Road Usage Charging

What is RUC?

RUC — also referred to as a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee, a distance-based user fee (DBF), or a mileage-based user fee (MBUF) — provides a more equitable, sustainable and flexible transportation funding model. Under a RUC program, motorists are charged based on the number of miles they drive instead of a tax on the number of gallons of fuel they put in their vehicles. This evolution to a more usage-based model provides better sustainability and fairness in paying for our roads and bridges as vehicles continue to become more fuel efficient and continue evolving to all-electric models that require no fossil fuels.

Why is it needed?

For decades, while virtually all vehicles used gasoline or diesel fuels, the per-gallon motor fuel tax served as a stable and reliable user fee for transportation funding. However, the rise of alternative fuel and highly fuel-efficient vehicles — which do not pay a share equivalent to gasoline-based vehicles — rising inflation and construction costs, and increased demand for capacity projects due to population growth, have yielded an uncertain financial future. This leaves public agencies struggling to keep up with the growing demands of the transportation system through maintenance, operations and mobility improvements.

How is WSP leading RUC?

WSP has led some of the largest and most successful RUC pilots in the country, dating back to our work for the Federal Congestion Pricing Pilot Program in 1994 and continuing to this day. We support clients across the U.S. in the research, planning, analysis, development, deployment, communications and evaluation of RUC applications. These efforts have led to wider state consideration and enhanced regional interest in RUC as a viable future transportation funding source.