Hawaii Could Implement Road Usage Charge

As the gas tax that most states relied on to fund transportation infrastructure becomes obsolete thanks to the rise of electric vehicles, Hawaii is the latest state to implement a road usage charge, report Sam Spangler for KHON2.

The tax, which kicks in in 2025, will charge drivers eight-tenths of a cent per mile driven or a $50 flat fee. “The DOT is promoting the road usage charge as an equitable solution for residents in less affluent communities, who they say typically drive older and less fuel-efficient vehicles. The new system would lighten their burden of paying gas taxes to maintain the state’s roads.”

Critics of the plan say the tax is taking “steps backward” in promoting emissions-free electric vehicle ownership in a state where electricity costs are already three times as high as the national average.