Journal of Korean Society of Transportation ISSN:1229-1366(Print) 2234-4217(Online) 대한교통학회지

As the penetration rate of eco-friendly and high-efficiency vehicles increases, the demand for petroleum fuel in vehicles of internal combustion engines can decrease, resulting in deteriorating the security of transportation-related tax. Besides, improved fuel efficiency is inclined to cause unfair use of traffic infrastructures like roads between high- and low-efficiency vehicles. Some countries have attempted to alleviate the severity of these problems by implementing vehicle mileage traveled tax (VMT tax). This study investigated the impact of the VMT tax on drivers’ behavior and revealed the underlying factors affecting them through the polynomial logit model developed based on a stated-preference survey data which has been collected with drivers in Busan Metropolitan City, whose traffic congestion cost is highest in Korea. The VMT tax is imposed at higher rates to vehicles when driving during peak hours and on congested road, and accordingly, alternatives that drivers can choose are to adhere to the existing trip, to change departure time, to change the route, and to switch the mode to public transit. According to the analysis results, the factors affecting the change in the departure time of the trip are trip purpose, peak time departure, vehicle ownership, and willingness to pay for VMT tax, Secondly, the factors influencing the route change are age, income, and trip purpose. Lastly, the factors attributable to the mode change to the public transit are trip purpose, income, vehicle ownership, vehicle type, and fuel type. This study suggests three VMT tax-involved policies not only to sustainably secure transportation-related tax revenues but also to improve the transportation system such as reducing traffic congestion and air pollution. They are to impose differential VMT tax proportional to income level, to stimulate flexible working, and to improve the public transit system.