USDOT appoints WSP’s Nate Bryer to Advisory Board considering road usage charging

Advisory Board to contribute expertise to protecting driver privacy as part of nationwide mileage-based user fee recommendations.

The U.S. Department of Transportation appointed Nate Bryer, WSP senior vice president and road usage charging (RUC) business lead, to its new Federal System Funding Alternative (FSFA) Advisory Board, a committee charged with recommending an equitable mileage-based user fee alternative to existing fuel taxes.

Under a RUC program, motorists are charged for the miles they drive instead of paying a tax based on the amount of fuel they purchase. The mileage-base fees fund road maintenance, expansion and repairs. The FSFA Advisory Board will provide recommendations for development of a national per-mile user fee pilot program and advise Congress on the best approach toward implementation.

As a recognized industry leader and innovator, and as director of the RUC operational services program at WSP in the U.S., Bryer collaborates with state transportation agencies to develop pilot programs that demonstrate RUC’s ability to operate successfully and recover gas tax revenue lost due to the rapid growth of electric and fuel-efficient vehicle usage in the U.S.

As the board’s data security expert, Bryer will address one of the most widely expressed public concerns about RUC: privacy.

“Motorists understandably want to know that their personal data is absolutely protected, so we must develop a strong partnership with drivers based on trust,” Bryer said. “As a member of the Board, I will have the opportunity to share my learnings from research and pilot programs that demonstrate how data aggregation and interpretation can be collected successfully and anonymously so drivers feel confident about the process.”

The FSFA Advisory Board, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will provide recommendations on a long-term solution and sustainable future of the Highway Trust Fund and is the first step toward development of a large, at-scale pilot program demonstrating the feasibility of a national motor vehicle distance-based fee.

In a letter to Bryer confirming his two-year appointment, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wrote: “Your work representing the views of data security experts will greatly benefit the FSFA Advisory Board and the Department’s efforts to provide recommendations related to the structure, scope and methodology for developing and implementing the national motor vehicle per-mile user fee pilot program. Your experience and leadership will add valuable insights and perspectives that will help further the FSFA Advisory Board’s mission.”

The 11-member board represents various organizations within the transportation industry. Carlos Braceras, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation, is committee chair.

Since working on the Federal Congestion Pricing Pilot Program in 1994, WSP has led some of the largest and most successful RUC pilots in the U.S., including collaboration with transportation agencies in California, Minnesota and the 20-state RUC West coalition. The firm supports clients across the U.S. in the research, planning, analysis, development, deployment, communications and evaluation of RUC applications and have led to wider state consideration and enhanced regional interest in RUC as a viable future transportation funding source.