Although Congress passed a long-term transportation bill, and the state is working on its own agreement on a sustainable funding mechanism, the main sticking point is how to replace dwindling revenue from local and state fuel taxes.

With the growing acceptance in California of electric and hybrid vehicles, the system of taxing transportation system users at the pump, in place for nearly a century, is deemed out of date and in need of replacement.

Gov. Jerry Brown in 2014 signed into law, SB1077, authored by then-Sen. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, which required the state to develop and implement a statewide pilot program to study the implications of replacing the gas tax with a road charge model no later than January 1, 2017.

Officials have announced that a pilot program is ready to be given a test-drive, and volunteers are needed to participate. The plan calls for 5,000 volunteers from around the state to be recruited for a robust pilot program, so sign-ups are being encouraged. Volunteer drivers will be able able to choose one of the five mileage reporting methods California will be testing. Please note that this is a data-collection exercise only -- volunteers will not pay any out-of-pocket costs and no money will be exchanged during the pilot program.