the trip, the ability to pay, and the weight of occupants and non-human load.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>These little PTD cars are smart, so they automatically measure and register these loads.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Once the Tripmaster states the toll, we simply hit “enter,” the Tripmaster unlocks our PTD, and away we go, just like a car.</FONT></P><FONT face=verdana,geneva> <o:p></o:p></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=verdana,geneva>It was only a few years ago that we had to watch our speed or the Tripmaster would deduct a fine from our PDP account.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But today, the Tripmaster simply limits our speed automatically to what has been established for our route.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We could not speed if we wanted to.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In addition to limiting our speed, the Tripmaster can change that limit according to such variables such as traffic density, weather conditions, work zones, and emergencies.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Speed control of vehicles is generally done according to conditions or zones so that all vehicles within that zone are limited to the same speed, however, the Tripmaster can also set the maximum speed for each vehicle independently, allowing different maximum speeds for two vehicles that are right next to each other for instance, giving one vehicle priority over another if necessary.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></P><FONT face=verdana,geneva> <o:p></o:p></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=verdana,geneva>Of course, it goes without saying that the Tripmaster can simply drop your speed to zero under the mandatory stop procedure, if there is reason to do so.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Usually, however, this procedure is only used for special circumstances such the detection of a released occupant restraint, the detection of smoke or food and drink aroma, or other distraction violations such as cell phone use or excessive conversation.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This procedure suddenly takes a PTD out of service, and parks it in a safety zone where it must wait for a visit from a traveling safety officer.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Only a few years ago, officials were worrying about how to get us out of our cars and into public transportation.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Who would have thought that the solution would be to simply leave us in our cars, and turn the cars into public transportation?</FONT></P><FONT face=verdana,geneva> <o:p></o:p></FONT><FONT face=verdana,geneva> <o:p></o:p></FONT><FONT face=verdana,geneva> <o:p></o:p></FONT><FONT face=verdana,geneva> </FONT> <P mce_keep="true"> </P>
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