Institute of Transportation, MOTC

　　For the oncoming implementation of the electronic distance-based charging strategy on freeways, this paper attempted to use a contingent valuation method (CVM) to evaluate drivers’ willingness to pay (WTP) under various toll scenarios. According to the empirical study, the questionnaire survey was conducted to collect 1,361 valid samples from freeway drivers traveling in northern, central, and southern Taiwan. This paper deduced drivers’ WTP function via Probit and Logit models, and the estimated results in the two models revealed that the significant variables for explaining drivers’ willingness included toll scenarios, resident area, age, educational background, personal monthly income, trip purpose, traveling frequency, traveling distance and switching intention, etc. The forecasted result of drivers’ WTP for distance-based toll was approximately 0.995~0.996 NT dollars for each kilometer. The WTP of drivers’ living in northern Taiwan is higher than other areas (1.002~1.003 NT dollars for each kilometer), and the WTP of work-trip purposes is unwilling to pay (only 0.881 NT dollars for each kilometer). Additionally, drivers having higher traveling frequency and shorter traveling distance also do not wish to pay the toll (less than 1 NT dollars for each kilometer).