Oklahoma pilots pay-per-mile programme

Oklahoma’s Department of Transportation is inviting drivers to take part in a six-month pay-per-mile pilot progamme set to launch this July.

The department is working with toll-based mobility solutions provider Emovis on the Fair Miles programme to assess the benefits and identify potential hurdles.

The Oklahoma state legislature mandated the study in 2021 as guidance for future policy changes.

“To maintain funding for roads and bridge maintenance and construction, Oklahoma is one of many states proactively exploring a pay-per-mile programme that could replace the current fuel tax model in the future,” said Dawn Sullivan, Deputy Director of Oklahoma’s Department of Transportation (ODOT). “Participation in this study provides Oklahoma drivers the opportunity to be part of Oklahoma’s transportation future.”

Funding

According to ODOT, the recent growth in drivers switching to more eco-friendly vehicles is a positive development in terms of public health and the environment, but also has an impact on highway funding which is largely reliant on federal and state petrol taxes.

Emovis claims its pay-per-mile solution will help to offset the decline in revenue from the growing number of fuel-efficient vehicles on the roads by ensuring all vehicle owners contribute fairly to tax revenue.

Drivers who volunteer to be part of the pilot through the Fair Miles Oklahoma website will have several mileage reporting options (MRO), including an onboard device (OBD-II) and telematics, if provided by the vehicle manufacturer.

The state is looking for 500 diverse participants, who will each be paid US$50 for taking part.

The pilot will involve project management, implementation, participant onboarding, mileage collection, account management, reporting and data analysis.

Upon completion of the pilot, ODOT will draft a comprehensive report for state lawmakers, which will describe the results and lessons learned for future policy decisions.

Oklahoma joins four other states that have previously rolled out the Emovis pay-per-mile solution: Oregon, Utah, Virginia and Washington.

“Our partnership with Oklahoma is further validation of Emovis’ continued leadership in pay-per-mile programmes in the United States,” said Christian Barrientos, CEO of Abertis Mobility Services, which Emovis is part of. “We look forward to assisting the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and its consultants in evaluating pay-per-mile as the state continues to be at the forefront of national transportation solutions.”

Global trend?

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has previously called for the introduction of a pay-per-mile driving charge in the UK capital, along with a daily fee of up to £2 (US$2.70) for “all but the cleanest vehicles”.

A report commissioned by City Hall in January 2022 revealed that a 27 percent reduction in car traffic is needed by 2030 for the city to meet its net-zero ambitions, and the mayor is also considering charging drivers from outside the capital who wish to travel into Greater London.

The road pricing proposal would revamp current charges already in place, and is part of a push to encourage people towards public transport, walking, cycling or electric vehicles.

“Road use charging is interesting,” Khan recently told the Financial Times.

“If you get rid of the congestion charge, get rid of ULEZ [the Ultra Low Emission Zone], get rid of road tax, and charge people depending on how many miles they drive, how polluting their vehicle is, what time of day they’re driving, are there alternatives related to public transport, how many people are in the car – that’s potentially quite exciting.”

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