AAA Mid-Atlantic Unveils "Motorists' Bill of Rights" as Starting Point for Building Public Support

RICHMOND, VA (December 5, 2006) – Have we finally reached a tipping point where a sizeable majority of the public believe increased funding for transportation is needed? According to a new AAA survey released today, over 70 percent of the public agree that more money is needed to maintain and improve our transportation system because we are not keeping pace with demands on the system.

AAA's "Pockets of Pain" report, which is a nationwide survey that examines public opinion on transportation funding issues in pockets of congested areas as well as the rest of the country, reveals that two-thirds (64%) of motorists believe that in the last three years the traffic they experience has become more congested.

"In previous surveys and focus groups, we've seen real reluctance to increasing funding for transportation," said Martha Mitchell Meade, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic. "Common responses used to be 'I already pay enough,' or 'existing funds aren't invested efficiently,' or 'I don't trust my state DOT to do the right thing.' I think the strong support for more funding we find in this survey bodes well for the challenges ahead of us. But we must remember, when motorists are asked to pay more, they must receive direct and recognizable improvements to their travel experience."

When respondents were asked to choose from a number of funding options, the public did not favor using general purpose revenues. In fact, the most frequent choice - 52% - was some form of toll option to help raise money to fund our transportation system. The most popular options are those that add tolls to only new roads and highways (39%).

Despite majority of opinion that more funds are needed to address increasing congestion, there appears to be little support for increasing non-fuel taxes such as sales, income, and property taxes, with just 15 percent favoring this method. Only 21 percent of respondents favored increasing the gas tax, and only 19 percent of respondents favor a new financing method of imposing a vehicle miles traveled tax based on the number of miles a person drives, indicating that more education and outreach must occur if policymakers advance this option.

When respondents were asked to rank from a list of national priorities, transportation did not fare well. In order of importance the respondents produced the following ranking: 1) Healthcare (26% rated it as most important); 2) National Security (25%); 3) Education (24%); 4) Social Security (12%); 5) Energy Independence (9%); and 6) Transportation (3%).

"That is a disappointing finding in our survey but not necessarily surprising. It demonstrates how much work all of us have to do to educate Americans about the importance of transportation to securing our economy and our way of life," said Meade. "When the transportation system does not work, Americans feel the pain. It is vital not only for commuting to work but for personal travel and freight mobility. It is essential for national security as well – such as evacuating people in times of natural or man-made disasters."

As elected officials begin to ponder future transportation funding options, AAA Mid-Atlantic laid down a marker for building public support by unveiling AAA's Motorists Bill of Rights. These 10 principles outline a series of core values that cover such basics as ensuring broad access to transportation facilities, ensuring adequate funding, and allocating benefits and payments equitably to the users of the system.

"If motorists are asked to pay more for transportation in the future, they must be assured a return on investment that includes increased safety and reliability, and reduced congestion – quality of life issues," Meade said. "We are prepared to fully consider, on behalf of motorists, every structural and financing proposal put on the table. But, funding proposals must be put in the context of a larger vision and purpose for the national program."

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AAA Mid-Atlantic serves 835,000 members in the Commonwealth of Virginia and a total of 3.6 million members in Washington, DC; Maryland; Virginia; Delaware; Pennsylvania; and New Jersey combined. It provides a wide range of automotive, personal insurance, travel, and financial services through its 50-plus retail branches, regional operations centers, and the Internet. For more information on AAA Mid-Atlantic, please visit our web site at www.aaamidatlantic.com.