California Considers Placing A Mileage Tax On Drivers

[Cow Poke]

Yeah, DC has started doing that. The toll lanes they just installed on I-66 can get above $30/trip!

On our driving trip a few years ago up through New England, it seemed like we were hitting toll roads a LOT.... You'd probably have to be "from the area" to know how to get somewhere avoiding tolls, no?

On these particular (what I call) "metered" toll roads, you at least have the option of staying in the "regular lanes" rather than moving into the toll lanes. Is that the way they are on I-66?

[Cow Poke]

The California Road Charge Pilot Program is billed as a way for the state to move from its longstanding pump tax to a system where drivers pay based on their mileage.

Anyone believe that this will be a "move from its longstanding pump tax" rather than an additional tax. I expect the pump tax system will remain in place with a new mileage tax added.

Yeah, it's not very often that a tax "dies".

[Cow Poke]

Mr Krabs is in charge of taxes! That explains so much.

When I first glanced at this, I thought I was in the "Muh Kribs" thread!

[One Bad Pig]

On our driving trip a few years ago up through New England, it seemed like we were hitting toll roads a LOT.... You'd probably have to be "from the area" to know how to get somewhere avoiding tolls, no?

Sorta. Google Maps has an option to avoid tolls.

On these particular (what I call) "metered" toll roads, you at least have the option of staying in the "regular lanes" rather than moving into the toll lanes. Is that the way they are on I-66?

Yep. The "regular lanes" move at a crawl during the increasingly misnamed "rush hour" (more like from 5-9 in the morning and 2-7 in the afternoon/evening) however.

[Cow Poke]

Sorta. Google Maps has an option to avoid tolls.

Yeah, I use WAZE, but, I was in a rental car in unfamiliar territory, and...

Yep. The "regular lanes" move at a crawl during the increasingly misnamed "rush hour" (more like from 5-9 in the morning and 2-7 in the afternoon/evening) however.

[seer]

On our driving trip a few years ago up through New England, it seemed like we were hitting toll roads a LOT.... You'd probably have to be "from the area" to know how to get somewhere avoiding tolls, no?

Yep, I can get everywhere in NE without hitting tolls. Those are just for Texans...

[KingsGambit]

This will disproportionately hurt more rural areas outside of major areas like LA and SF, where many people wouldn't be affected because they use public transportation. And yes, this is very bad for the little guy in those rural areas. This might work better in places like Europe but the US is a lot more spread out than most developed countries so we are more reliant on automobiles.