ANALYSIS OF TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS OF MASSACHUSETTS' THIRD-PARTY VANPOOL PROGRAM
1981; SAGE Publishing; Issue: 823 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
2169-4052
Autores Tópico(s)Urban and Freight Transport Logistics
ResumoMassachusetts' third-party vanpool program, Caravan, launched 34 vanpools in the year that ended June 30, 1980. This paper describes the vanpool trip characteristics and changes in travel behavior and analyzes the current and projected impacts on energy consumption, air quality, cost of commuting, and subsidies. The analysis shows that the benefits of the third-party program, as measured by user cost savings, far outweigh the portion of the program costs that is publicly funded. The cost savings to the user are more than six times as great as the public subsidy in 1980 and are projected to be more than 22 times as great for the 1985 program. The user fees cover 81 percent of the total program cost in 1980 and are projected to cover 94 percent for a mature 500-van program in 1985. The program is relatively cost effective for achieving reduction in fuel consumption and vehicle emissions compared with other transportation measures. For example, each vanpool currently saves more than 6500 gal/year, which represents a fuel savings of 66 percent for one vanpool group, at a cost of $0.29/gal. However, because of natural market limits to potential vanpool growth, the total contribution toward achieving areawide energy and air quality goals is small. For instance, the 500-vanpool program anticipated for 1985 will save about 0.12 percent of statewide motor fuel consumption. The funding and other policy implications of these findings are discussed.
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