Well, it appears that CAFE Standards are going to be effective enough to reduce the tax revenue from the gas tax. The CBO is reporting that over the next 10 years revenue from the gas tax will be reduced by $57 billion.
This makes sense and actually indicates the CAFE Standards are having the desired effect… increasing fuel efficiency and thereby reducing consumption for gas vehicles.
What’s disappointing is the that CBO proposes solutions that really just address the symptom. This from autobloggreen:
The CBO suggests three ways to deal with the shortfalls: do nothing (i.e., keep on transferring money from the general fund), spend less on highways and mass transit or raise the gas tax (or other taxes and direct them to the Fund).
The problem is that under this system not only are the true costs of the infrastructure hidden from the end user, but many hybrid and electric vehicles will be getting a “free ride”. Hybrid and electric vehicle use, and therefore wear and tear, of the infrastructure occurs without those operators sharing the cost of the infrastructure.
Simple solution… usage tax. Pay per mile (or your unit of measure of choice).
A US government study found there were 568 plane crashes in the US between 1993 and 2000, involving a total of 53,487 passengers and crew. Of these, 51,207 – or over 90 per cent survived. Even on the 26 crashes deemed the worst, the study found that more than half the passengers and crew survived.
I knew my fear of flying was irrational but wow! I had no idea crashes were that survivable.
Interesting editorial on the crash of Air France Flight 447. I’d never realized Boeing and Airbus had such a fundamental difference in terms of pilot controls.
The Drunk Engineer over at Systemic Failure reports on AAA’s bewildering opposition to any bill related to bicycles. I guess it isn’t that bewildering, but their lobbying in this manner is just another case-in-point toward Problem #2.
The Wall Street Journal’s Middle Seat Terminal gives a look inside DFW’s tower. A nice glimpse of a controllers job. I’ve been in IND’s tower a handful of times and have always admired the guys doing this job.
Etihad Rail is moving right along here in the UAE. They’ve executed a contract for the supply of the concrete ties (sleepers) for the upcoming construction.
Dubai International Airport (DXB) is shooting for 90 million passengers by 2018. They are on course to hit 50 million passengers this year. Aviation is one of the few sustainable growth industries in the UAE.
