How to Show the Cost-Effectiveness of Trip-Reduction over Road-Construction?

Hi Alison
We are just finalising a project in NZ on carpooling/ride share. I'm not sure its specific enough but it has links to international programs that might help. We were largely looking at cbsm techniques to promote ride share with workplaces and it reports on the focus group findings on barriers and tools that might work. I can send you the draft report if you are interested?
regards Caron

caron greenough
GHD
New Zealand

Hi Alison

The research report below has a range of ref's that may provide you with some assistance:

INVESTIGATING A CBD-WIDE CARPOOLING SCHEME FOR MELBOURNE, C.DeGruyter, 2006
-> http://www.travelsmart.vic.gov.au/doi/doielect.nsf/2a6bd98dee287482ca256915001cff0c/faaf0efd97f8e9c4ca2571fb00759813/
$FILE/060620cd%20Investigating%20a%20CBD-wide%20carpooling%20scheme%20for%20Melbourne%20Paper.pdf

A summary of the relevant findings as follows:

De Gruyter compared to costs and effectiveness of five different carpooling schemes in different countries. The results imply that carpooling schemes in Canada and the UK with around 2,200 participants have led to annual VKT savings of 9.3 million and 19.5 million, respectively. The annual GHG emissions savings are estimated at 3,083 tonnes and 6,446 tonnes annually for the Canadian and UK schemes. These results show that carpooling schemes that with around 2,000 participants can lead to significant reductions in GHG.

Hope this helps - Kristian

Kristian Handberg
Dept of Sustainability and Environment
Australia

Have you checked out this study? You might be able to apply the methodology to your area:

"Widening Roads: Short-term Traffic Relief, Long-term Emissions Increase" by the Sightline Institute
http://www.sightline.org/research/energy/res_pubs/climate-analysis-gge-new-lanes-10-07


Elaine Wang
Climate & Environment Programs Fellow
Institute for Sustainable Communities
United States
http://www.iscvt.org

Hi Carron
I am a transport connections officer in Local Government in regional Victoria. I am always on the lookout for information about carpooling.

If possible could you email the draft report of your findings to [email protected].

Thank you

ron lambert
Australia

Here is another resource:
Economics of Travel Demand Management: Comparative Cost Effectiveness and Public Investment
This report summarizes and evaulates six TDM programs, including those in Seattle, Hayward, and South Perth Australia, and describes how to use the TRIMMS model to evaluate the cost effectiveness of TDM programs, downloadable here: http://www.nctr.usf.edu/spreadsheet/TRIMMS.zip

By Sisinnio Concas and Philip L. Winters, National Center for Transit Research at the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida, 2007

Download at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/pdf/77704.pdf


Elaine Wang
Climate and Environmental Programs
Institute for Sustainable Communities
United States
http://www.iscvt.org

Hi Kristian, thank you for posting a link to the DeGruyter research. Have checked the document but can not find the summary posted showing GHG savings. Is this in another part of the document? If so, could you please share?

Thanks,

Anne Marie Thornton
Carpool.ca
Canada

I'd be interested in seeing this report. Have you seen the 2006 article in TDM review on carpool discounts? Consider reading that among the literature you review.

Kathleen Anderson
Sr. Transportation Planner
City of Seattle
United States

Is it possible to compare the two for purposes of "cost-effectiveness," if the goals of each are different? In order to compare which is more "cost-effective," isn't necessary that the goals of both methods be the same? In this case, is "increased capacity" the only goal of road construction? Are there other goals, like improved freight mobility, for example? Hmmm.

Kathleen Anderson
Sr. Transportation Planner
City of Seattle
United States

Goals for Transit:
1. Cost-effectiveness- capital costs, maintenance costs, rents
2. Increased capacity
3. Timing and frequency - how many times a day?
4. Location of parking and stopping - how far from home and destination?
5. Cost of parking
6. Time it takes to travel. Frequency and length of delays due to heavy traffic.
7. Improved freight mobility - trailer transfer from light truck to light rail
8. Small refrigerated containers - Storage at parking places
9. Electric outlets for parking vehicles or containers
10. Alternate fuels - progress of research and implementation
11. Elimination of fine particulates from the air. You live in Seattle. We in Chilliwack suffer greatly from air pollution, much of it from Seattle and Bellingham. Nearly everybody has a perpetual cold or rhinitis,itchy eyes,and ear problems. Asthma and pneumonia are increasing.

I recommend using light railway and trams for fruit and vegetables and passengers. The Union Pacific and Sante Fe trains send heavy freight on the Southern Rwy to and from China and across Canada at Sumas/Huntingdon,Wash/BC. They have large refrigerator cars. Why not small refrigerated containers? Why not frequent passenger trains? The rail line runs near 6 university campuses. The mayors south of the Fraser river are keen on having a network of tram lines and light trains transferable. Vancouver keeps most of the gas tax for north of the Fraser river. A feasibility study by Leewood found the costs of getting light passenger trains going 99 km. from Chilliwack to Scott Road (Patullo Bridge) would be less than for 4 km. of Sky train. The tip would take 90 minutes. At present cars take longer than that. At rush hour they take two hours to go 100 km. Idling raises fumes.

Why continue to bother with commuting by fossil fuel vehicles? Carpooling is nice but not inexpensive and not good for our health.
Myrtle Macdonald, consultant [email protected]

Myrtle Macdonald
Consultant, Retired
Canada