Smart Transportation Emission Reductions Identifying Truly Optimal Energy Conservation And Emission Reduction Strategies

This report investigates methods for identifying the optimal (best overall, taking into account all benefits and costs) transportation emission reduction strategies. Current evaluation methods tend to undervalue mobility management (strategies that change travel behavior to increase transport system efficiency, also called Transportation Demand Management or TDM) due to various types of biases: (1) ignorance about these strategies; (2) failure to consider co-benefits; (3) failure to consider rebound effects of increased fuel economy; (4) a belief that mobility management impacts are difficult to predict; (5) a belief that mobility management programs are difficult to implement; and (6) a belief that any reduction in vehicle travel harms consumers and the economy. More comprehensive and objective analysis tends to rank mobility management strategies among the most cost-effective emission reduction options. This report describes ways to correct current planning bias so mobility management solutions can be implemented to the degree optimal.