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Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Pay Me Now Or Pay Me Later
Tolls and taxes.
Drivers don’t like shelling out cash for either one.
But the money to build new roads and fix crumbling bridges has to come from somewhere.
So what are transportation agencies to do?
Here’s an idea that’s quickly gaining popularity across the country. Drivers would pay a fee based on where you drive, at what time of day and how often you’re on the road as well as what type of car you have.
It’s called a vehicle miles tax.
A tracking device would be installed in your car to record where you travel. A per-mile tax is assessed, possibly when you fill up at the gas station, that links the cost of building and maintaining the roads to those who use them.
Some models go as far as to charge different prices for urban or rural roads and how fuel efficient your car is.
In other words, what you pay is all up to you.
Who can argue with that?
