[sustran] Coherent transport systems

Todd Litman litman at IslandNet.com
Tue Apr 7 00:57:17 JST 1998


Tore Berge asked:

>ANT, the Norwegian Federation for Local Environment and Transport, has got
>financial support to do a project on: How to integrate land use and
>transport planning and develop coherent local transport systems.
>
>The intention is to make an international «inventory» of relevant measures
>and planning procedures. Besides describing the different measures, the
>project will focus on the actual results of implemented measures and
>procedures. If possible the project will describe measures directed towards
>the transportation of persons and measures directed towards the
>transportortation of goods.


Our institute has developed a list of "Win-Win" strategies that encourage
more sustainable transportation, and are fully justified in terms of
economic benefits. These strategies can recieve support from traditional
transportation professionals concerned with congestion and facility
capacity, governments and businesses concerned with reducing road and
parking facility costs, public safety officials, and community residents
concerned with quality of life issues, as well as environmentalists. 

Please contact our institute if you have questions about these or other
travel demand management strategies.


===================================================================


Win-Win Transportation Management Strategies
To Reduce Greenhouse Gases

Victoria Transport Policy Institute


"Win-Win" transportation management strategies provide economic,
environmental and social benefits. They can meet a significant portion of
greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and reduce traffic congestion, road
and parking facility costs, accidents, and local pollution; increase travel
choices; save consumers money; increase employment and economic
productivity; improve community livability; and increase social equity. 

Win-Win strategies are cost effective and technically feasible. They remove
distortions in transportation markets that encourage automobile travel and
discourage development and use of more efficient alternatives. They are
ideal "no regrets" measures that should be implemented regardless of
uncertainties concerning global warming impact costs. 

If fully implemented, Win-Win strategies could reduce motor vehicle travel
15-30%. Win-Win strategies can generate broad support. Transportation
professionals concerned with congestion, governments concerned with road
and parking facility costs, health officials concerned with traffic
crashes, environmentalists concerned with pollution and sprawl, and
community residents concerned with local quality of life issues all have
reasons to support Win-Win programs.

Federal
-------

Make employer provided transit benefits tax exempt. 
Current federal tax policy allows most automobile commuters to receive free
parking without paying income tax on this benefit, while employer provided
transit passes are fully taxed. Eliminating this bias increases transit
commuting 5-20% among employees offered this benefit. (Employer Provided
Transit Passes: A Tax Exempt Benefit, Transport 2000 Canada, 1997.)


Provincial/State
----------------

Distance based vehicle insurance and registration fees.
Basing vehicle insurance and registration fees on distance traveled
provides a significant financial incentive to reduce driving. It is
predicted to reduce vehicle travel by approximately 10%, reduce crash
rates, increase equity, and save consumers money. (Todd Litman, "Distance
Based Vehicle Insurance as a TDM Strategy," Transportation Quarterly,
Summer 1997.)

Least-cost transportation planning and funding.
Least-cost planning means that strategies to reduce demand are considered
equally with strategies to increase capacity, that all significant impacts
are considered, and that the public is involved in developing and
evaluating alternatives. This allows demand management strategies to
receive appropriate consideration. (Dick Nelson and Don Shakow, "Least-Cost
Planning" Transportation Research Record 1499, 1996, pp. 19-27.)


Regional and Local
------------------

Local and regional transportation demand management programs.
Local and regional governments can achieve substantial financial savings
and support environmental goals by encouraging more efficient travel. In
one community, travel demand management is predicted to reduce road
construction costs from $120- to $15-million, and reduce greenhouse
emissions by 3%. (TravelSmart Project, City of Kamloops, British Columbia,
1997.) 

More flexible zoning requirements.
Local governments can reduce parking requirements for businesses that have
travel management programs. This gives businesses more options and reduces
motor vehicle use. (John Shaw, Planning for Parking, Public Policy Center,
University of Iowa, Iowa City, 1997.) 

Transportation Efficient Development and Location Efficient Mortgages.
Several strategies can help develop more transportation efficient
communities (Reid Ewing, Best Development Practices, Planners Press,
Chicago, 1996.), and encourage "location efficient" housing. (Hoeveler,
"Accessibility vs. Mobility: The Location Efficient Mortgage," Public
Investment, American Planning Asso., Chicago, September 1997.) 

Parking "Cash Out".
This strategy means that employees who receive parking subsidies are also
offered the cash equivalent if they use other modes. This typically reduces
automobile commuting by 10-30%, and increases equity by giving non-drivers
benefits comparable to those received by drivers. (Donald Shoup, "An
Opportunity to Reduce Minimum Parking Requirements," Journal of the
American Planning Association, Winter 1995, pp. 14-28.)

Transportation Management Associations.
Transportation management associations provide services such as rideshare
matching, transit information, and parking coordination in a commercial
district or mall. This allows even small businesses to participate in
commute trip reduction programs, and achieves more efficient use of
resources. (Ferguson, Ross and Meyer, "Transportation Management
Associations," Transportation Research Record, #1346, 1992, pp. 36-43.)

School trip management.
Ten to fifteen percent of peak period vehicle trips involve parents driving
children to school. Some communities now support travel alternatives for
these trips. This gives families more choices, encourages exercise, and
reduces vehicle use. (Kowey, Hunter & Associates, Way To Go, Go Green
Choices, Greater Vancouver Regional District, Vancouver, 1997.)

Car sharing.
Car sharing businesses and cooperatives allow residents to use vehicles
when necessary, while maintaining a strong financial incentive to use
alternative modes for other trips. Drivers who join such organizations
typically reduce their vehicle use by 50%. (Steininger, Vogl and Zettl,
"Car Sharing Organizations," Transport Policy, Vol. 3, No. 4, 1996, pp.
177-185.)

Traffic calming.
Traffic calming includes various strategies to reduce traffic speeds and
volumes on specific roads, and make them more pedestrian- and
bicycle-friendly. This increases community livability in addition to other
economic and environmental benefits. (Ewing and Kooshian, "U.S. Experience
with Traffic Calming," ITE Journal, August 1997, pp. 28-33.)


For more information on these strategies contact the Victoria Transport
Policy Institute, 1250 Rudlin Street, Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, Canada
phone/fax: 250-360-1560
email: litman at islandnet.com
website: www.islandnet.com/~litman.



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