A road-usage charging (RUC) and tolling integration pilot is to be implemented in the US state of Utah later this year, it has been announced.
Working with road-pricing technology startup ClearRoad and ETAN Tolling Technology, Utah’s Department of Transportation (UDOT) aims to enhance the efficiency of its different road-charging systems, including potential enhancements to the state’s existing RUC programme, which has been operational since January 2020.
The pilot, which will be conducted independently of Utah’s current RUC scheme, is scheduled to commence this summer and last six months. It will explore the application of a RUC system that overlays the existing statewide RUC rate with local RUC pricing schemes based on road ownership.
The pilot’s local RUC overlay test will encompass four cities – Ogden, St George, Saratoga Springs and South Jordan – and assess the feasibility of accurately differentiating miles driven on locally-owned roads for precise revenue collection and allocation.
FREE: Subscribe to the monthly Road User Charging Conference Newsletter – now!
In addition, the pilot will investigate the feasibility of integrating RUC and tolling systems to streamline transaction processing and enhance user experience. From this, UDOT also seeks to gain insights into optimal payment methods and wallet management for users.
ClearRoad CEO Frederic Charlier said: “This project is the first of its kind to unify different forms of road pricing into one: tolling, local road-usage charging, and distance-based road-usage charge.
“The results of the Utah pilot are anticipated to provide valuable information and serve as an guiding example for other US states seeking to implement or enhance their RUC programmes.
“It may also pave the way for other states looking to adopt a more integrated road pricing mechanism to combine different RUC, tolling, and/or congestion pricing programmes.”
The Utah pilot has been made possible through a grant from the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and aligns with the growing trend across the USA of states exploring mileage-based user fee (MBUF) programmes as an alternative to gas tax for funding transportation infrastructure.
You can learn more about the key trends and challenges affecting senior decision-makers who have responsibility for tolling, intelligent transportation systems and road usage charging in America at the third annual Road User Charging Conference USA in Miami, Florida on 25-26 April 2024. Click here for more information.
