[sustran] fwd: Potential for mode transfer of short trips

[Eric Bruun]

To Prof. Mackett and others,

Almost no one in the US collects ANY information on non-motorized
modes, in fact, "mode split" is actually motorized mode split. But
there may be a few cities where they keep track. The only national
source uses a small sample, but may be of some help, the periodic
National Passenger Transportation Survey (NPTS). This is available
from the US DoT, probably from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics
website.

Professor John Pucher has collected mode split data for many European
countries and is currently studying bicycle use in North America,
in case you have not already spoken with him. 

Another good source of modal use data for Germany is the firm 
Socialdata of Munich, again, in case you have not heard of them.

Sounds like a good project, and something many of us would like to
follow.  

Eric Bruun



On Wed, 10 Jun 1998, Paul Barter wrote:

> [This appeared on the utsg list. This research program looks very
> interesting and relevant beyond the UK.,  Paul]
> 
> The UK Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is funding
> research here at the Centre for Transport Studies at University College
> London to estimate the potential for reducing the number of short trips
> by car by shifting them to other modes including walking, cycling and
> public transport, or by other adjustments in household behaviour. Obtaining
> more data on these topics will assist in the estimation of the number of
> people who may be induced to change from car for these trips, and to
> identify the factors that will help bring about the change.
> 
> The research is being carried out by the Centre for Transport Studies at
> University College London in partnership with Steer Davies Gleave (who will
> be carrying out the survey work). The project involves the following
> stages:
> 
>      Existing data, including the UK National Travel Survey, will be
> examined to establish the scale of the potential shift.
> 
>      A two stage survey will be carried out to establish the potential
> alternatives to the car for short trips and the likelihood of their
> adoption. The survey will be carried out in five areas, selected on the
> basis of the nature of the areas, including hilliness. The first stage of
> the survey will involve interviewing 500 households in each area to
> establish the number of short car trips which they have made over a two day
> period. From these, 100 households in each area will be selected for
> in-depth
> interviews about the alternatives ways in which the objectives of making
> the short car
> trips could have been met, and what inducements would be required to bring
> about a
> shift from the car.
> 
>      From this information the proportion of short car trips of various
> lengths that could be shifted as a result of various policy initiatives
> will be estimated. Then the range of traffic reductions that might be
> achieved will be inferred.
> 
>      Local initiatives that encourage reductions in car use for short trips
> will be identified and studied to see if they provide examples of
> successful policy initiatives.
> 
> Information on experience elsewhere in reducing the number of short car
> trips would be very
> welcome. We are particularly keen to here about experiments to reduce the
> number of short car trips where there has been a systematic monitoring
> exercise. We would also welcome receiving data on the nature of short trips
> (less than 8 km), eg mode used, trip purpose, etc, in order to compare
> these with UK figures. Anyone with such information or wanting further
> information about the project should contact me.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Roger Mackett
> ______________________________________________________________________
> 
> Professor Roger Mackett
> Head of Transport Studies
> Centre for Transport Studies
> University College London
> Gower Street
> London
> WC1E 6BT
> Great Britain
> 
> Tel: (+44) (0) 171 391 1554
> Fax: (+44) (0) 171 391 1567
> e-mail: rlm at transport.ucl.ac.uk
> 
>