“Every passenger on a one-stop, round-trip flight has to fork over $11.20 for the TSA Security Fee. Passengers then pay a $4.50 PFC for each takeoff or landing. This adds up to $18 for a connecting round-trip flight. In addition, a U.S. Federal Segment Fee adds $4 to every take-off on a domestic flight — $16 for a connecting round-trip flight,” Leocha explained. “Today, passengers are paying $45.20 even before they have to pay the 7.5 percent transportation excise tax that is included in the airfare.”

Restoring the purchasing power of the current user fee –the gas tax -today is a responsible first step in paving the way for a future VMT fee.A VMT must also be tested at the national level first, which I support, before it can be considered a viable Federal user fee.Finally, we need to apply a user fee toelectric vehicles, and a VMT fee does this efficiently while retaining the user fee model.

Furthermore, asking state and local governments to borrow and repay loans only further magnifies thelong-term trend of declining Federal spending.

This imbalance has forced Congress to transfer $144 billion from the General Fund to shore up the HTFover the last 10 years.And thisis just the beginning:CBO estimates over the next 10 years, the HTF will fall $164billion short based on continuing currently-authorized highway, transit, and safety program levels. Let me reiterate –filling this $164 billion gap simply extends the status quo -it does not include higher investment levels to make a dent in our massive needs backlog.

STATEMENT OFTHE HONORABLE PETER A.DEFAZIOCOMMITTEE ON WAYS &MEANS HEARING ON “OUR NATION’S CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE NEED FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION”March 6, 2019

ASCE Position ASCE recommends raising the federal motor fuels tax by 25 cents per gallon and indexing the tax rate to inflation to help meet our nation’s near-term surface transportation needs.  ASCE supports exploring a mileage-based user fee through additional pilot programs to test charging motorists based on how much they use roads with the long-term goal of using mileage-based user fees to fund the HTF.  ASCE supports removing the cap on PFCs to allow airports to raise necessary funds locally for modernizing the nation’s aviation infrastructure. An increase in PFCs would support enhanced airport design, additional runway capacity and efficiency, and reduced air traffic congestion in order to help get travelers to their destinations safely and on-time. ASCE urges Congress to increase funding for the AIP in the next FAA reauthorization bill. Since 1970, the majority of AIP funding has been supported by direct and dedicated user fees through the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. The expenditure of Airport and Airway Trust Fund monies for airport improvements is critical to meeting the demands of the national aviation system. ASCE urges Congress to guarantee that the FAA implements the NextGen system over the next several years. NextGen is designed to minimize delays by reducing the time aircrafts sit on the ground, therefore making our aviation system more efficient.

For Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 (P.L. 116-6), spending levels for key transportation infrastructure programs continued to move in a positive direction from the FY2018 Omnibus Spending Bill (P.L.115-141).  In FY2019, $86.5 billion overall for the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT); $900 million for BUILD grants; $13.4 billion for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), which includes $2.55 billion for Transit CIG program; $17.5 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which includes $3.35 billion for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) with a $500 million supplemental; and $49.3 billion for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

DeFazio says, “The key is going to be revenues.” He proposed indexing federal fuels taxes for inflation and using that revenue to back $500 billion in bonds. He also mentions “a national pilot program” for a vehicle-miles tax. Graves is pushing a mileage fee. Finding revenue will be up to the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees. Maryland DOT Secretary Pete Rahn says, “Where I end up is, where they come up with the funds, I don’t care, as long as the funds are directed to where we need investment.”

Still, Graves says lawmakers face “a fairly short timeline.” He says, “If we don’t have something done at least out of the House of Representatives by August, I don’t believe it’s going to happen.” The reason: the run-up to the 2020 elections

The staffer says a highway-transit bill probably would come first and a bigger infrastructure package would follow

In the Senate, Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), is working on the highway portion of a long-term highway-transit reauthorization. Barrasso aims to get a new measure in place before the current law, the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation, or FAST, Act, expires on Sept. 30, 2020.

He didn’t offer a proposal for finding the additional resources the trust fund needs

Barrasso and the committee’s ranking Democrat, Tom Carper (Del.)

We face a $1 trillion surface transportation investment gap over the next 10 years to fix the infrastructure we have, meet future needs, and restore our global competitiveness. Any serious infrastructure proposal must provide sustainable, long-term federal funding so we can make these necessary investments, create millions of living-wage American jobs, increase economic growth, and decrease congestion and emissions. I will work to build bipartisan agreement around legislation, but I can’t do it alone. This will require massive effort from the White House, stakeholders, and supporters in Congress to get something real across the finish line.

Port Funding ∑Up to $10,200,000 annually will be distributed for the purpose to finance the improvement of the ship channel providing access to the facilities of the Alabama State Docks.

Electric/Hybrid Fees∑$250 license and registration fee on elective vehicles (EVs), $125 on hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs).oDistribution of the first $150 on EVs, and first $75 on HEVs, shall be distributed 66.67% to the state, 25% to the counties, and 8.33% to municipalities.oRemainder shall be deposited in the Rebuild Alabama Fund to support the Electric Transportation Infrastructure Grant Program until 2% of the total vehicle registrations in AL are EVs and HEVs

Index ∑Beginning June 1, 2023, and every otheryear thereafter:oThe Department of Revenue will calculate the National Highway Construction Cost Index (NHCCI) issued by the US Federal Highway Association for the current year compared against the previous year.oCannot increase OR decrease by more than 1 cent

ALDOT, Counties, and Municipalities can only use the new revenue for:oMaintenance or construction of roads and bridges, match funds for federal road or bridge projects, or the payment of any debt, subject to certain limits in the Act,associatedwith road or bridge projects

Distribution of New Revenue∑State –66.67%∑Counties –25%∑Municipalities –8.33%

Rebuild Alabama Act

New Revenue∑6 Cents, Effective October1, 2019∑2 Cents, Effective October1, 2020∑2 Cents, Effective October1, 2021

Date

That means that — taken on their own — combustion vehicle sales fell from 17.03 million in 2017 to 16.91 million in 2018.Since USA total light vehicle sales have been essentially flat or slightly declining over the past four years, and EVs are now coming online in ever-increasing volumes, it’s hard to see gas vehicle sales going in any direction but south from now on. The total light vehicle market’s marginal growth in 2018 was only made possible by the arrival of the Tesla Model 3 in high volumes.Again, there’s an outside chance we may see a small up-blip, depending on the economic outlook, but that’s unlikely and the general trend for combustion vehicle sales is inexorably downwards. The reveal of the Tesla Model Y in the coming month or two also ensures that a significant number of folks will entirely avoid a gas vehicle purchase in the next year or so whilst they are waiting for their dream SUV/crossover. Again, this means that EV % market share will grow at a higher rate than the increase in absolute EV sales volume, as the competition withers away.The Global PictureSince the three largest auto markets are already seeing falling combustion vehicle sales, is there any hope left for the internal combustion engine?No. It’s firmly headed for the dustbin of history, and it is going to happen quickly. Most serious auto analysts (see here, and here, and here) postulated that 2018 would be the peak sales year for combustion vehicle sales globally. The figures we’ve discussed above support the idea of 2017 being the peak year.Japan is still indecisive about EVs, though big on hybrids, but will inevitably soon have to give up on its fuel-cell dreams (at least for LDVs) and rush to catch up with EV powertrains.India will grow to be a significant auto market in the middle of the next decade, but this will be too late to save the combustion engine. India’s LDV sales were some 3.2 million in 2017, growing around 9% from 2016. Both combustion sales and EV sales will continue to grow in India, but any short-term growth in combustion vehicles will be far outpaced by their decline in the 3 largest markets above (almost 20× the volume of India). India’s LDV buying middle class is really starting to buy vehicles at just the time when EVs are taking over from gassers. With many larger Indian cities having serious air quality problems to deal with, regulations will also be pushing in the direction of EVs, and away from polluting gassers. And before the middle of the next decade, EVs will be the less expensive option, even just on sticker price (they already are in many cases on total cost of ownership).New Delhi in smogWhat do you think about the prospects for combustion engine vehicles? Do you agree that we will look back on 2017 as the peak in these three largest markets, or will 2019 reverse the past year’s declines and see them clinging onto sales volume for another year or so? Please share you thoughts and reasoning in the comments.Related: Nissan, Toyota, Mercedes, VW, Honda, BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, & Audi Sales Drop In USA, While Ford & GM Hide    (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});   How much money can a solar roof save you in California? Profit from your roof space: find local deals on solar in your area, eliminate your power bill. Calculate My Savings! .px400 #wapp_signup_widget_wrapper_picture_copy_zip, .px300 #wapp_signup_widget_wrapper_picture_copy_zip { padding-left: 110px !important; overflow: hidden; font-size: 10px !important; } .px400 #wapp_signup_widget_wrapper_picture_img, .px300 #wapp_signup_widget_wrapper_picture_img { display: block !important; width: 100px !important; } .px300 #wapp_signup_widget_wrapper_picture_copy_zip { height: 83px !important; } .px400 #wapp_signup_widget_zip_button { top: 143px !important; } .px400 #wapp_signup_widget_wrapper_picture_input { top: 87px !important; } .px300 #wapp_signup_widget_wrapper_picture_input, .px300 #wapp_signup_widget_zip_button { width: 267px !important; } Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)1K+Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)1K+Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)MoreClick to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)1Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)1Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Tags: China EV sales, Death of the combustion engine, End of oil, Europe EV sales, EV sales, Rise of the EV, Tesla, US EV sales About the AuthorDr. Maximilian Holland Max is an anthropologist, social theorist and international political economist, trying to ask questions and encourage critical thinking about social and environmental justice, sustainability and the human condition. He has lived and worked in Europe and Asia, and is currently based in Barcelona. Related Posts Hyundai Kona EV Review … Tesla Model 3 #1 Electric Car In World … Elon, Like A Boss — #CleanTechnica Top 20 → Top 10 Best Selling Fully Electric Vehicle Brands In 2019 → Top 10 Best Selling Plug-In Vehicle Brands In 2019 → Beta Technologies Pops Out Of Stealth, Is Gearing Up To Be More Than An eVTOL Startup → Back to Top ↑AdvertisementAdvertise with CleanTechnica to get your company in front of our readers.CleanTechnica Clothing & Cups Top News On CleanTechnica The Tesla Model 3 Is Taking Over The World Boom! Fossil Vehicle Sales Are Officially Now Decreasing In China, Europe, & USA — #CleanTechnica Report 12 Ways of Looking at a Rivian vs Tesla Matchup Volkswagen Raises EV Sales Target 50%, Says ID Production Will Be Carbon Neutral The Dream Is Over — Europe Is Waking Up To A World Of Electric Cars Hyundai Kona EV Review ... Tesla Model 3 #1 Electric Car In World ... 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A nickel per year – U.S. Chamber/Earl Blumenauer proposal.

The grim statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also show that drivers on rural roads die at a rate 2.5 times higher per mile traveled than on urban highways. Urban drivers travel twice as many miles but suffer close to half the fatal accidents.

And EV car prices could soon be on the rise. On October 7, Senator John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, introduced a bill to remove the tax credit early and instead tax EV owners more. Moves like this, in tandem with President Trump’s attempts to freeze fuel-efficiency requirements and devolve regulation of coal-fired power plants, are a hard push against meaningful efforts to combat climate change

For example, many of our rural communitiessee broadband and high-speedcommunications as a transportation investment, on par with roads, bridges and freight rail

The next authorization bill should change these restrictions so that these types of innovation projects can thrive

We need to removethe currentrestrictions on our federal transit funds to allow our projects –most of which are promotingshared rides and multiple passengers in vehicles –to be eligible for funding

Civic Lab.

Among other things, we should testcreative time-of-day pricing much like energy ratescurrentlyusedby the utility sector

A rural resident who drives 20 miles ona lightlytravelled two-lane road doesn’t impose anywhere near thecostof an urban resident who travels 20 miles on a congested interstate highway in the middle ofrush hou

economic prosperity, accessto opportunityfor disadvantaged populations, traffic safety, and environmental sustainability includingresilienceto extreme weather events

will need to be tested and deployed in a majority of the states before it’s adopted at a national level

The Sacramento region is one of the nation’s most diverse. We’re diverse in terms of our people, our politics and our places. Indeed, our region covers the booming urban core of Sacramento, vibrant suburbs, historic towns and main streets, newly developing exurbs, rural farmland and thousands of acres of forests. We are truly a microcosm of America,

Both parties should be able to unite for a great rebuilding of America’s crumbling infrastructure.  (Applause.) I know that Congress is eager to pass an infrastructure bill, and I am eager to work with you on legislation to deliver new and important infrastructure investment, including investments in the cutting-edge industries of the future.  This is not an option.  This is a necessity.