Oklahoma explores program to charge drivers per mile

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

TerryMiller

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Jun 4, 2009
Messages
19,894
Reaction score
20,741
Location
Here, but occasionally There.
First thought - How would they handle all the tractor trailers driving through the state and all the out of state drivers using the roads? I’m pretty sure they could not enforce this requirement on out of state drivers.

Second thought - there has been a budget surplus which is where we got relief on groceries. It sounds like ODOT needs some of this budget surplus instead of creating a new way to generate more revenue.

I don't know if they still do this, but in New Mexico, a trucker is required to stop at a "port of entry" when going into their state. They used to go out and use a stick to poke down into the truck's fuel tank. With that, they would calculate the amount of fuel that was in the tank and charge them a "per gallon tax" on what they bought in another state.
 
Joined
Aug 7, 2009
Messages
4,710
Reaction score
4,930
Location
Edmond
I don't know if they still do this, but in New Mexico, a trucker is required to stop at a "port of entry" when going into their state. They used to go out and use a stick to poke down into the truck's fuel tank. With that, they would calculate the amount of fuel that was in the tank and charge them a "per gallon tax" on what they bought in another state.
Interesting.
 

hammerdown51

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Feb 3, 2010
Messages
205
Reaction score
144
Location
OKC
Oh screw that crap.

Tax the electric cars more in sales tax or excise tax and tag renewals.

I pay enough in taxes as it is.
They already do that. EV's are charged an extra $110 when registering/renewing tag on the vehicle. PHEV/Hybrid are charged an extra $75 when registering their vehicles.
 
Joined
Jan 15, 2020
Messages
118
Reaction score
110
Location
Bixby, OK
Well, I am confident that the State will eliminate gasoline and other road taxes if they implement this new tax. You know they always do that, and of course they would never use this device to track us or get in our business in any way. Oh and if we would just move into 15 minute cities, this wouldn't even effect us, because we wouldn't need a vehicle then. /s
 

Veritas

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Nov 24, 2023
Messages
136
Reaction score
261
Location
Oklahoma City
TULSA, Okla. — Think about the state monitoring your every mile behind the wheel. That could become reality in Oklahoma.

Oklahomans have to drive. Oklahoma has to maintain its own roads. Maintaining those roads costs money. One source of that money, the motor fuel tax, is not looking promising. ODOT Executive Director Tim Gatz, says his agency’s projections show the tax revenue remaining flat for the next several years.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation just completed a pilot program testing mileage tracking.

“We used every method that we could to track mileage," Gatz said.
More than half of the participants self-reported their miles, and about a third opted to use a device in their car.

“As we look at the future of transportation and the future of motor fuel tax, we see that as a declining revenue stream,” Gatz said.

Cars are gaining fuel efficiency these days, and an increasing number of Oklahomans are driving electric vehicles.

The pilot program assumed a fee of one cent per mile. Results of the trials projected each Oklahoman would pay about $124.80 per year. Comparatively, the average Oklahoman is paying about $111.72 in fuel taxes, according to ODOT.

This concept makes sense with electric vehicles, not paying for the roads, but my concern is they will use draconian surveillance state measures like GPS embedded in the vehicle rather than just periodically checking the odometer on your car like when you renew your license plate. Also, I’m afraid that the gas tax won’t go away so we’ll just be paying two taxes now.
 

Seadog

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
5,847
Reaction score
7,427
Location
Boondocks
TULSA, Okla. — Think about the state monitoring your every mile behind the wheel. That could become reality in Oklahoma.

Oklahomans have to drive. Oklahoma has to maintain its own roads. Maintaining those roads costs money. One source of that money, the motor fuel tax, is not looking promising. ODOT Executive Director Tim Gatz, says his agency’s projections show the tax revenue remaining flat for the next several years.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation just completed a pilot program testing mileage tracking.

“We used every method that we could to track mileage," Gatz said.
More than half of the participants self-reported their miles, and about a third opted to use a device in their car.

“As we look at the future of transportation and the future of motor fuel tax, we see that as a declining revenue stream,” Gatz said.

Cars are gaining fuel efficiency these days, and an increasing number of Oklahomans are driving electric vehicles.

The pilot program assumed a fee of one cent per mile. Results of the trials projected each Oklahoman would pay about $124.80 per year. Comparatively, the average Oklahoman is paying about $111.72 in fuel taxes, according to ODOT.

I guess the simple solution would be to apply this tax to electric vehicles. Leave the gas tax as is. Problem solved
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom