Impact of Incentives on Toll Road Use by Trucks

Abstract

In this research, interviews and survey data were used to understand better the truckers’ use of toll roads. On the basis of interviews with industry representatives, shipping companies, and drivers, it was clear that owner–operators were the least likely to use toll roads because of the difficulty in passing the cost of the toll on to their customers. Company-owned shipping operations were the most likely to analyze the potential benefits of a toll route carefully and possibly to use that route. A survey of truck drivers in the Austin, Texas, area was conducted both online and by paper. The survey's focus was on the use of State Highway (SH) 130, a tolled bypass route around Austin, versus the use of I-35, which runs through Austin. More than 2,000 respondents indicated their preferred route and whether certain incentives would motivate them to use SH-130. The survey results mirrored the results from the interviews, with smaller companies (owner–operators) preferring the nontoll route. The incentives that most interested the truckers were off-peak discounts, followed by the incentive of a free trip after a number of paid trips. The average value of travel time savings was $44.20/h.