Road Usage Charge, or RUC, is an annual fee that charges vehicle owners based on the miles driven instead of gallons of fuel used. The model is intended as a response to the rising number of drivers using electric and hybrid vehicles who cannot be charged for road usage using traditional gas taxes. Currently the only state with a permanent RUC program is Oregon, which implemented its voluntary program in 2017, but other states such as California and Washington have undergone pilot programs to test the fee’s viability. Most states charge an annual flat fee to owners of cars that use alternative fuel, according to documents from the Utah Department of Transportation.

Utah’s RUC program, which is scheduled to begin by Jan. 1, 2020, will be voluntary. During annual registration renewal times, drivers of electric and hybrid cars choose between taking part in the program or paying the current flat fee.
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