Interoperability Strategy Development (69)

Description:

Interoperability with other operational state RUC programs is important for a potential future national RUC program. Interoperability with other mobility charging programs (e.g., tolling, congestion charging, parking, and potentially transit) also can be considered.

Details:

For interoperability to work, both technical and business/financial interoperability must be established. Technical interoperability means systems can communicate with each other, with a common understanding of data. Business/financial interoperability means that two entities have set up a formal business relationship with each other, including plans for transferring funds with each other. To achieve interoperability, two entities must decide on technical data structures and protocols for interoperability as well as policies for financial interoperability.

Before designing specific interoperability measures, the state must develop and execute an interoperability strategy. This strategy may include working with other states one-on-one, working with multistate entities, or working with the national government. The focus should be on interoperability of operational RUC systems, but interoperability with other mobility charging systems may also be included, possibly only with user opt-in.

Primary Use:

Develop interoperability with other operational RUC systems.

Best Practices/Lessons Learned:

  • Bilateral agreements on interoperability will be faster and easier than multilateral interoperability.
  • Working with multistate bodies may be slower, but it would create interoperability for more states at once.
  • When discussing interoperability with other states, first establish general policies and principles, then work on technical and financial details.
  • Interoperability may take years to emerge. For heavy-duty vehicles, it took decades for the International Fuel Tax Agreement to emerge to support fuel tax exchanges among the states.
  • Since the International Fuel Tax Agreement and the International Registration Plan already exist for heavy-duty vehicles, it would be natural for one of the organizations that administers these agreements to support RUC interoperability for heavy-duty vehicles if a clearinghouse system is desired.

State Government Context and Assumptions:

This task, an ongoing process that takes new urgency when a state plans to grow the RUC program, is performed by the implementing RUC agency.