Mercer County residents are allowed to participate in an innovative mileage-based user fee pilot program. Drivers who participate can earn $100 and help policy makers explore potential alternatives to the fuel tax to maintain New Jersey’s roads and bridges. Currently, transportation infrastructure in New Jersey is funded largely from a fuel tax paid by drivers on each gallon of gas they buy at the pump. As vehicles go farther on less fuel, and with some not using any gas at all, it will be harder to maintain a well-functioning transportation system.
A mileage-based user fee approach means each driver contributes based on the miles they drive, instead of paying a tax on the fuel they buy. This could provide an alternative approach for funding transportation projects based on how much an individual drives, regardless of the type of vehicle. The program is open to all New Jersey residents with a valid driver’s license and a vehicle. When a volunteer enrolls, they are given a small device to plug into their vehicle that records only their mileage. After a few months of driving the participant mails the device back. There are strict privacy protection measures in place to safeguard personal data.
If you do wish to sign up for this, it will go through a private company, Azuga Insight. They are partnering with The Eastern Transportation Coalition on this Pilot. There will be no charge fees to participate. Enrollment requires two pieces of information: your vehicle identification number (VIN) and odometer reading. For your VIN number, it can be found on your vehicle’s registration, insurance card and directly on the vehicle. To sign up use the link: Azuga.
Along with signing up, you can choose how to record your miles. You can choose from a plug-in device with GPS, a plug-in device without GPS, a manual odometer entry, or an in-vehicle telematics. If a plug-in device is selected, you will receive it in the mail after enrollment. Also, The Pilot has strict privacy protection measures to safeguard your data, such as: limiting the amount of personal information required for participation, prohibiting the sale of data to any third-party entities, requiring all data to be destroyed 60 days after the completion of the Pilot, giving participants the option to opt out of GPS (location-based) services, providing a participant agreement that clearly states what data will be collected, how it will be used and along with how it will be destroyed.
