The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) conducted an operational pilot of the Road Usage Charge (RUC) concept as a possible transportation funding replacement to the state gas tax. The Colorado Road Usage Charge Pilot Program (RUCPP) involved a total of 147 participating vehicles that used one of three mileage-reporting mechanisms to record miles traveled and simulate fees based on that travel. Overall support for the operational pilot and the RUC concept itself remained high among pilot participants and there were no major technical issues encountered. A number of policy-related issues were identified throughout the course of the pilot. This report provides a summary of the RUCPP.
All states in the Intermountain West assess farms and ranches at their agricultural use value. Some states extend some form of preferential use value assessment to land managed for its value for wildlife, natural resource conservation, outdoor recreation, and open space -not just for commodity production. Property tax laws and assessment practices in other states create obstacles for landowners who want to manage their private land for natural resource conservation or diversified, land-based revenues.
In late 2016/early 2017 the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) conducted an operational pilot of the Road Usage Charge (RUC) concept as a possible transportation funding replacement to the state gas tax. The Colorado Road Usage Charge Pilot Program (RUCPP) involved a total of 147 participating vehicles that used one of three mileage-reporting mechanisms to record miles traveled and simulate fees based on that travel. Overall support for the operational pilot and the RUC concept itself remained high among pilot participants and there were no major technical issues encountered. A number of policy-related issues were identified throughout the course of the pilot. This report provides a summary of the RUCPP.