GIS-GPS for distance-based user fee system
The U.S. is not alone in pursuing technically sound solutions to distance and weight-distance user charge systems. Countries in Europe, notably Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands among others, are collaboratively and independently studying issues and technologies in attempts to address funding and congestion problems. The State of Oregon in the US is also proceeding independently toward a real world technology demonstration which is slated to begin in 2005. Results from these efforts will surely inform and enlighten future distance-based fee initiatives.
Key Attributes of Distance-based User Fees
As an important starting point the principal investigators in the New Approach project sought to identify the key attributes of an ideal distance-based road user fee system if it could be invented from scratch today. These attributes would guide the researchers in conceptual design of the system and would point to the major institutional and technical hurdles. Eight key attributes of an ideal road user charge system were identified:
- Collection costs are low for both agencies and users
- Revenue streams are stable
- Charges are proportionally higher for users who impose higher costs
- Evasion rates are low
- Incentives are provided to travel on appropriate roads across time periods
- Fees charged are independent of vehicle propulsion systems
- Network or segment-specific rates are charged
- User privacy is ensured
Today, vehicle operators, with few exceptions, are not given price signals that correlate to the consumption of road space. Thus, government agencies have had great difficulty in providing incentives consumers with incentives to change the nature of road use such as levying higher charges for traveling on higher standard roads, i.e. freeways, or traveling during peak periods. These are of course the most expensive roads to build and operate. One result of the current pricing system, economists have told highway system providers, is the natural response to over-consume a product that is perceived to be free. Sprawl, congestion and increased vehicle emissions have been pointed to as among the more adverse outcomes of the current road pricing system in the US.
Today, vehicle operators, with few exceptions, are not given price signals that correlate to the consumption of road space. Thus, government agencies have had great difficulty in providing consumers with incentives to change the nature of road use such as levying higher charges for traveling on higher standard roads
The New Approach study aims to prove the technical capability to develop the GIS and GPS interface that will in the not too distant future enable real-time assessment of road user charges based more closely on costs imposed by users such as actual vehicle operating weights and configurations, mileage accrual, type of road, and driving conditions and perhaps other factors, thus giving users a more direct and accurate price signal for transportation.
GIS-GPS Interface Design
The technical component of the New Approach study was aimed at designing and field testing a system for charging road users that embodied as many attributes of the ideal user charge system as possible. Cost of the technology, while clearly a consideration, was not an overriding concern since it was assumed manufacturers would respond with efficiently priced products at the time of widespread implementation. The project also assumed that motor vehicles of the future will come equipped with standard GIS, GPS and onboard computer technology enabling the delivery of a distance-based user fee system. Many new vehicles today already have the necessary technical sophistication, but specific application capabilities for distance-based user charges will probably not be ubiquitous in motor vehicles for years to come.
From the beginning of this work, it was clearly recognized that distance-based road user charges, if implemented, will require governments to enact appropriate laws and regulations. In addition, significant enforcement efforts may be required to ensure compliance. An important but unresolved issue is that of how implementation might be phased in which leads to the question of retrofitting older vehicles with appropriate technologies. After market devices will certainly be capable of assessing distance-based charges, but means to tamper proof this equipment to eliminate fraud is a significant challenge.
The technical research team headed by Dr. Donath embarked on a rigorous analysis of off-the-shelf technology to determine the reliability of the concept. In order to protect the manufacturers, the suppliers of the technologies tested are not identified in this article, although that information appears in the final reports on the previously identified web site.
An essential component of a distance-based road user fee system is its ability to reconcile GIS digital map files with GPS signals in order to compute and record the times and locations of a vehicle for later downloading at a billing center. The downloading process might occur at billing centers which could be linked to fueling stations thus making the process of paying the distance-based fee no different than the current motor fuel tax. The interface between GIS maps and the GPS receivers must be accurate enough to distinguish if a vehicle is on a highway or on a frontage road adjacent to the highway.