TOLL TRUCKWAYS: A New Path Toward Safer and More Efficient Freight Transportation By Peter Samuel, Robert W. Poole, Jr., and José Holguin-Veras

Today’s Dilemma: Safety vs. Productivity Safety—nearly 5,000 deaths per year from car/truck accidents Productivity Longer combination vehicles (LCVs) can haul more than twice as much freight as conventional 18-wheelers Truck shipping is $610 billion/year business; 10% saving is $61 billion

Current U.S. Truck-Trailer Combinations

Toll Truckways: a win-win proposition Heavy-duty lanes designed for LCVs Built in existing right of way on long-distance Interstate routes Open (voluntarily) to all trucks; mandatory for LCVs in non-LCV states Self-funding from tolls, charged electronically

USDOT Truck Size & Weight Study (August 2000) Studied costs & benefits of beefing up Interstates/National Network Net savings ranged from $9B to $40B per year Did not resolve the safety issue Did not resolve the funding issue Did not resolve the political issue

Lessons from Canada and Australia Large countries with long distances, like USA Trucking is major player in long-haul freight Much further along in liberalizing size & weight regulations Two key innovations B-coupling Tridem axles

Key Innovations: B-Coupling and Tridem Axles

Simulation Modeling Civil engineering team at CCNY Pavement design Productivity-gain estimates Economic feasibility Financial feasibility

Pavement Analysis Interstate corridor (used I-35 in TX) 3 existing lanes + new Truckway 40,000 ADT, 20% trucks Modeled many scenarios

Productivity Analysis Modeled only 18-wheeler and long double States with/without LCV freeze Huge productivity gains, especially in states with freeze: 18-wheeler: 62% to 115% more payload Long double: 57% to 492% more payload

Economic Analysis Toll = one-half of cost savings Tolls ranged from $0.43 to $1.86/mi. But used only $0.40 to $0.80/mi. Tolls would cover capital & operating costs in most scenarios

Financial (ROI) Analysis (example) Traffic Toll = $0.40/mi. Toll = $0.80/mi. 25% Trucks (1000) 4.12% 9.17% 50% trucks (2000) 8.85% 17.34% 75% trucks (3000) 13.04% 25.31% 100% trucks (4000) 16.97% 33.19%

Political Feasibility Analysis Would truckers pay 40-80 cents/mile? Ohio Turnpike tolls for LCVs: 38-43 cents/mi. Fuel taxes on LCVs: 16 cents/mi. Total now paid: 54-59 cents/mi. If charged only toll on TTW, 40-80 cents is in the ballpark.

Implementing No-Double Taxation on TTWs Rebate of federal + state diesel tax Miles recorded by electronic toll system Periodic payments by state tax agency to each trucking company

Impact of Truckway Fuel-Tax Rebates ($ per lane-mile of Toll Truckway) Truck % in Truckway Truck ADT in Truck- way Fuel tax loss to DOT O&M savings to DOT Net cost to DOT Avoided cost of New Lane 25% 1000 $58,400 $6,090 $52,310 $352,428 50% 2000 $116,800 $13,298 $103,502 $366,250 75% 3000 $175,200 $37,558 $137,642 $381,478 100% 4000 $233,600 $47,101 $186,499 $389,788

Needed Policy Changes Provision of right of way in Interstate/National Network corridors Liberalized size & weight limits on Toll Truckway lanes Removal of ban on Interstate tolling for Toll Truckway lanes Exemption from federal & state diesel tax for miles driven on Toll Truckways

Conclusion Large reductions in shipping costs Increased highway safety Reduced highway emissions Increased highway capacity, self-funded