California will give you $400 just to drive under new pilot program

SUGGESTED COVERAGE: 50-cent hike proposed for California gas prices

California’s already high gas prices could go up by 50 cents a gallon.

LOS ANGELES - By 2035, the sale of all gas-powered cars in California will be banned.

This means fewer Californians will be using gas cars, which ultimately leads to fewer dollars going toward the gas tax.

According to the state, taxes on gasoline and diesel make up most of the funding for road maintenance, repairs, and other transportation projects.

"California is predicting a large funding drop in the future as more drivers switch to vehicles that use less gas," officials said in a statement.

To hopefully make up for this, California is considering an alternative to the gas tax - the Road Charge program.

This new program will charge all drivers - including those with EVs - a per-mile fee, called a Road Charge. The more you drive, the more you'll pay. The less you drive, the less you'll pay. Think of it as a mileage tax.

The pilot program is currently seeking members of the public to participate in a six-month program offering up to$400 for each driver.

Here's how it works.

Sign up

You have until June to fill out a questionnaire and sign up online.

Get selected

The 800 participants selected will be notified in July. You will receive a link from the state that will give you instructions on how to complete enrollment.

Just drive

You will be asked to pay road charges on the miles driven each month. Participants will receive a credit at the end of the study for gas taxes paid on gas used in the Pilot. Electric vehicles will receive partial credit of the Road Improvement Fee (annual registration fee).

Complete surveys

Complete one survey at the beginning of the pilot and one survey at the end of the pilot to provide your thoughts on the experience and earn incentives.