Motor Fuel Reporting (Federal Highway Administration - Ralph Erickson)

This is a text version of a Powerpoint presentation: mfrevstat.ppt (56 KB)

Introduction

Briefly review:

• Why motor fuel data is important
• How FHWA's attribution process works

Describe what steps FHWA is taking to:

• Improve data quality
• Ease the data reporting burden

Use of Motor Fuel Data - I

• State's contribution to the Highway Trust Fund
  • Not available from IRS data
  • Use State revenue data
• State's share of several Federal Highway programs
  • NHS
  • STP
  • IM
  • Minimum guarantee

Use of Motor Fuel Data - II

• Measure on-highway gallons of motor fuel
  • Gasoline
  • Gasohol
  • Special fuels
• Sum to derive the national total (by type)
• Derive each State's share of the national total
• Use those shares to determine revenue shares

Reassessment of MF Reporting

• Increased emphasis on accuracy
  • FHWA re-assessment of existing procedures
  • GAO review of existing procedures
• Status of reassessment efforts

Re-assessment Overview

• Proceeding on several fronts
  • Outreach
  • FHWA oversight of State data
  • State review/verification of motor fuel data
  • Implement smart-form reporting
  • Design database for input, storage, and retrieval
• Objective: Improve motor fuel data quality

Re-assessment Outreach

• Creating a more open process
• Overview brochure
• Process documentation
• Federal Register request for comments
• Summary report
  • Attribution and Apportionment of Federal Highway Tax Revenues (Available in December, 2001)

   

Oversight of State Data

• General Accounting Office and Inspector General reviews emphasize data quality through oversight
• Preferred options:
  • Stronger, more in-depth reviews
  • FHWA Division Office responsibility
  • Develop techniques and training for Division
  • EXSTARS for additional verification

FHWA Oversight Committee-II

• Met in Washington, DC, May 3-4
• Discussed motor fuel issues and responsibilities for oversight
• Conclusions:
  • Division Office work plan
    • in-depth review by September 30, 2002
    • Future review on as-needed basis
  • HQ questions to Division Office to resolve

FHWA Oversight Committee-III

• National oversight workshops
  • December 13-14, 2001 in Chicago, Illinois
  • January 24-25, 2002 in Atlanta, Georgia
• Purpose:
  • Prepare for oversight reviews
  • Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) techniques
• Agenda:
  • Pilot reviews and lessons learned
  • Discussion of oversight review design

State Verification of Annual Motor Fuel Data

• Memo to Division Offices
  • Have State review the data in partnership with the Division Office
  • Check for accuracy in annual data
  • February to May time frame

Smart-Form Design

• Goals:
  • States directly input data
  • Improved accuracy
• Pilot with test States
• Evaluate and modify
• Target January, 2002 for first use
• http://apps.fhwa.dot.gov/MotorFuels

Database Design

• Evaluate storage, calculation and retrieval considerations
• Develop criteria for implementation
• At this point, work is just beginning

Summary - Improve Data Quality

• Outreach
• FHWA oversight of State data
• State review/verification of motor fuel data
• Design smart-form reporting
• Design database for input, storage, and retrieval
• The bottom line: Improve the data quality process from top to bottom

Back to the Motor Fuel and Highway Trust Fund Attribution page

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