The California Road Charge Technical Advisory Committee convened on February 28, 2025, to discuss significant developments in road usage charge programs, featuring a presentation by Mindy Kimura from the Hawaii State Department of Transportation. Kimura outlined Hawaii's journey from pilot projects to the implementation of their road usage charge (RUC) program, marking Hawaii as the fourth state in the U.S. to adopt such a system.

Kimura highlighted the importance of community engagement in Hawaii's RUC program, which began with a demonstration project funded by the STSFA grant program in 2018. This initiative involved extensive outreach, including the distribution of nearly 360,000 driving reports to residents across all islands. These reports aimed to educate the public on how a road usage charge would impact them based on their vehicle types.

The demonstration project also included various mileage reporting methods, such as odometer plug-in devices and GPS-based tracking, to assess public acceptance and effectiveness. Kimura emphasized the role of a stakeholder advisory group, which included legislators and community leaders, in shaping the program's direction and ensuring legislative support.

Key recommendations from Hawaii's final report suggested starting with a modest implementation focused on a small subset of vehicles, leveraging existing motor vehicle inspection processes, and continuing to seek federal grants for further development. The successful transition from research to implementation was attributed to strong community feedback and established relationships with key legislators.

In 2023, Hawaii's Governor Green signed Act 222, officially adopting the road usage charge program. This legislative milestone reflects Hawaii's commitment to addressing transportation funding and environmental goals, aligning with broader clean energy initiatives in the state.

The meeting underscored the importance of collaboration and community involvement in developing effective road usage charge programs, as California considers similar strategies to address its transportation funding challenges.