Applying international lessons learned to U.S.-based RUC systems 

While RUC and its benefits are familiar to many trans­porta­tion leaders in the United States, few know that the concept’s origins began abroad. New Zealand, for example, has collected RUC from heavy- and medium-duty vehicles, plus diesel cars since 1977, and many European countries have implemented time- and/or distance-based RUC largely for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.

Thanks to a longer history and varied execution strategies, these inter­na­tional adopters can teach valuable lessons about how to implement successful RUC programs stateside. Scott Wilson, a New Zealand-born client service leader with CDM Smith has worked with clients in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, USA, Ireland, the Middle East and Hong Kong, as well as the European Commission. He specializes in advising on strategy, policy, regulation, and governance for road pricing and tolling.

Here, Scott shares solutions he's discovered for the most common RUC challenges, and advice for how states can learn from their inter­na­tional RUC coun­ter­parts.