[sustran] Re: ground transport impacts

Carlos F. Pardo SUTP carlos.pardo at sutp.org
Tue Apr 4 08:31:06 JST 2006


Daryl,

You should really include environmental impacts AND social costs, such as
the cost for every traffic accident (injuries and deaths), along with
problems of obesity due to excessive use of cars, etc. This can all be
quantified and I suspect it has been, especially environmental impacts
(Wright and Fulton, 2005 in Transport Reviews is a great reference).

Transport isn't just about moving people fast and cheap. If we started
thinking about it that way, most of us would actually quit.

Carlos F. Pardo 

-----Original Message-----
From: sustran-discuss-bounces+carlos.pardo=sutp.org at list.jca.apc.org
[mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+carlos.pardo=sutp.org at list.jca.apc.org] On
Behalf Of Daryl Oster
Sent: Lunes, 03 de Abril de 2006 02:43 p.m.
To: 'Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport'
Subject: [sustran] ground transport impacts



This attached spreadsheet illustrates why cars are gaining in market share
in developing countries, they have far greater VALUE than muscle powered
transport, and contribute LESS environmental impact.  

Even if you value your time at zero; if you walk and plan on traveling more
than 317 miles in your life (but less than 32,253 miles) it pays to invest
in a bike for favorable environmental impact reasons alone.

If you walk, and plan on traveling more than 8755 miles in your life, then
it pays to invest in a car for favorable environmental impact reasons alone
- even if you place no value on your time.

If you travel by bike, and plan on traveling more than 32,253 miles in your
life, then it pays to invest in a car for favorable environmental impact
reasons alone - even if you place no value on your time.

If you place a $15/hour value on your time, then the bike takes only 91
miles to justify the impact of production vs walking, and the car only
2,361miles.  The car compaired with a bike is justified for those who value
their time more than $15/hour if they plan on more than 7275 miles of
travel.  

NOTE -- this analysis ignores the added value obtained if the car is used to
transport it's full capacity of 5 persons -- the impact breakeven point vs
walking or biking is MUCH faster if the car is used to it's full capacity.  

I hope that some of the experts on this list can provide numbers so I may
include air, bus, and train on this chart, and see the comparisons to cars,
bikes, walking, and ETT.  



Daryl Oster
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