« Wind, North and South | Main | You Don't Need a Weatherman... »
July 06, 2004
Smarter Gas Tax, II
Eric Pryne had more on electronic mileage charges for vehicles, as a substitute for gas taxes, in yesterday’s Seattle Times. The fundamental forces behind this trend—advances in engine and information technology—will ultimately transform how Cascadians pay to drive, as we've been pointing out since 1996. The ultimate potential of this shift is a set of related breakthroughs: pay-as-you-drive insurance, congestion pricing, pay-as-you-drive vehicle registration and taxes, and pollution taxes. Together, such changes could slash driving rates, save northwesterners gobs of money, strengthen our regional economy, and help clean the air.
What's encouraging is that Cascadia is rapidly approaching real-world experience, if only on a pilot-project scale, with such electronic road-charging, both in Eugene and Seattle.
Posted by Alan Durning | Permalink
Comments
PAYD insurance is currently being tested in the UK. Search on "pay as you drive UK" to find recent articles. There have also been serious proposals by the government to do away with the petrol (gas) tax and move exclusively to congestion charging. This would be based on a similar system that currently charges for driving into central London.
Posted by: Andrew Hayden | Aug 20, 2004 9:24:27 AM