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OKLAHOMA CITY — The Fair Miles Oklahoma Pilot Program report has been submitted to the Oklahoma State Legislature for consideration of future projects.
FairMiles Oklahoma, a research program designed to explore options for the state’s future transportation funding needs, has 445 Oklahomans driving more than 1 million miles, according to a news release from the Oklahoma State Department of Transportation. It was recently concluded after the race was completed.
ODOT said in a press release that the pilot is intended to explore potential revenue sources for the state’s roads and bridges while promoting equity and sustainability across the state.
Continued improvements in fuel efficiency are expected to reduce fuel tax funds available for maintenance and future innovations in Oklahoma’s transportation infrastructure. Required by the state Legislature to implement HB1712, Fairmiles Oklahoma is exploring alternative funding options to replace the state fuel tax.
The results of the Fairmiles Oklahoma pilot project will provide important data that will help Congress decide how to spend money to maintain and improve the state’s transportation infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, in the future. will be provided.
The 445 voluntary participants represented 63 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties. The overall composition of the pilot participants was as follows:
- 40% of participants live in rural areas
- Nearly 80% are Pike Pass customers
- 12% are members of tribal nations;
- Nearly 8% live in households below the poverty line.
Participants also registered a wide variety of vehicles. The composition of participating vehicles is as follows.
- 38 different vehicle manufacturers
- 20 electric cars
- 17 hybrid cars
- Participants averaged 22.35 mpg
During the pilot, participants were asked to report monthly mileage and review mock bills. Based on the participants’ usual driving habits, the following trends were observed:
- 56% of participants selected GPS-enabled reporting option
- Based on the current 20 cents per gallon fuel tax, the average monthly fuel tax bill was $10.01.
- Based on the 1 cent rate, the average monthly pay-per-mile bill was $10.40.
- Rural participants with low-mileage vehicles pay, on average, more in fuel taxes than in the per-mile tax structure.
Pilot project participants began reporting monthly mileage starting in May 2023. During the pilot program, participants were asked to complete five short surveys, and for each survey they completed, they received a $10 gift card, for a total of $50 gift cards. Participants were selected to maximize vehicle fuel type and geographic diversity to obtain a wide range of resource results.
Overall, participants reported that they felt the pay-per-mile funding model was fairer than the current fuel tax model. They also stated that they found the program and technology to be user-friendly and accurate. A copy of the report can be found here or on ODOT’s website here.
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