Oregon is the only state that bases highway fees charged to truckers on the amount of weight carried per truck axle. Having more axles better distributes cargo weight and reduces pressure on the highway, minimizing wear and tear on the roads. Thus, Oregon’s system of highway fees gives truckers who haul freight only within Oregon an incentive to drive trucks with more axles, thereby reducing damage to the state’s roads and helping hold down state highway spending. In contrast, every other state bases highway fees on a truck’s fuel consumption. Driving trucks with fewer axles reduces tire friction on the road surface, which increases fuel efficiency and thereby reduces the fees truckers must pay to use highways. Naturally, freight haulers in states outside of Oregon have an incentive to drive trucks with fewer axles. As a result, roads in these states suffer greater damage, which in turn, ultimately generates more spending on highway maintenance.

If a trucking firm based in Oregon sends most of its trucks on long-distance trips outside the state, is it more likely to use trucks with four or five axles?