BALTIMORE — Faced with a $3.3 billion transportation budget shortfall, the Maryland Department of Transportation had to make tough funding choices. State leaders scrambled to balance the deficit by pausing certain improvement projects and raising registration fees. They’re also considering a new way of collecting revenue from drivers.

Earlier this year, MDOT, in partnership with The Eastern Transportation Coalition, launched a pilot program testing the mileage-based user fee (MBUF).

“So, it’s pretty simple in concept. If you use the roads, you pay for the roads. You use the roads more, you pay for the roads more, so it’s really creating that link between use and payment and getting away from the fuel tax as being the way we fund transportation,” said Trish Hendren, executive director for The Eastern Transportation Coalition (TETC).

As cars become more fuel efficient and drivers switch to electric vehicles, less gallons of fuel are being sold. In addition, the fuel tax rate in Maryland declined from 47 cents per gallon to 46.1 cents per gallon, due to an inflation adjustment. MDOT expects this to further impact the amount of fuel tax revenue generated adding that the fuel tax revenue is the “largest source of funding for transportation in Maryland, comprising nearly one-third of annual revenues to the Transportation Trust Fund. The Transportation Trust Fund funds the operation and maintenance of transit, road and bridge, port, and airport facilities across Maryland,” a MDOT spokesperson wrote in an email to WMAR-2 News Mallory Sofastaii.

“This is not a Maryland issue, this is a transportation issue that every state needs to really think about how we’re going to close that gap,” said Hendren.

Hendren’s coalition of 19 states plus D.C. was awarded federal grant money to explore the feasibility of the mileage-based user fee. In Maryland, around 150 drivers participated in the pilot program that ended on May 31. Drivers had their mileage tracked through odometer readings, a plug-in device, vehicle reporting data, or a phone app.

Hendren said the cost to drivers is comparable to the state’s fuel tax, which she said averages around $27 per month.

One concern they’ve received is how the fee might impact rural commuters.

“Right now, rural communities are actually paying more than some of their urban counterparts in fuel tax. And you’re thinking, why is that? It’s because a lot of those vehicles in rural communities, on average, are larger and a bit older. So right now, it’s not necessarily a fair situation. So, if we moved to a distance-based approach, what the data is showing us is that rural communities may pay less,” Hendren said.

The results of the pilot program are expected to be released in August.

Currently, four states have enacted legislation authorizing the collection of per-mile fees: Oregon, Utah, Virginia, and Hawaii. These are voluntary programs for drivers with fuel-efficient and/or alternative fuel vehicles. In exchange for paying by the mile, they’re exempt from paying an annual registration surcharge on their vehicles.

Meanwhile, Maryland has increased its registration fees by 64 percent from $135 to $221 for two years and a 73 percent increase for heavier vehicles upping the two-year rate from $187 to $323.

Maryland car owners will soon be forced to pay significantly higher registration fees

EV drivers will eventually have to pay an annual surcharge between $100 to $125, most likely starting July 1, 2025.

“The challenge with a flat fee is really about fairness, and we need to have that discussion in the transportation field with the general public, with elected officials. So, somebody only drives, I don’t know, a thousand miles a year, versus someone who’s driving 12,000 miles a year, but they’re paying the same annual flat fee. Is that how we want to fund transportation?” asked Hendren.

She understands it’s a challenging road ahead trying to navigate from a 100-year-old system, but she said her organization is focused on finding a fair and sustainable solution.

To see how much you’d pay under the mileage-based user fee model, TETC created an online calculator. Drivers input details about their car and how far they drive per month. It’ll then show the estimated difference between the fuel tax and MBUF.

And for answers to frequently asked questions on the MBUF, click here.

GLEN BURNIE, MD — Great teachers matter. In Glen Burnie, we’re fortunate to have teachers like Carly Kriewald.

Patch has partnered with T-Mobile to recognize teachers and show them how much they’re valued and appreciated.

This submission comes from Marshall Kaputsos, who nominated Carly Kriewald of Glen Burnie.

How do you know the teacher?

She is my friend

What does this person teach?

Art

Why do you believe the teacher should be recognized or honored?

She loves her craft and puts so much effort into teaching her students important skills. She loves to have fun and make the kids laugh while imparting valuable knowledge about art techniques and art history.

What’s one thing you want everyone to know about the teacher?

She loves her cat, Beaux.

This content is brought to our community in partnership with T-Mobile.

CLINTON, Md. – A real-life cowboy is on the lookout for clues after his horse trailer was reportedly stolen from Piscataway Horse Farm in Prince George’s County.

Police say the trailer was taken between 10 a.m. on Friday, July 12, and noon on Sunday, July 14. 

Investigators confirmed the theft occurred at the farm but noted the absence of surveillance cameras in the area, except for one down the street, which did not capture any useful footage.

Jason Davis, a Clinton resident and the trailer’s owner, expressed his frustration and loss. 

“Sunday, I pulled back up to the stable and I realized that the trailer was gone. For a hot second, I thought maybe somebody borrowed it, but then I was like, ‘Oh, it’s locked up, somebody done stole it,” Davis told FOX 5.

The stolen trailer, valued between $11,000 and $12,000, contained equipment worth an additional $3,000 to $4,000. 

Davis, who has been a cowboy in the DMV area for 15 years, described the trailer as containing his “whole career.”

Davis shared pictures of the trailer with FOX 5, hoping someone might recognize it or have information on its whereabouts. 

Despite the setback, he noted the support from the horsing community as he prepares for upcoming shows. 

Prince George’s County police confirmed the theft, and they are investigating. 

Davis emphasized that while the trailer is insured, many of the items collected over the years are irreplaceable.

“All of my equipment, just shy of my saddle … My saddles are the only thing that’s at my house. Everything else; the bridles, ropes, spurs, chest plates… I mean everything that I’ve acquired probably in the last 15 years is inside that trailer,” Davis said. 

FOX 5 reached out to the Piscataway Horse Farm for comment, and owners say they’ve never had an incident in their 47 years in business. They also confirmed that there are no surveillance cameras on the premises.