U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
Office of Highway Policy Information (OHPI) – Heavy Vehicle Use Tax
Heavy Vehicle Use Tax
Funding Our Nation's Highway Programs and Leveling the Playing Field
Why Is the HVUT Important?
The Federal HTF protects the nation's investment in our transportation
infrastructure. In 2007 alone, Federal HTF receipts topped $39.9 billion,
with $34.9 billion dedicated to the HTF's Highway Account. The Federal
HTF finances a broad spectrum of transportation investments, including:
- Highway improvements (e.g., land acquisition and other right-of-way
costs, preliminary and construction engineering, construction and
reconstruction, resurfacing and restoration costs of roadways and
bridges)
- Highway and bridge maintenance activities
- Highway law enforcement
- Safety programs (e.g., driver education and training, vehicle inspection
programs, enforcement of vehicle size and weight limits)
- Congestion relief projects
- Debt service
- Administrative costs (e.g., research, engineering)
Investment in our nation's highway infrastructure helps:
- Save lives, time and money
- Reduce the number and severity of crashes for all kinds of vehicles
- Enhance the ability of the entire community of emergency responders
- Lower fuel and insurance costs
- Increase mobility
- Ease congestion
- Decrease energy consumption
- Boost air quality
- Improve the efficient movement of goods
- Raise business productivity
- Strengthen the nation's economic productivity
Since the vast majority of all funds contributed by states to the Federal
HTF are returned through highway fund apportionments, there is a direct incentive
for state agencies to take necessary measures to enhance HVUT compliance.
More
Information
Link to Urban Mobility Report: http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/
Link to Status of the Nation's Highways, Bridges, and Transit: Conditions and Performance: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/2010cpr/
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Page last modified on November 7, 2014.