73% of Americans believe EV owners should pay an 'energy tax' to help fund roadways and infrastructure, according to survey from Verra Mobility

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73% of Americans believe EV owners should pay an 'energy tax' to help fund roadways and infrastructure, according to survey from Verra Mobility

PR Newswire

Poll found more than 75% of Americans are in favor of road usage charging – having a positive or neutral view of the concept

MESA, Ariz., Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM), a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions, announced today the results of a new survey of 2,000 Americans who regularly use toll roads.

The survey examined Americans' perceptions of the various programs that fund roads and infrastructure.

The survey results can be downloaded by visiting www.verramobility.com/survey-ruc-road-usage-charging-toll-roads.

One of the main sources of funds to improve roads and bridges in the U.S. since 1932 has been the federal gas tax, which currently adds 18.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon for diesel. Since the rise in electric vehicle (EV) sales, the gas tax revenue has been slowly declining. For example, in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Petroleum Association reported an estimated drop in state gas tax revenue of $250 million when comparing 2024 to 2019.

The survey found:

  • Americans believe that roads are in need of improvements, with 93% of survey respondents stating that the infrastructure in their state needs to be improved.
  • When asked what they believed was the best way to recoup these funds, 73% of Americans answered that EV owners should have to pay an 'energy tax'.

"The U.S. is experiencing a fundamental shift in how we fund infrastructure improvements and expansions," said Stacey Moser, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Verra Mobility's Commercial Services business. "Toll roads, and more recently, initiatives like New York City's congestion pricing program, have demonstrated that user-based funding models can be highly effective. These models generate reliable revenue but also offer drivers faster, safer and more reliable travel."

One alternative is toll roads, which are currently utilized in many U.S. states. The U.S. tolling market was valued at approximately $12.5 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $18.6 billion by 2030.

The study asked several questions on Americans' perceptions of toll roads, finding that:

  • 67% of respondents said they believed toll roads were fairer than taxes
  • 76% believed paying tolls is acceptable if the revenue is being used to improve the quality and safety of roads and bridges
  • 72% believe everyone should pay the same for toll roads
  • 75% believe that tolls should be the same regardless of time of day
  • 65% said they would be more willing to pay tolls if they knew revenue was dedicated to infrastructure projects that directly benefited them
  • 67% believe tolls should go away once a project is paid for

When asked directly if they were generally in favor of toll roads as a way to fund transportation projects, 51% were in favor, 30% were neutral and 20% were against. These numbers were slightly more favorable than when asked about other road use pricing models:

  • 41% were in favor of road usage charging, with 33% being neutral and 25% against
  • 41% were in favor of congestion pricing, with 31% being neutral and 28% against

"This evolution will have a significant impact on drivers and, even more so, on fleet operators, who must navigate a complex network of tolling authorities and payment schemes while staying compliant," continued Moser. "As one of the largest payers of tolls in the country, Verra Mobility has a unique perspective on how these programs are rolled out and scaled. With many new funding models now emerging to address the decline in traditional gas tax revenues, we wanted to better understand how Americans view these changes, and this survey provides important insight into public sentiment."

For more than 15 years, Verra Mobility has helped fleet owners and operators manage toll payments quickly and easily. Each year, the company processes over 300 million tolls and violations for more than seven million vehicles worldwide. By automatically paying tolls and preventing costly fines, Verra Mobility helps drivers stay on the move while saving businesses time and money. Its technology connects each toll to the right vehicle and driver, ensuring accurate, reliable billing and seamless travel across a growing network of toll roads.

Survey Methodology
The data was derived from a survey by Verra Mobility conducted online via Pollfish on June 25, 2025. Two thousand Americans who reside in states that utilize toll roads were surveyed to ensure more awareness on alternative means of raising funds for road projects. The states included were California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.

About Verra Mobility

Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM) is a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions that make transportation safer, smarter and more connected. The company sits at the center of the mobility ecosystem, bringing together vehicles, hardware, software, data and people to enable safe, efficient solutions for customers globally. Verra Mobility's transportation safety systems and parking management solutions protect lives, improve urban and motorway mobility and support healthier communities. The company also solves complex payment, utilization and compliance challenges for fleet owners and rental car companies. Headquartered in Arizona, Verra Mobility operates in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. For more information, please visit www.verramobility.com.

Forward Looking Statements

We describe factors that drive our business and future results in this press release. Such discussions contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). Forward-looking statements are those that address activities, events, or developments that management intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. They are based on management's assumptions and assessments in light of past experience and trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other relevant factors. They are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ significantly from those envisaged by our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update or revise any of our forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to material risks and uncertainties that can affect our performance in both the near-and long-term. In addition, no assurance can be given that any plan, initiative, projection, goal, commitment, expectation, or prospect set forth in this press release can or will be achieved. These forward-looking statements should be considered in light of the information included in this press release, our Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking plans described herein are not final and may be modified or abandoned at any time.

Additional Information

We periodically provide information for investors on our corporate website, www.verramobility.com, and our investor relations website, ir.verramobility.com.

We intend to use our website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor our website, in addition to following the Company's press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts.

Media Relations:


Investor Relations:

Eric Krantz


 Mark Zindler

eric.krantz@verramobility.com


mark.zindler@verramobility.com 

 

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SOURCE Verra Mobility