Showing posts with label climate change. Show all posts
Showing posts with label climate change. Show all posts
Vehicle Miles Traveled
In addition to improving vehicles and fuels, it also will be important to reduce the growth in VMT as compared to recent trends. Between 1982 and 2007, VMT grew at approximate 2.5 percent annually—closely tracking growth in the economy and personal income, and exceeding the growth in population. Going forward, some growth in VMT will be needed to accommodate a growing population and a growing economy, including truck freight shipments. Therefore, rather than seeking to cut VMT in real terms, AASHTO has proposed a goal of reducing the rate of growth in VMT to approximately the rate of population growth—about 1 percent per year.
It was interesting to note how the United Kingdom addressed this issue in its October 2007 report Toward a Sustainable Transport System. The report found that for transport, supporting economic growth and tackling carbon emissions, “does not have to be an either/or choice.” Likewise, AASHTO believes U.S. policies must be balanced in ways which help reduce transportation’s impact on global climate change, but which also sustain VMT growth at the level needed to support a healthy National economy.
Highway and Transport Engineering
and this section is about Vehicle Miles Traveled
Impact Climate Change for Transportation
A New Vision for the 21st Century, AASHTO noted that “global climate change has become a political, environmental, and economic fact of life.” That report identified bold but achievable goals for reducing Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from road transportation:
- Support the President’s goal to reduce oil consumption 20 percent in 10 years. Double the fuel efficiency
of passenger cars and light trucks.
- Double transit ridership by 2030, and significantly expand the market share of passengers and freight
moved by rail.
- Reduce the growth in vehicle miles traveled (VMT)—from three trillion in 2006 to five trillion, rather
than the projected seven trillion, by 2055.
- Increase the percentage of those who car pool, walk, bike, or work at home.
Achieving these goals will require major efforts to develop next-generation technologies in vehicles and fuels. Current government forecasts assume only incremental advances in vehicles and fuels between now and 2020, with few additional gains beyond that year. Much greater improvements will be needed in order to achieve major reductions in GHG emissions.
Highway and Transport Engineering
and this section is about Global Climate Change
