The Trash Dispatch: Texas Announces MILEAGE TAX!!!

Texas Announces MILEAGE TAX!!!

TXDOT, the Texas Department of Transportation, is considering the implementation of a Mileage-Based User Tax, on all it’s highways.

In quoting Martin Capper, CEO of MARK IV IVHS, TxDOT has stated in their blog “Keep Texas Moving” that;

As current federal-aid surface transportation legislation is scheduled to expire in September 2009, and with infrastructure needs far out-stripping funding from current taxes, Martin Capper, CEO of MARK IV IVHS, told the 5,000 delegates of the 15th World Congress last week in New York that a mileage-based fee is technically possible and is a fair way to collect funds needed to meet North America’s infrastructure needs.

And Further that;

According to Capper, “With key transportation leaders seeking an annual increase in infrastructure spending as great as $50 billion per year, we must look at alternatives to the motor fuel tax, especially in the long term when fuel tax revenue will decline because of fuel economy, alternative fuels and a long-term increase in oil prices.”To raise $ 50 billion annually with fuel taxes would require an increase in the current federal motor fuels tax of about 28 cents-per-gallon. A two (2) cent-per-mile user fee would raise the same amount based only on activity in the top 100 major Metropolitan areas. Nationally, the revenue collected would be substantially more.

And just “how” would TxDOT go about Tracking the mileage of Texas Highway users?

“Because of its inherent fairness in allocating costs to system users, a per-mile fee is one option that should be considered,” added Capper. “5.9 GHz is proven and could be utilized to implement such a new fee, as well as offering coast-to-coast ubiquity for motorists in applications that today utilize disparate technologies such as electronic toll collection.”

5.9 GHz has moved past the theoretic stage with successful field testing in California and Detroit during 2008. Once in place, a 5.9 GHz open-architecture system would be available for many additional applications, including a mileage-based fee to support infrastructure.

And just what is this 5.9 GHz technology?

5.9 GHz DSRC is a powerful new communication medium between moving vehicles and the roadway as well as directly among moving vehicles. DSRC uses an allocation of radio frequency spectrum established by the FCC to enable a broad slate of public and private safety applications that promise to enhance the productivity of the nation’s transportation system. The development of 5.9 GHz DSRC is a critical milestone toward introduction of numerous applications such as intersection collision warning, curve speed warning, rollover warning, emergency electronic brake lights, nationally interoperable electronic toll collection and many others, some of which have not yet been conceived. Focusing on safety applications is part of the federal government’s commitment to reducing vehicle fatalities by 50 percent in 10 years. - Source: Industrial Embedded Systems- Consortium Demonstrates 5.9 GHz DSRC Technology

HA! Well, it appears as though the Government is focusing on More than saftey applications, now.

And though I don’t fully understand how it works, I can tell you that the 5.9 GHz DSRC is a Tiny little Chip embedded into the “tires” of your vehicle which then communicates (via PUBLIC air ways) with Roadside “Government” monitoring stations.

And it appears as though, TxDOT will be monitoring the movements of it’s citizens, very soon.

Your Comments are Welcome, and OH… Question…

Do you think that this is the technology that will someday be “embedded” into the Hand, or Forehead, of a Human Being??? (for Our own Safety, of course..)

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Sources:

TxDOT Keep Texas Moving- CEO: Mileage-Based User Fee Could Fund Nation’s Infrastructure Needs

Consortium Demonstrates 5.9 GHz DSRC Technology

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PR.com- First 5.9 GHz DSRC VII Network and Toll System Established on New …

Findarticles- Big Success with the Performance Evaluation of the New 5.9 GHz