Don't Let The Bad Economy Get You Down!
Jul 20, 2009 1:38 pm US/Eastern
Miamians: Earn Hundreds In Gas Tax Study
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Researchers have headed to Miami as part of a nationwide study looking at a mileage-based gas tax rather than fuel taxes paid at the pump; you could be paid $895 for participating in the study!
The study, conducted by the University of Iowa Public Policy Center, is being conducted on behalf of the United States Department of Transportation. The goal is to determine the best way to pay for future transportation costs, including road and railroad upkeep.
Right now, motorists pay 18 cents a gallon in taxes to the federal Highway Trust Fund. But the tax is bringing in less money, because vehicles are becoming more fuel-efficient.
So now, researchers are evaluating the public response to a new mileage-based charged system. Drivers would pay taxes depending on how many miles of road they traverse. If put into effect, computers would be installed in current cars to track mileage.
The study is a ten-month program. The compensation will be doled out throughout the course of the research.
The funding for the study was included in Congress' 2005 highway bill. Other cities being investigated are Chicago, Portland, Wichita, Albuquerque and Billings, Montana.
To participate in the study, you must:
- Have a valid driver's license
- Provide proof of vehicle registration
- Provide proof of current insurance
- Be a U.S. citizen or eligible for employment in the U.S.
- Own a personal automobile that is compatible with the on-board computer (OBC) (Year 2000 or newer)
- Live in one of the selected study sites
- Plan to reside in the area for the course of the study
- Complete the screening survey (by Internet, telephone, or mail)
- Attend a 1.5 hour training session
If you are interested in taking part in the road user study,
sign up at their website.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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