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Proposed high speed freight service in France
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[quote]QUOTE: <i>Originally posted by bobwilcox</i> <br /><br />Dave re "If you had, you'd know that those other modes have had to pay for the infrastructure for the most part provided through user fees". <br /> <br />I do not beleve you can find any inependant study that shows truckers or water carriers do or do not pay taxes equal to the cost of their government provided ROW. An independent study means a study paid for by someone without a vested interst in the outcome. Studies by the AAR, ATA, AWO, etc. do not count. :) <br /> <br />If you know of such a study share the citation with the rest of us. <br />[/quote] <br /> <br />And I would challenge you to show us a study that backs up your side of the argument, with the same caveats. <br /> <br />In the meantime, go back and read some of the data provided by DSchmidt regarding this issue. He has cited information that gives credence to the argument that truckers DO pay their "fair" share of interstate highway corridors e.g. both the Interstate and U.S. Highway designations. Of course, defining "fair" itself is a subjective arguement, therefore not one that can easily be ascertained even by a so-called independent researcher. <br /> <br />I would also point out evidence that exists in the form of the Highway Trust Fund and the Waterway Trust Fund that gives credence to the argument that such modes pay their way, at least in areas where these user fees are applicable. Again, there is subjectivity in any argument regarding waterways, since most waterways are only a segment of an entire dam project, and they also allow recreational users alongside commercial users through the locks and channels. <br /> <br />But I think the point is well evidenced that other modes do pay for their respective infrastructure costs, e.g. the bulk of their ROW costs are borne via user fees, not from general tax funds. Certainly, there is no evidence to the contrary. It is true that some general funds in the guise of economic development funds are used on those modes, but those are generally in multimodal situations, including rail. Since those other modes are publicly owned and open access, it is harder to make apt comparisons to the world's only remaining owner-operator mode of transport, e.g. North American railroads.
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