About the Kansas Midwest RUC Study
Kansas roads take us to and from our jobs, deliver important goods in and out of the state, and connect us with our family and friends. Our state – and the nation – depend on Kansas roads.
What is a road usage charge (RUC)?
A road usage charge, or RUC, is a system to pay for roads, bridges, and infrastructure by the mile rather than the gallon.
Four states have adopted road usage charge systems: Oregon, Utah, Virginia, and Hawaii, and many more are studying it.
In addition to Kansas, other Midwest states studying some form of alternative transportation revenue include Minnesota, Ohio, and Oklahoma.
The Kansas Department of Transportation is leading the Kansas Midwest RUC pilot in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Why is Kansas studying RUC?
Today, cars and trucks pay 24¢ per gallon of gasoline and 26¢ cents per gallon of diesel fuel taxes.
Many of the cars and trucks on our roads today don’t use as much gas as they used to, and more and more cars and trucks run on alternative fuels, are hybrid-electric or fully electric.
As more vehicles transition to being more fuel efficient or not using gas or diesel at all – we anticipate our state may fall short. We are planning ahead to see if this type of system might work in Kansas and the Midwest as a replacement to the current fuel tax system.
The Kansas Department of Transportation is proactively exploring whether a road usage charge might be a sustainable, long-term funding source in our state. KDOT is utilizing federal grant money available to states to study potential alternative approaches to transportation funding. To-date, most states exploring RUC are on the East and West coasts — Kansas is adding a Midwest perspective to this national conversation.
Timeline of the Kansas Midwest RUC Study
2021-2022: The Kansas Midwest RUC Study began with outreach focused on Kansas’s rural communities, agriculture, and freight industries. This included user-experience interviews and surveys with drivers to better understand their concerns.
2022-2023: We incorporated outreach and feedback to design the hands-on pilot and engaged early outreach stakeholders and audiences.
Early 2024: Recruit volunteer participants for the Kansas Midwest RUC pilot experience.
Spring 2024: The Kansas Midwest RUC Pilot experience will begin with drivers of light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles from across Kansas!
Summer 2024: The Kansas Midwest RUC Pilot experience concludes, and volunteer pilot participants will receive up to $100 for completing the pilot (incentive open to Kansas drivers only).
Fall 2024: The final report on the Kansas Midwest RUC Study will be available.