Americans support gas tax hike, spending revenue on public transit, survey says
One of the proposed federal bills, H.R. 1846, would index the gas tax to inflation and create a bi-partisan, bi-cameral transportation commission that would provide long-term funding of the Highway Trust Fund. Another proposed bill, H.R. 680, would increase the gas tax by five cents per year for three years.
Americans are willing to pay increased taxes at the gas pump if the revenue is invested in specific transportation improvements, according to the results of a new Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) national telephone survey. These results indicate that Americans would likely support proposed federal legislation for funding transportation infrastructure.
The Mineta survey was directed by Asha Weinstein Agrawal, PhD, and Hilary Nixon, PhD. The top-line survey results are available at http://bit.ly/1El8aH3, along with a figure showing the support level for each tax option polled.
One of the proposed federal bills, H.R. 1846, would index the gas tax to inflation and create a bi-partisan, bi-cameral transportation commission that would provide long-term funding of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF). Another proposed bill, H.R. 680, would increase the gas tax by five cents per year for three years.
“Conventional wisdom says that Americans strongly oppose any increase in the federal gas tax,” said Dr. Agrawal. “However, this survey shows that significant majorities want the government to provide better transportation infrastructure, are willing to pay for improvements, and want gas tax revenue spent on public transportation as well as on roads and highways.”
Voters will support targeted purposes For example, one section of the survey tested whether people would support a ten-cent increase in the federal gas tax, which is currently 18.4 cents per gallon. Only 31% of respondents supported a gas tax increase for general transportation improvements, with no other information given. By contrast, 50% or more supported gas tax increases dedicated to more targeted transportation purposes such as improving maintenance (71% support), improving safety (64%), or reducing local air pollution (52%).
When asked whether or not gas tax revenue should be used to pay for public transit, a near “supermajority” (65%) said yes. This and other survey findings confirm that Americans desire a transportation system that includes good public transit as well as safe and well-maintained roads and highways.
“They envision a transportation future with a multimodal, safe, and well-maintained system,” said Dr. Agrawal. “More than 80% of respondents said that government should prioritize expanding and improving local public transit. Also, 91% want government to improve the safety of the transportation system, and 97% want government to prioritize maintenance of streets, roads, and highways.”
MTI has conducted several similar surveys The random-digit-dial telephone survey tested national support for federal gas, mileage, and sales tax options to raise revenue for transportation purposes. Multiple variations on the mileage-tax and gas-tax concepts were presented to test relative support levels among the options. Mineta Transportation Institute has conducted similar surveys annually since 2010.
A total of 1,503 adults completed the survey in either English or Spanish between February 26, 2015, and March 31, 2015. For the full sample, which included both land-line and cell-phone numbers, the margin of error was +/- 2.53 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
The full research report, to be issued Thursday, June 25, will provide in-depth analysis of the survey results, reviewing trends in support across the six annual surveys, and investigating how the revealed opinions may vary according to respondents’ socio-demographic, political, and travel-behavior characteristics.
The governor’s proposed auto insurance reforms could save the agency $48 million annually by limiting payouts in crashes where buses are not primarily at fault.
What truly drives the cost of a paratransit fleet? Beyond the purchase price, seven operational factors quietly determine maintenance frequency, downtime, and long-term service reliability. This whitepaper explores how these factors shape lifecycle cost and what agencies should evaluate when selecting paratransit vehicles.
In this conversation, TBC’s Executive Director Ed Redfern, President Corey Aldridge, and Washington Representative Joel Rubin outline the coalition’s key policy priorities, the challenges facing transit agencies, and how industry stakeholders can work together to strengthen the voice of bus transit at the federal level.
Amanda Wanke, who has worked at DART for 10 years, including the past 2½ years as CEO, will join Metro Transit as deputy chief operating officer, operations administration.
In his first State of CDTA address as CEO, Frank Annicaro highlighted the organization’s continued focus on delivering reliable service, investing in innovation, and strengthening connections across the region.
The special episode features an exclusive interview with Mark Miller, president of Constellation Software Inc. and executive chairman of the Volaris Group, who reflects on the podcast's early vision and the importance of creating a platform where transit leaders can share ideas and learn from one another.
The CAD facility enables NFI to complete full domestic production of heavy-duty transit vehicles, including zero-emission buses, in Winnipeg for the first time in 15 years.
The findings provide clear evidence that sustained Federal investment in public transit and passenger rail delivers significant returns for workers, communities, taxpayers, and the U.S. economy, APTA officials said.
