With tolling shelved for now, ODOT Director Kris Strickler finds himself at the head of an agency still desperately in need of sustainable funding sources.
The tolling was problematic because it had no goal or termination point. It wasn’t about “We need to pay for a bridge, so here’s a toll…” it was “we want a never ending supply of money so here’s a toll.”
Oh, absolutely agreed, but we need a top to bottom re-think on how fees work in a future with electric and automomous vehicles.
We already weren’t prepared for mass work from home altering parking fees, parking fines, and traffic tickets, it’s only going to get worse with autonomous vehicles.
I could see cities doing what London is already doing, toll gates to access the city core.
I can see a future where, if I’m not working from home, my autonomous vehicle drops me off at work, drives itself home, then comes and picks me up either at a pre-determined time, or when summoned, zeroing in on my cell phone signal.
No speeding tickets, no parking tickets, no parking fees or fines. City is going to lose a BOATLOAD of money.
The tolling was problematic because it had no goal or termination point. It wasn’t about “We need to pay for a bridge, so here’s a toll…” it was “we want a never ending supply of money so here’s a toll.”
I hate tolls. They’re just a pain.
Why can’t they just raise the gas tax?
Because Washington, Oregon, and California want to ban the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035.
I know, I know, it SOUNDS like the future, but it’s only 11 years out.
Doing that will drastically reduce the money coming from the gas tax.
I don’t think anyone is going to hit that target. Even then, increasing the gas tax is the best way to fund it currently.
Oh, absolutely agreed, but we need a top to bottom re-think on how fees work in a future with electric and automomous vehicles.
We already weren’t prepared for mass work from home altering parking fees, parking fines, and traffic tickets, it’s only going to get worse with autonomous vehicles.
I could see cities doing what London is already doing, toll gates to access the city core.
I can see a future where, if I’m not working from home, my autonomous vehicle drops me off at work, drives itself home, then comes and picks me up either at a pre-determined time, or when summoned, zeroing in on my cell phone signal.
No speeding tickets, no parking tickets, no parking fees or fines. City is going to lose a BOATLOAD of money.