COMMUNICATIONS FOR EVERY STAGE OF RUC

The Oregon Department of Transportation used a varied portfolio of materials to launch its “Keep Oregon Connected” educational campaign in support of the established OReGO program. A press release, fact sheet, presentation, and brochure provide an introduction to RUC, describe how the OReGO program was created and functions, and highlight recent updates for OReGo participants enrolled with hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs). Video reels from the campaign cover general OReGO program promotion, as well as specific topics such as gas tax, pilots, program history, costs, funding, fuel efficiency, and the future of RUC.

• Press release. 2019.
• Fact sheet. 2018.
• Educational presentation. 2019.
• Hybrid and electric vehicle brochure. 2022.
• Video campaign. 2020. (Link to YouTube.)

The Utah Department of Transportation Road Usage Charge website is an intuitive portal to learn more about and enroll in this active program. Utah Department of Transportation began implementing an active RUC program in January 2020, specifically for alternative fuel vehicles (including EVs). The site FAQs and fact sheets provide basic information about the program, such as who is eligible, participant and device information, and how much drivers may anticipate paying with a RUC compared to a gas tax.

• Fact sheet: Utah’s Road Usage Charge Program. 2019. | Template Available.
• Fact sheet: Utah’s Road Usage Charge Program. 2020. | Template Available.
• Frequently Asked Questions. 2022.

This chapter from a multi-state cross-cutting evaluation of RUC pilots highlights the value of developing a targeted communications strategy involving messaging around key motivators, communicating to address public concerns, and implementing a multi-pronged approach to outreach and communications. It is a good resource to consider when framing a communications strategy for any RUC stage and includes examples and comparisons of communications and outreach methods explored by different states and coalitions.

This document provides guiding principles for Minnesota’s road usage charge demonstration work. This straightforward guide shows that creating a messaging strategy need not be a complicated endeavor.

The key findings of this report on mileage-based user fees (MBUF) offer an assessment of specific outreach efforts that are needed to advance RUC and engagement strategies that can be incorporated at the research and planning stages to broaden awareness and support. The findings integrate results of public opinion research and stakeholder engagement and spells out specific outreach efforts that will be most effective based on The Eastern Transportation Coalition’s most recent multi-state passenger vehicle pilot and national truck pilot.

This four-page fact sheet/folio addresses common perceptions about equity and rural drivers. It offers compelling graphics demonstrating research related to the number of miles driven by rural and urban drivers, as well as how vehicle type and fuel efficiency affect average charges per month with a gas tax vs. a RUC.

These RUC slides provide an overview of Washington State’s RUC exploration and address concerns about issues like privacy and the potential impact of RUC on rural and low-income drivers.

This is a useful reference for comparing the approaches different states have taken to implementing RUC programs, which can be important information when engaging with policymakers and legislators. Fact sheets developed for each state include descriptions of project history, legislative activity, and details of their RUC projects. This resource includes profiles for California, The Eastern Transportation Coalition, Hawaii, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

This fact sheet was used to engage Oregon legislators and shows the importance of continued legislative education and engagement, even after an active program is established. In addition to background on legislative efforts since 2001 to establish the OReGo program, the brief document includes a description of how the RUC system works in Oregon, highlighting privacy concerns and the program’s practices to protect participants’ data.

Other Sources:

Congress of the United States Congressional Budget Office. Issues and Options for a Tax on Vehicle Miles Traveled by Commercial Trucks. October 2019.

U.S. Government Accountability Office. Highway Trust Fund: Federal Highway Administration Should Develop and Apply Criteria to Assess How Pilot Projects Could Inform Expanded Use of Mileage Fee Systems. January 2022.

This RUC America fact sheet is an example of how to talk about RUC with regard to interstate travel and provides information about how a cross-border system might work. The fact sheet explains how Washington recently tested interstate operability as part of its RUC pilot, how California similarly tested interstate operability with Oregon in 2015, and how toll system operators are also thinking about how they might work across state lines.

The Eastern Transportation Coalition’s MBUF pilot program website is focused on recruitment and includes a variety of communication materials to support education around RUC. The site also describes how the pilot works and explains how to enroll. The recruitment site is anchored by videos that provide an overview of MBUF and the purpose of the pilot project.

• Recruitment Video: North Carolina.
• Fact Sheet: explanation of pilot mileage-reporting options.
• Recruitment Video: New Jersey.

This series of materials provides insights on Washington State Transportation Commission’s WA RUC Pilot Program. It includes a strategic communications plan that outlines goals and strategies, a recruitment survey to recruit participants in the research study, and a website to discuss project updates.

• WA RUC Communications Plan. 2016.
• WA RUC Recruitment Survey. 2022.
• WA RUC Website: Home Page | FAQs | Pilot Recap Page. 2022.

This four-page fact sheet/folio gives a succinct and visual presentation of the common features of RUC programs with respect to how miles are measured and reported and addresses concerns about the sharing of personal information with states or third-party vendors. This piece emphasizes the choice drivers have to opt-in to different methods of reporting mileage and also explains the data types that are included (e.g., miles driven) and not included (e.g., driver information, location, and speed).

This report provides communicators with a view into how a program’s communications planning has adapted and grown through the stages of RUC by employing public opinion research and continual evaluation. Follow-up research for the Oregon OReGo program has continued to focus on public awareness, attitudes, and message testing.

This trio of videos uses fun graphics to explain the concept behind a road charge, how California’s transportation system is funded, and why California is looking to fuel tax alternatives. Appropriate for the general public and stakeholders alike, these videos lay excellent groundwork for discussing the basics with audiences who are new to RUC.

• What is a road charge?.
• How California’s transportation system is funded.
• What’s the issue with transportation funding?

This document is an example of how to craft a high-level fact sheet for a RUC pilot. It defines RUC, explains the need to address the current transportation funding model, outlines how RUC can address the funding problem, and demonstrates how the pilot program will work.

This mailer demonstrates an approach to raising general public awareness about RUC. It uses individualized reporting to educate pilot participants and non-participants about RUC and how it would function for their current registered vehicle, using reported safety inspection data tied to vehicle registration. The mailer includes a set of FAQs and asks recipients to complete a survey on the pilot project website.

Community meetings are an effective tool when higher-touch education and engagement is needed. The Hawaii Department of Transportation developed materials to support a series of meetings as part of its 36-month pilot demonstration project. These materials include a fact sheet, posters, and a meeting presentation with video that addressed background on the purpose and need for RUC and introduced the statewide pilot.

• Fact Sheet: Funding Gap.
• Poster: Project Overview.
• Poster: Environment and Energy.
• Poster: What Is My Cost of Driving?.
• Community Meeting Presentation.

Using crisp graphics and straightforward messaging, MBUFA’s homepage succinctly explains the concept of a MBUF, or RUC. The page delves into some of the technologies that make RUC possible, as well as why policymakers are exploring RUC as a possible solution to unsustainable transportation revenue.

Using a combination of live and animated images, this video from the Minnesota Department of Transportation explains the concept of distance-based fees and why such fees are needed for the state’s transportation future.

These PowerPoint slides were used as visual aids during interviews with Ohio business leaders. The slides graphically display the individual impact of various fuel tax revenue alternatives, including RUC.

This interactive calculator allows users to input their vehicle data and average miles driven to estimate their MBUF costs. This calculator was developed via a partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and The Eastern Transportation Coalition.

This unique, interactive web feature allows users to explore facts and issues through a quiz format. An alternative to a FAQs list, this web feature raises awareness and educates users on critical issues.

This educational exercise demonstrates the challenge that states have in meeting a transportation funding gap, and it describes the tradeoffs presented by the use of different tools. Participants are asked to manage the transportation funding of a fictional jurisdiction as they manipulate the variables for MBUF, general taxes, corridor tolling, and vehicle fees, building appreciation for the complexity of maintaining our infrastructure.

Presenting on the topic of RUC requires distilling complicated information into digestible takeaways. These slides about MBUF from The Eastern Transportation Coalition show how simple graphics and messaging can help tell the story effectively.

• A Tale of Two Cars Slide comparing the fuel tax paid for a 2009 Toyota Camry versus a 2019 Toyota Camry Hybrid. 2022.
• Looking Across the Borders: Lessons for Implementing MBUF in a Multi-State Environment. 2022.

This fact sheet highlights the 5 key findings of The Eastern Transportation Coalition’s 2021 Exploration of Mileage-Based User Fee Approaches for All Users report. Using graphics and simple messaging, the fact sheet addresses the impact of MBUF on rural drivers, attitudes about privacy, and commercial trucks. Additionally, the fact sheet addresses how technology and outreach can be leveraged for MBUF work.