San Diego Drivers Needed for Nationwide Road User Study

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) November 12, 2008 -- SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Nov. 12, 2008 – San Diego has been selected as one of six U.S. cities to test drivers as part of a road user study being conducted by the University of Iowa. Approximately 400 San Diego-area drivers will be selected to participate in the study over the next two years.

“Motor fuel taxes have served us well,” said Dr. Kuhl, the study’s principal investigator and director, “but in the future it is likely that the gas tax may no longer be able to pay for our roads. As fuel efficient, hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles become more common, the funds we count on to build and repair our roads are likely to decrease.” The system, which uses on-board computers, may one day replace the gas tax.

The San Diego-area study tests an approach that would eventually allow drivers to pay only for the actual number of miles they travel.

A small computer installed in participants’ vehicles will store a record of miles and road use. They will then be uploaded to a central database, which will simulate distributing the funds to the states, counties or cities in which the travel took place. All of this will be accomplished while strictly protecting the privacy of motorists. At the conclusion of the study, the on-board computer will be removed from the participant’s car, leaving no trace. Participants will be compensated for their participation in the study.

Over the next two years, in addition to San Diego, the Public Policy Center will conduct a national field test of the system in cities across the U.S., including Boise, Idaho; Austin, Texas; Baltimore, Md; the Research Triangle in North Carolina; and Eastern Iowa.

According to Dr. Kuhl, the goal of the study is to test whether the approach is user-friendly, secure, trouble-free and acceptable to drivers.

“We are pleased that San Diegans will contribute to the design of this new approach to paying for roads,” he said. “Feedback from those who participate in this cutting-edge research will be very important in the future of road finance across the U.S.”

Participant recruitment for San Diego begins on Oct. 20. For more information, or if you reside in San Diego, and would like to learn more about taking part in this study, please contact 866-363-1975 or visit www.roaduserstudy.org.

gas tax     pay-per-mile     road user study     U. of Iowa