This Friday, January 23, 2015, California will take the first step in investigating a road user charge pilot program as an alternative to the gas tax when the CTC convenes the Road User Charge Advisory Committee meeting.  The committee was created last year by SB 1077 which authorizes a pilot study.  California joins a handful of other states that are exploring road user charge pilot programs, including Oregon, Washington, and Minnesota.

The 15 member committee is made up of representatives of local and regional agencies, privacy advocates, auto groups and state officials.  According to the authorizing statute, the committee is to come up with recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation on the design of a pilot program.  Based on the recommendations of the committee, the Transportation Agency would implement a pilot program which would be implemented by January 1, 2017.