Trucking News: New Virginia I-81 bill calls for fuel tax increase, more trucking-related fees

[Mike]

Legislation to fund Interstate 81 improvements in Virginia has gone through another major change. The latest version accepted by the General Assembly on Wednesday, April 3 takes tolls off the table by using a fuel tax increase instead.

Both the Virginia House and Senate accepted Gov. Ralph Northam’s recommended amendments to the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program and Fund bill. Unlike previous versions, Northam’s amendments offers more immediate funding without tolls.

In the previous version, the bill called for a report on how to fund the I-81 project to be submitted by the end of the year, effectively allowing the state another year to mull over funding mechanisms. That report is still included in the latest version. However, additions include funding in the meantime.

To start, the bill calls for a fuel increase. Both gasoline and diesel will increase by 2.1%, or 7.6 cents and 7.7 cents per gallon, respectively. The increase applies to the Interstate 81 region.

New Virginia I-81 bill calls for fuel tax increase, more trucking-related fees

 

[mndriver]

I'd like to see more people figuring out how to charge all of these electric cars and hybrids for their actual road usage

 

[Mike]

I'd like to see more people figuring out how to charge all of these electric cars and hybrids for their actual road usage

VMT, it's coming sooner or later.

 

[r3gulator3]

I'd like to see more people figuring out how to charge all of these electric cars and hybrids for their actual road usage

They pay tag fees, county taxes, just like everyone else.

 

[mndriver]

They pay tag fees, county taxes, just like everyone else.

They don't buy gas where fuel tax is collected.

 

[Electric Chicken]

They don't buy gas where fuel tax is collected.

Take a cut of EV charging station sales.

 

[r3gulator3]

They don't buy gas where fuel tax is collected.

Hybrids do. They just don’t buy the quantity that everyone else does. But it’s not like there are a lot of people driving full electric cars in Virginia. Have ya driven 81? Mostly SUVs and 80s pick ups and jeeps. They pay their fair share of fuel tax. That’s like saying they need to triple it on gas because cars get 3x the MPG a diesel rig does. You don’t like paying fuel tax, Buy an electric car.

 

[mndriver]

I had to do a paper about 9 years ago while taking a class called "energy and the environment.".



What I learned is between 1976 and 2010, the US, even taking into account more miles driven annual, increase CAFE and the increased registered vehicles, the government lost the revenue off enough fuel for 3200 Exxon Valdez tankers.

You get about 11 gals of diesel and 20 gallons of gas from a barrel and there was 1.48 million barrels on the exxon Valdez.


Those pennies add up.

Just the fed portion....18.5 fed gas and 24.5 diesel
$30,286,720,000

Pretty sure....$30,000,000,000 would have done quite a bit of bridge repairs and filling potholes.

The sources for this are the us Dept of energy and the bureau of statistics.


As I said earlier, I can appreciate WHY they are wanting to increase the gas tax. I just think there's other things they need to push first.

Hybrid/electric vehicles paying their share first as well as reduce waste/fraud/abuse. Even if you do tax hybrids and reduce WFA to near zero, you won't come close to replacing $30,000,000,000 in road funds.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I had to do a paper about 9 years ago while taking a class called "energy and the environment.".



What I learned is between 1976 and 2010, the US, even taking into account more miles driven annual, increase CAFE and the increased registered vehicles, the government lost the revenue off enough fuel for 3200 Exxon Valdez tankers.

You get about 11 gals of diesel and 20 gallons of gas from a barrel and there was 1.48 million barrels on the exxon Valdez.


Those pennies add up.

Just the fed portion....18.5 fed gas and 24.5 diesel
$30,286,720,000

Pretty sure....$30,000,000,000 would have done quite a bit of bridge repairs and filling potholes.

The sources for this are the us Dept of energy and the bureau of statistics.


As I said earlier, I can appreciate WHY they are wanting to increase the gas tax. I just think there's other things they need to push first.

Hybrid/electric vehicles paying their share first as well as reduce waste/fraud/abuse. Even if you do tax hybrids and reduce WFA to near zero, you won't come close to replacing $30,000,000,000 in road funds.

Brings me back to my original argument. They wouldn't need MORE money if they were responsible with what they already get from us.

 

[mndriver]

Hello....

It's the gubermint.

When has there ever been fiscal responsibility there.

 

[mndriver]

Even if you do tax hybrids and reduce WFA to near zero, you won't come close to replacing $30,000,000,000 in road funds.

Brings me back to my original argument. They wouldn't need MORE money if they were responsible with what they already get from us.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Hello....

It's the gubermint.

When has there ever been fiscal responsibility there.

A guy can dream. I still think I can get Cindy Crawford too.

 

[r3gulator3]

A guy can dream. I still think I can get Cindy Crawford too.

Oooh I bet that would mak your bald ex jealous!

 

[Rigjockey]

A guy can dream. I still think I can get Cindy Crawford too.

She is totaly into you dude! Go for it!

 

[Duck]

Even if you do tax hybrids and reduce WFA to near zero, you won't come close to replacing $30,000,000,000 in road funds.

Over the course of the 34 year period you got those numbers from, I'd bet $30 billion was definitely stolen from highway funds through waste, fraud and abuse.