An excellent idea: use three taxes each finely targeted at one component of transportation usage one wants to limit. The VMT would reduce the need for new construction; a gross weight tax would reduce the cost of maintaining the current roadways; and tax on the inverse of the EPA mileage rating (including kwh/mile for all-electrics) would limit energy consumption and the resulting carbon emissions.

Relying on three streams also reduces the volatility of tax receipts, making planning more reliable.

Unfortunately, it’s too rational for politicians to wrap their — campaign contributions — around. Everybody pays, which means nobody like it.

The gas tax is a flawed system, swap that for a milage travelled system, semi’s use such a system for their drivers. I don’t see why cars can’t be fitted with the same thing. It’s not that the government is going to see where you’re going the merely want to see how far you’re going.

Then as a supplement I’d say tax the cars/trucks/Semi’s/buses by size of engine, weight or something along those lines to complement the tax on miles travelled or gas used because regardless of whether the car drives or not the tax would still then apply.

as enforceable as any gee-whiz-bang GPS solution.

A motor fuel tax works quite well for vehicles that use liquid fuels. Plug in electrics could have meters.