A mileage tax isn’t fair. Lighter fuel efficient vehicles do less damage to the roads than oversized gas guzzlers do.
A lot lower income people have to travel farther to work, because they often cannot afford to live in the same area where they work.
You are right. Damage to the road goes up by vehicle weight to the fourth power (!!!!!!!). Texas reg fees are according to vehicle weight (but I don’t think to the fourth power, though).
The 18 wheelers and other heavy vehicles cause the pavement to flex and bend, causing internal cracking.
If 18 wheelers were taxed to the vehicle weight to the 4th power, our groceries and other trucked-in goods would be much higher in price.
a hybrid vehicle would tend to be heavier because of battery weight, but get better mileage.
Mileage times weight would be the fairest method.
You could even calibrate to where it reflected actual wear to roads.
In theory that might be true, but the point isn't relevant. The difference in the wear and tear caused by a large SUV compared to a subcompact car is inconsequential compared to the wear and tear caused by a fully loaded (80,000-lb.) tractor-trailer combination truck.
“A mileage tax isn’t fair. Lighter fuel efficient vehicles do less damage to the roads than oversized gas guzzlers do.”
Who said the tax would apply equally for all types of vehicles? For that matter, who said that the tax cannot be adapted to also include when you drive and where you drive? And, after that, why not adjust the tax to income levels, so that the rich pay their fair share?