Motor Fuel Reporting

1. Motor Fuel Reporting Federal Highway Administration Ralph Erickson

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. Reassessment of MF Reporting • Increased emphasis on accuracy • FHWA re-assessment of existing procedures • GAO review of existing procedures • Status of reassessment efforts

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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)

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

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

15. 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