Motor Fuel Reporting

Federal Highway Administration

Ralph Erickson

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

How Attribution works– 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-I

• Composition:– Nine Field Office representatives

• Financial Managers (3)

• Planners (4)

• Management (2)

– Four Headquarters representatives• Motor Fuels Team (2)

• Management (2)

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