A new survey from ITS Australia has found strong support across the transport technology sector for the introduction of a national road user charging model, with industry professionals backing a staged transition to help secure long-term road funding.
The survey found respondents broadly agreed that reform is needed to improve the sustainability of Australia’s road funding system as fuel excise revenue declines, while ensuring a fairer approach across different vehicle types.
Industry participants also supported a phased implementation, beginning with a simple distance-based charging model before progressing to more sophisticated approaches as technology and policy mature.
ITS Australia Chief Executive Officer, Susan Harris, said the findings demonstrated growing consensus across the transport sector.
“What we’re seeing from industry is a strong alignment on both the need for reform and how to approach it,” Harris said.
“There is clear support for a measured transition to road user charging – one that starts simply, prioritises fairness, and builds trust with the community through transparency and strong privacy protections.”
The survey identified several priorities for future reform, including nationally consistent standards, interoperable systems across jurisdictions, and strong protections for user privacy.
Respondents also highlighted the importance of ensuring any future charging model considers the impacts on regional and remote communities, as well as lower-income road users.
ITS Australia said the survey findings closely align with recent public polling indicating growing support for replacing fuel excise with a distance-based charging model.
Road user charging is expected to be a major topic of discussion at the ITS Australia Global Summit, to be held in Melbourne in September, as governments and industry continue to examine options for future road funding.
To view the survey results, visit its-australia.com.au
