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[quote user="daveklepper"] but what about those who are part of the small minority who pay taxes and do not drive?   If you are going to complain about the many subsidizing the few who ride long distance trains, then also complain about the small minority who pay a disproportionat share of the tax burden because they don't drive. But subisidization of long distance trains happens to be popular. Why?  "I may may use that train but I want it just in case I need it."   or   "I never use it but Grandma uses it once a year to visit us."   or  "I would have to close my business if it were not for the people who arrive by train."[/quote] "There is a relatively small percentage of the population that does not drive, for a variety of reasons, that pays state and federal taxes (directly and indirectly) that are part of the monies transferred to the highway trust fund.  But they probably are a very small part of the population." As noted a small percentage of the population that does not drive pays a variety of taxes, just like motorists, and some of these taxes find their way into highways.  But they probably represent a very small percentage of the total population.  They are a marginal factor. Many of the people who don't drive are too poor to afford a car.  In many instances they are net tax consumers as opposed to tax payers.   What per cent of the population that does not drive does not pay taxes or only pays marginal taxes?  Here is a hint, at least with respect to federal personal income taxes, although they are not the only tax stream for highway support.  In FY11, according to the IRS, 46 per cent of U.S. citizens filing a federal income tax return had Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of less than $30,000 a year, and 56 per cent had adjusted gross income of less than $40,000 per year. Their average tax liability was $933.  On the other hand, 13.4 per cent of filers had AGI of $100,000 or more, and they paid 74.6 per cent of federal personal income taxes.  This is the reason for the argument that when the total income stream is taken into consideration upper income motorists are subsidizing lower income motorists. My main point is that motorists, for the most part, pay for the highways that they use. They are not subsidized in any significant way, contrary to popular belief. The monies that are transferred from the general fund or generated from a variety of other sources, i.e. property taxes, sales and excise taxes, etc. don't come from external sources. For the most part they come from motorists, thanks in part to their large base.   Many if not most people, when talking about highway funding, only take into consideration fuel taxes, motorist fees and tolls.  But the funding stream is far broader than these sources.  One should look at the macro picture as well as the micro picture to understand the total funds flow.
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