Estimating Texas Motor Vehicle Operating Costs

Abstract

A specific Vcost model was developed for Texas conditions based on a sophisticated fuel model for light duty vehicles, several excellent sources of secondary vehicle cost data, and the ability to measure heavy truck fuel consumption through both experimental and survey work. The basic model was designed to address the relatively narrow range of pavement roughness found on the Texas highway network and is free-flow, and does not accurately measure congestion effects. The team developed a vehicle classification scheme that was suitable for Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) planning and revenue forecasting. These resources led to the adoption of eight categories of light-duty vehicles and two heavy truck types. The current Texas fleet composition was determined from 2007 Vehicle Title and Registration (VTR) data and was made a default for model use. Each cost item associated with the representative vehicle was calculated for each year of operation up to 20 years. Six main cost categories are included in the Vcost model: depreciation, financing, insurance, other fixed costs, repair and maintenance, and fuel. These costs fall into two categories: fixed and variable costs. The Vcost model can provide operating cost estimates for each specific representative vehicle as well as fleets of vehicles. The model allows the user to change key parameters so that the cost calculation is specific to any particular situation, and can be updated as the economic or technological landscape changes. The model was designed to provide the user with a program that looked, felt, and operated in a similar fashion to most Windows programs and would be intuitive for the typical TxDOT user.

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