Massachusetts is apparently considering legislation that would track how many miles residents drive in a given year, potentially setting the stage placing restrictions on how much people are allowed to use their car without incurring penalties.
Bill S.2246 is supposed to be based on similar laws and regulations from Colorado and Minnesota. It seeks to “align the Commonwealth’s transportation plans with its climate mandates” and “would require MassDOT’s transportation plans to provide a reasonable pathway to compliance with our [sic] emissions limits for the transportation sector.”
That’s legalese for using environmentalism as an excuse to prepare the region to limit how much people are legally allowed to drive. According to the bill, this would require a new “interagency coordinating council” akin to the existing coordinating council designed to promise Massachusetts’ electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
While we’re unfamiliar with any mileage monitoring in Colorado, the Minnesota Department of Transportation is currently exploring the possibility of replacing the fuel tax with Road User Charges (RUCs) and Distance-Based Fees (DBFs) that would fine motorists based on the distances they travel. Like Massachusetts, both Colorado and Minnesota have likewise pledged to become “zero-emission” states by 2050.
The relevant legislation landed in Massachusetts in February of this year. But it’s managed to keep a relatively low profile since being referred to the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. As of now, it’s going through hearings so legislators can pitch changes prior to it being finalized and there’s currently no timeline for voting.
As the bill currently stands, there will need to be a lot of prep work. In addition to creating a new government entity that’s designed to track how much people drive, the proposed legislation likewise wants to boost investments into public transit, bike and pedestrian infrastructure, as well as anything else that would assist in getting cars off the road. Simultaneously, establishing what the state would consider the appropriate limits on driving and what the penalty will be for exceeding those shall be an endeavor unto itself. However, the latter item may need to be its own legislative proposal.
Beyond that, the state would presumably need to coordinate with automakers to gain access to connected car data and/or incorporate mileage checks as part of the safety inspection as already required by the Massachusetts Vehicle Check program. Needless to say, there’s plenty to do before this legislation is anywhere near ready to be voted on.
The bill was presented by Cynthia Stone Creem early in 2025 and promptly backed by Democrats. Sponsors are attempting to tie the bill to earlier legislation (passed in 2021) that effectively requires Massachusetts to become a “zero-emissions” state by 2050. The proposal has seen some pushback among the opposition for being fiscally irresponsible. But state residents seem more concerned about the inherent surveillance aspects and assumed restrictions of movement.
“Ultimately what this is about is control and limiting transportation and if you do need to transport yourself, doing public transportation,” Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance executive director Paul Craney told CBS News last month. “Specifically, vehicles. Cars and trucks. What they are trying to do is put mechanisms in place to limit mobility.”
From CBS News:
“This bill does not do that,” said Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem, a Democrat. She’s a lead sponsor of the bill. Creem was on the receiving end of a majority of the backlash that followed a committee meeting earlier this year.
“This bill doesn’t impose restrictions on how much Massachusetts residents can drive nor where they can drive. It doesn’t include fines, penalties, taxes on personal vehicle use and it was never the intent of myself or any of the advocates to put any strain on a person’s individual liberties.”
Creem said the goal of the bill is to expand walking, biking, or train options for people in areas that don’t have them, to get more cars and truck off the road. She said the language referring to “reducing vehicle miles” is a metric to keep the state in line with its zero emissions mandate.
While the bill (as currently written) doesn’t explicitly state that it needs to place hard limits on individual drivers, it does propose having the government track miles traveled with a set goal of bringing those numbers down each year. It likewise includes “recommendations to assist local governmental and private sector officials in expanding access to non-personal vehicle transportation options and in planning and developing compact, walkable neighborhoods; and identification and discussion of current policies and recommendations for policies, laws and regulatory actions that may facilitate reductions in vehicle miles traveled.”
That last line certainly sounds like it is setting the stage for fines and penalties for driving over any state-sanctioned limits on mileage. These proposals are very similar to what we saw in select European municipalities ahead of new driving restrictions. It also stinks of Vision Zero policies, which have been shopped to Western politicians as a way to discourage driving using a combination of lower speed limits, mass surveillance, and various emission fines. However, these pitches are likewise accompanied by less-egregious elements — such as more sensible city planning and building more pedestrian-friendly areas.
Adding a few parks and trying to ensure pedestrians don’t have to walk several miles for amenities are indeed worthy endeavors. But the overarching plan often involves placing fairly extreme restrictions on drivers while also invading the public’s privacy. Meanwhile, the companies establishing the necessary infrastructure promise the local governments a meaningful uptick in revenue just for participating.
The bill has to go through three public hearings before it can move forward and has only conducted one thus far. It’s genuinely sad to see this kind of legislation being pitched in one of the first (and only) states to pass Right-to-Repair legislation and data-privacy laws. We’ll certainly be tracking its progress.
[Images: Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock; CRJ4242/Shutterstock]
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