“With the changing profile of road users, and the advent of hybrid, electric and fuel efficient cars, around the world, fuel tax revenues for government bodies and agencies are under increasing pressure,” said Jack Opiola, D’Artagnan’s managing partner/president.
“Our job is to work with authorities to scope, pilot and then implement sustainable mandatory road usage charges.”
The D’Artagnan team has a number of projects on the go, including OreGo, Oregon’s road usage charge program. While Oregon’s fuel tax revenue has grown in 2016, projections indicate that growth to slow in 2017 and ultimately become negative in 2020.
“The OReGO program is working well, with more than 1,200 vehicles enrolled. When asked about their experience, 93% of OReGO participants reported it was excellent, good, or okay,” said Opiola.
“We’ve opened in Australia, as we know that federal and state governments are faced with falling fuel tax revenues and they are keen to explore pilot schemes. New Zealand has been charging for road usage since the mid ’70s,” he said.