ODOT expands road use charge program

The Oregon Department of Transportation continues to expand its road usage charge program, OReGO, by offering customers a new commercial account manager option, Ferrovial’s NextMove by Cintra. Nearly 900 drivers participate in OReGO, the nation’s first road usage charge program, where participants pay a per-mile fee based on the miles they drive and can receive credit for the fuel taxes they pay.

ODOT’s new partner, NextMove by Cintra will collect and report the mileage driven by participants and remit payments to the state. Drivers of passenger vehicles with a rating greater than 20 mpg are eligible to join OReGO at any time. Drivers of electric or fuel-efficient vehicles with a rating of 40 mpg or greater can save on their registration fees when they enroll in OReGO.

ODOT is also working with NextMove on a second program to create a Connected Vehicle Ecosystem to support Oregon’s Intelligent Transportation System and further develop the OReGO program. NextMove will perform the planning, development, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the Connected Vehicle Ecosystem.

The Connected Vehicle Ecosystem will enable communication between vehicles and transportation infrastructure, such as traffic signals and roadside units. For OReGO, the Connected Vehicle Ecosystem will allow some participants to report their miles without using an onboard device. This will make for a more streamlined transition from the fuel tax to a road usage charge in the future. For Oregon’s Intelligent Transportation System, the Connected Vehicle Ecosystem can improve safety and mobility by providing information to drivers through their vehicles, such as warnings about slowing traffic or poor weather conditions up ahead.

For the awarded ODOT projects, NextMove is partnering with ClearRoad on OReGO; and Rekor, Gannett Fleming and ClearRoad on the Connected Vehicle Ecosystem project.