Section A - Charge (Road Toll)
Introduction
Road toll entails the fee that is levied on road users on vehicles within certain specific routes. Levying of road users has a long history since antiquity. Fees on roads usage in history were collected from travelers who were on foot, wagons and horse backs. Mostly the toll fee was associated with a bridge constructed over a valley or security provided within insecure or wild places among many other varied reasons. In the modern world, levying of roads and road infrastructure is conducted in a rather civilized and harmonized way and is exclusive to motor vehicles. This is unlike the former tolling that was almost indiscriminate. Additionally, the tolling process and amount are regulated and determined by the type of vehicle, the number of axles the automobile has, weight among other general considerations depending on state infrastructure laws and regulations. Trucks and heavy commercial vehicles are charged more than small cars (Jakobsson 153-158).
Road levying is carried out in many parts of the world, but the focus of this paper will be in China and USA. Both countries have in past few years tried to bring in the motion and laws concerning road tolls. However, there are several differences regarding the same fee policy in the US and China. One notable difference is that reasons for enacting the policy. In China, the toll issue is done to reduce emissions and traffic in the major streets while in the US it is done to ensure that traffic does not build up and emissions are contained. One aspect is to reduce while the other is to prevent. Additionally, the tolling of roads is highly commercialized in China by direct privatization while the US is stringent on tolling privatization, it is done only to cut costs and not primarily to capitalize it. Moreover, China has its road construction and development levels being almost 100% done by concessionaires while the US only allows a small percentage to be privately developed. China rate of roads development is high considering that concessionaires and the US are doing it is low since it is done mostly by the state (Samuel). Additionally, the tolling and road levying in China are done totally on capitalistic grounds while in the US it is done democratically (Fishman).
Advantages and Disadvantages of road tolling
Levying of the road has many benefits. First, it helps in road construction since the investors know they will levy the roads. Secondly, it helps in the maintenance and expansion of the roads due to the proceeds accrued. Additionally, it forms part of the taxes collected by the national government. Part of the demerits involves inconveniencing motorists by constantly charging them. Moreover, it empowers the investors and may lead exploitation of the citizens along the roads. Additionally, the policy tends to create a class system which appears unfair to the general public (Rotaris 359-375).
Road toll fee as much as the policy may appear to sideline people, it is a necessity that cannot be easily be scraped off. One of the reason is that the tolling is what creates and attracts the interest of investors to invest on roads. Otherwise, the citizens would have to wait till the national government makes budgetary allocations for the same. Maintenance of the roads becomes easy due to availability of proceeds from tolling (Rotaris 359-375).
Section B - Department of Transportation (Economic)
General statement
Transportation in general terms pertains the act of moving of goods and or services from one place to the other. In many institutions, there is a specified department that is mandated and entrusted with all the activities and functions regarding transport. It is the duty of the department head and all the members to ensure with objectivity that they deliver on their role without failure.
In accordance with the state and the school regulations, the departments success to transport students, staff or any other form of transport is solely reliant on the overall shared responsibility of then drivers, the parents, the students themselves and the school in general. Therefore, it is expected that every student, staff, teacher, driver or member of the department and school adhere to the set regulations by the department.
Drivers policy
It is expected that all the drivers report to the institution on time and presentably dressed. They are to follow all the rules partaking transport. This will ensure that transport is carried out effectively. When taking staff or students to a specific place, the driver is not allowed to over speed or make unplanned stopovers. The move may risk the safety and wellbeing of the members in the vehicle. The driver is expected to strictly follow protocol to and from the destination.
Members policy
It is expected that if a group of students, staff or teachers are to be taken to specific place that they adhere to the following rules. They should arrive at the departments pick up point in time. They should have all they need with them. They should not bring into the vehicle any unwarranted materials. They should not attempt to instruct or convince the driver otherwise than stated in the travel schedule.
Works cited
Deputy Director, Transpod. "RFID for road tolling, road-use pricing and vehicle access control." (1999).
Fishman, Ted. China, Inc.: how the rise of the next superpower challenges America and the world. Simon and Schuster, 2005.
Jakobsson, Cecilia, Satoshi Fujii, and Tommy Gärling. "Determinants of private car users' acceptance of road pricing." Transport Policy 7.2 (2000): 153-158.
Rotaris, Lucia, et al. "The urban road pricing scheme to curb pollution in Milan, Italy: Description, impacts and preliminary cost–benefit analysis assessment." Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice 44.5 (2010): 359-375.
Samuel, Peter. China welcomes investor tollroads while Texas shuts the door. 3 july 2009. http://tollroadsnews.com/news/china-welcomes-investor-tollroads-while-texas-shuts-the-door. 16 April 2016.
