In a first phase of research for the Eastern Transportation Coalition (TETC; formerly the I-95 Corridor Coalition), EBP examined the equity impacts of transitioning from a fuel tax to a mileage-based usage fee for household passenger vehicles. The study 1) analyzed the distribution of revenue contributions across five different geographic groupings of households providing urban and rural detail and 2) piloted a framework for studying how different socio-demographic groups would be affected by the policy change.

For New Jersey and North Carolina, EBP developed an initial methodology for examining how a revenue policy change would affect low-income, minority, and other disadvantaged groups. This pilot study led to development of a second phase of research beginning in 2022 for more detailed analysis of sociodemographic issues.

Other supplemental analysis also validated the primary methodology's use of statistical estimates for travel behavior at the census tract level against estimates based on vehicle's odometer readings from inspection records. This comparison analysis found a high level of reliability in the statistical estimates for the state tested, increasing confidence in the results for states which do not collect odometer data.

This work was funded under an STSFA grant during round 3 of that program, which included numerous other activities. The full team’s final report is available here.

EBP also supported pilot participant recruitment and contributed to other policy analysis and pilot design tasks.