Wanna Drive in Oregon? - Pay Per Mile Technology Now In Place

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WATERLOO, ON, March 4, 2015; Sanef ITS, the operator of intelligent transportation solutions, and Intelligent Mechatronic Systems (IMS), a leading connected car company, today announced that they have been awarded a road usage charge contract by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).

Debuting on Oregon's roadways in July 2015, this distance-based road usage charging program is North America's first implementation of a mileage-based charging solution. "A natural evolution of our DriveSync® platform, this partnership expands on IMS' leadership in connected car services such as usage-based insurance (UBI), young driver coaching and more," commented Dr. Otman Basir, Founder and CEO of IMS.

"We are seeing a growing trend in the number of electric and hybrid vehicles on our roads, which has led to a significant fall in critical gas tax revenues being collected for road maintenance," said François Gauthey, President of Sanef ITS. "To improve and maintain America's roadway infrastructure, the transition from a gas tax to a distance-based road usage charge solution is a critical evolution. Moving forward, creating a sustainable but fair system for collecting revenues is essential for future sustainability of critical transportation networks. Sanef ITS America is delighted and looks forward to working with ODOT in contributing to the program with its road usage charging expertise."

Participants throughout the state of Oregon will have access to road usage charging, beginning July 1, 2015. All light-duty vehicles registered in Oregon are eligible.

ODOT is making the road charging framework available to other states and Canadian provinces. Governments and insurers interested in leveraging this innovative technology solution can visit www.intellimec.com/road-charging for more information.

About Intelligent Mechatronic Systems (IMS)

Established in 1999, IMS is a leader in connected car technology that enables drivers to be safer, smarter and greener. The unique approach of converging in-car infotainment, automotive telematics and wireless technology has resulted in an impressive range of solutions. From insurance and government, to fleets and everyday drivers, IMS technology revolutionizes industries. For more information, visit www.intellimec.com.

About Sanef ITS America

Headquartered in New York, Sanef ITS America has successfully deployed toll projects throughout the Americas and around the world. For over 3 decades, Sanef ITS America has been a leader in the design, installation and maintenance of sophisticated Open Road Tolling and Road User Charging systems.

Sanef ITS America is part of the Abertis Group, the world's leading motorway operator, headquartered in Barcelona, Spain.

For more information, visit www.sanef-its.com.

About the Oregon Department of Transportation's Road Usage Charge Program

Oregon's Senate Bill 810 was the first legislation in the U.S. to establish a road usage charge system for state transportation funding. It authorized ODOT to set up a mileage collection system for volunteer motorists beginning July 1, 2015. ODOT may assess a charge of 1.5 cents per mile for up to 5,000 cars and light duty commercial vehicles and issue a fuels tax credit to those participants. The volunteer program will not be another pilot project but rather the start of an alternate method of generating sustainable revenue to pay for Oregon highways. Find out more about Oregon's Road Usage Charge Program at www.myOReGO.org/.

Road Usage Charge System for Transportation

What is road usage charge?

Road usage charging is a “per mile fee” or a “road usage charge” that can help generate new sustainable revenues from road users to cover the costs of maintaining and operating a public road network.

Governments and transportation stakeholders agree that the traditional fuel tax model first introduced in the United States in 1919 has resulted in diminishing revenues and unfair usage as motorist driving electric, and alternative fuel vehicles pay no tax for using the roads.

How does road usage charge work?

Cars outfitted with a telematics device analyze the amount of miles a participant drives and are charged accordingly. The telematics device is designed to automatically turn off once someone leaves the designated location or while driving on a private road, ensuring that the device knows to turn off and not count those miles.

Road usage charging technology also provides online dashboards for drivers to receive and review detailed billing records, dispute and resolve charges, and provide reliable details to justify complex charges.

What are the benefits of road usage charge adoption?

Road Usage Charge

Rapid increases in gas-powered vehicle fuel efficiency, combined with initiatives for hybrid, electric, and alternative fuel vehicles are causing strain on traditional fuel tax models around the world. Use of transportation infrastructure is no longer proportional to the amount of gasoline consumed at the pump. Most countries are starting to accept a shift from fuel tax to usage-based fees as direct charges levied for the use of roads, including road tolls, distance or charges designed to discourage use of more polluting vehicles.

Road usage charging additionally offers varied schemes from simple calculations based on:

• Distance traveled (to support more complex calculations based on road types)
• Jurisdictions
• Time of day driven
• Capabilities for vehicle type and unique emissions

Entire road networks can easily be transformed into chargeable roads, and road usage charging technology can accurately differentiated between in-state and out-of-state travel, in addition to separating between private and public roads. These considerations ensure each driver is fairly charged based on their use of the public road network.

SOURCE Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc.