Gas Price Induced Behavior
Sell photos on photrade | By dcpatton
With the increase in the price of gasoline, I have observed some changes in commuter behavior and trends. FYI, I commute in the suburbs of a very crowed metro area.
The positive changes include:
- Smaller cars on the road make for a better driving experience. I don’t drive an SUV so when one is in front of me I usually have to increase my following distance due to the decreased visibility. I suspect that when more people drive the same type of vehicles there is better traffic flow. Anybody know of such studies?
- Increased use of public transportation. I read about record ridership daily and can see the difference in traffic patterns as people leave the roads to park and board the trains. This helps the environment and puts more pressure on politicians to support public transportation
- Increased pedestrian and bike traffic. I see so many people using human powered modes of transportation now. Much more than I ever have. This benefits the environment, makes the demand for walkable cities much higher (which I think is very good) and increases the health of the citizens.
Negative changes:
- Public transportation infrustructure breakdowns. This includes the capacity of the transportation systems (trains, buses, rail lines) and also the access facilities (parking, platforms, etc.) If rider’s experiences become too negative they may revert to their previous commuting behavior which would be a lost opportunity.
- Gas Taxes. The revenue from Gas Taxes pays for a lot of public transportation and other budget items. If it is a set amount, then the revenue may decline as less gas is purchased. Of course there may be some less road maintenance costs if less people drive, but I am not sure which is the biggest factor. If anyone can lend some real world numbers to this please comment below.
modes of transportationrice Induced Behavior