(Source: MIRS.news, Published 02/07/2025) Forty-three percent of Michiganders had negative feelings toward replacing the state's gas tax with a road usage charge (RUC) when first asked about the idea by the state's transportation department.  

From Feb. 1 through March 8 of last year, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) surveyed 19,161 residents, trying to understand their perceptions on RUCs.  

A "Miles Driven" funding source for roads came in second place when asked what residents felt was the fairest alternative to Michigan's gas tax, which was 30 cents per gallon last year. Thirty-one percent of survey takers said "General Funds," 25 percent said "Miles Driven" and 23 percent continued to list "Gas Consumption."  

However, after viewing a video on why MDOT was studying transportation funding and road usage charges, 43 percent of respondents named a "Miles Driven" method as most fair and 34 percent named "Gas Consumption" as the fairest.  

Now, in the Governor's budget recommendations for the next fiscal year, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants to set aside $7.8 million in restricted transportation funding to go toward an additional study and pilot program on potential RUC revenue options to bankroll infrastructure.  

"I think there's an appetite to look at different funding strategies. I think the Legislature is eager to look into these, and we certainly are open to that," Michael Frezell, MDOT's deputy communications director, said to MIRS on Friday. "We're just going to gather information as to how such a system could be implemented. What devices would we need? How would that work?"  

He explained that currently, MDOT is conducting a research project related to several transportation topics. With approximately 170 participants, some are using their vehicles while connected to an app, receiving mock invoices as to what potential charges could be.  

Other people in the group focus on public transportation. Frezell explained participants can receive "credit" for using public transportation on their day-to-day commutes, like trips to the doctor's office or work.  

"And it just gives us an idea out there, if people had that option, would they use public transportation over their vehicle?" Frezell said, describing earlier a connection between the two subjects. "It demonstrates a need for improved transportation if there were road usage changes, if people want to look at alternatives to paying for those charges they could use public transposition."  

Out of her own appropriations subcommittee overseeing the MDOT, Sen. Veronica Klinefelt (D-Eastpointe) has put forward a RUC pilot program in the 2023 and 2024 budget-making seasons. However, it never made it out of final budget negotiations, as MDOT was seeking out a federal grant they ultimately did not receive.  

"With cars being more fuel efficient and us having electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, revenues are falling, and local roads continue to deteriorate, and we need to address local roads," Klinefelt said to MIRS, adding that in her opinion, local roads need to be the state's number one priority.  

She said she could write a book about how she's become unconcerned about the over-government surveillance worry – or the "Big Brother" effect, referring to the dystopian novel "1984."  

Klinefelt said she's learned of states like California using a "Smog test," where drivers have their odometers read instead of having their locations tracked. She expressed there are less invasive avenues for gathering information that could go toward a RUC.  

"But also, if we're honest, the car companies have tracking devices on all of our vehicles, with the OnStar and everything else. They probably know exactly how many miles every car that's relatively new has been driven over the last couple of years," she said.  

In terms of her own vision for a RUC pilot program, she imagines a few residents volunteering to try the method out. Meanwhile, the pilot program would learn about the kinks, complaints and overall programs of a RUC system assisting in Michigan.  

"This is all preliminary…I haven't had discussions with my colleagues on my side of the building with respect to this, so I don't think we really know how the whole Legislature feels," she said, clarifying that she has not had conversations directly with the Governor's office on her proposal.  

She is open to discussions on bringing toll roads to Michigan highways. However, she explained the money from toll roads would be exclusive to state roads, and those in the worst condition are local.  

"If you do toll roads, you're hitting a small section of the population over and over again, and other areas are never paying," she said.