July 27, 2021
Kevin Wolf
Intrado
FREEMONT, Calif., Feb. 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Azuga, the leading global provider of connected vehicle and fleet technologies, announced that it has been selected by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) as the Account Management provider for its local-level road usage pricing research project, the OReGO Local Road Usage Charge (RUC) Pilot. Commencing in March 2021, the six-month project will closely examine and validate applications for road usage charging as it relates to designated high-traffic areas during peak times and duration of travel in congested corridors. The study will also test multi-layered road charging applications (e.g. how to assess usage fees on a vehicle driving in a congestion zone that is also within a larger, overlying pricing zone).
Although the Covid-era has seen greatly reduced roadway congestion in heavily populated areas, traffic has already begun to return to previous levels and Oregon, like other states across the country, is looking for solutions. Some experts argue that while many people are still working from home and many others are purchasing personal vehicles to avoid public transportation, now is the time to work towards unclogging roads and bridges. With Azuga’s technology and expertise, ODOT aims to evaluate whether road usage charging models can be effective solutions for congestion pricing. The pilot will consist of three specific use-case scenarios for simulation. Areas to be tested include the central business district, Multnomah County, and high-traffic highways. Drivers will not be charged during this pilot and all motorists have been carefully approved for participation.
The OReGO Local RUC Pilot is the newest of several innovative road usage charge projects to launch in Oregon and begins nearly six years after the start of the state’s inaugural road usage charging program, OReGO. Azuga Insight, Azuga’s road charging product, has been the most popular selection for participants in OReGO since 2015 and is still accepting new participants. In addition to effortless road usage charge management and auto-pay services, Azuga offers free premium features such as engine trouble code help, remote emissions testing, private non-location services, and more.
“Azuga provides a secure, accurate, and efficient solution for Oregon and other governments exploring road usage charging, and we bring unmatched experience and scalability to the table,” said Nate Bryer, the company’s Executive Vice President – RUC. “Like Oregon, Azuga is an innovator and we look forward to enabling this first-of-its-kind Local RUC project as we lead the nation together in developing sustainable systems for the betterment of Oregon roads and beyond.”
For governments seeking more information about Azuga Insight, Azuga’s road usage charging product, visit Azuga.com/insight/government.
Azuga, backed by Sumeru Equity Partners, is a leading global connected vehicle platform, helping our customers turn data from vehicles and their use into intelligence that improves operations and safety while reducing cost and risk. Azuga provides reliable end-to-end solutions for commercial fleets, government agencies, insurance companies and automotive industry suppliers, through leading hardware technology, integrated driver rewards program, award-winning fleet applications and data analytics. Our award-winning Azuga Fleet solution is used by thousands of businesses—from the small fleet of a few vehicles up to several thousand—and is lauded by our customers for its ease-of-use, robust features, and affordable pricing. For more information, visit https://www.azuga.com/insight and follow us on Twitter @AzugaInsight.
The Oregon Legislature identified the downward trend in transportation funding in 2001 and established Oregon’s Road User Fee Task Force to investigate alternatives to the traditional gas tax. With its direction, ODOT designed and conducted pilot programs in 2006 and 2013 to test a per-mile charging system. The fully operational and voluntary system, named OReGO, launched in 2015 and was the first of its kind in the nation.
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