Idea of the Day: Offer Shorter Commutes and Alternatives to Driving

December 5, 2008

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In addition to fuel efficiency and greater use of biofuels, oil use can also be reduced by a series of measures designed to get the most mileage out of each car and reduce driving time. These measures could include increased mass transit opportunities and smarter growth measures that bring housing closer to places of work. They could also encourage people not to drive as much by offering pay-as-you-drive insurance that would allow car owners to pay less insurance if they drive less and through congestion pricing.

The federal government could also encourage increased efficiency of existing cars through maintenance measures such as providing vouchers for free maintenance, providing free air and accurate air gauges at all gas stations, and requiring efficiency standards on replacement tires that would increase efficiency by 8 percent or more and reduce demand for oil by about 0.6 million barrels per day. Together these measures should reduce demand for oil by 1.4 million to 1.8 million barrels per day.  

For more on this topic, please see:

•  A Framework for Achieving Energy Security and Arresting Global Warming by Ken Berlin