An occasional update on items from Motordom – the world of auto dominance
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ANY VOLUNTEERS OUT THERE?
Oregon, a leader in the search for an alternative to a declining gas tax, takes a tentative step forward:
Oregon lawmakers moved forward Sunday with a bill that would create a voluntary program to phase in a new road usage charge for fuel efficient vehicles after it appeared unlikely there would be enough votes to impose a new tax … Under the bill, drivers participating in the program would pay 1.5 cents per mile and receive a refund for the gas tax they paid at the pump.
Another bill— House Bill 2453 — that would require drivers with a vehicle getting at least 55 miles per gallon or the equivalent to pay 1.55 cents per mile after 2015 or $542.50 annually was referred back to committee. That legislation, which would require a three-fifths majority to pass, appears dead.
“Perhaps it was not quite yet ready for prime time. (Senate Bill 810) will get us to the next step,” said Rep. Vicki Berger, R-Salem.
Lawmakers have been looking at new per-mile tax to help fund the state’s roads, helping to offset an expected drop in gas tax revenue because of the advancement of more fuel efficient vehicles and alternative fuels.
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IS A STREAMLINED EGG THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION?
Inventor Andy Kim thinks this electric egg – for about $20,000 – is it:
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Licensed as a motorbike, it would presumably use the road. But would it?
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FROM THE SMALL TO THE BIG PICTURE …
The global economy could save up to $70 trillion over the next 40 years by revamping urban transport networks to reduce congestion, enhance fuel efficiency, and promote public transport, cycling and walking.
That is the conclusion of a major new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), entitled A Tale of Renewed Cities, which details how green transport policies are delivering myriad benefits for some of the world’s most congested and polluted cities.
The report argues that the adoption of so-called “avoid, shift and improve” policies that encourage city dwellers to avoid unnecessary journeys, shift towards public transport, and improve the efficiency of the transport they use can deliver significant economic benefits, as well as lower greenhouse gas emissions and improved health and quality of life.
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