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VTPI NEWS
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Victoria Transport Policy Institute
"Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"
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Fall 2000 Vol. 3, No. 3
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The Victoria Transport Policy Institute is an independent research
organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to transportation
problems. The VTPI website has many resources addressing a wide range of
transport planning and policy issues. VTPI also provides consulting services.
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VTPI ONLINE TDM ENCYCLOPEDIA
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Our "Online TDM Encyclopedia" is now posted at http://www.vtpi.org/tdm. It
is significantly upgraded from previous draft editions. The official
release will occur in the next few weeks.
This is a unique and comprehensive resource for Transportation Demand
Management (TDM) planning and analysis. It is a practical tool for
identifying and evaluating innovative solutions to transportation problems.
The Encyclopedia provides the following information on more than
three-dozen TDM strategies:
· A description.
· How the strategy can be implemented.
· Travel impacts.
· Benefits and costs.
· Equity impacts.
· Applications (where it is most appropriate).
· Stakeholders.
· Barriers to implementation.
· Best practices
· Case studies.
· References and resources (many accessible directly through the Internet).
Each strategy is evaluated in terms of its ability to help achieve various
objectives, including congestion reduction, road and parking facility
savings, consumer savings and choice, road safety, environmental
protection, efficient land use, community livability, and five equity
objectives.
The Encyclopedia also has general information about TDM planning and
evaluation, information on transportation price elasticities, how land use
impacts travel behavior, equity analysis, an extensive bibliography, and
much more. New information is added regularly, and several additional
chapters are under development.
You Can Help
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The Encyclopedia is an ongoing project. Please review any chapter dealing
with a TDM subject you are familiar with, and send us your comments and
suggestions for improvement. Also, please let other transportation
professionals know about the Encyclopedia.
Thanks to the many colleagues who have already helped with this project!
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NEW REPORTS
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The following new documents are now posted at our website:
http://www.vtpi.org.
* "An Economic Evaluation of Smart Growth and TDM: Social Welfare and
Equity Impacts of Efforts to Reduce Sprawl and Automobile Dependency"
(currently in draft form).
This paper evaluates transportation and land use policies (Sprawl, Smart
Growth, Automobile Dependency and Transportation Demand Management) with
respect to economic criteria, including consumer choice, efficiency,
equity, competition, and government neutrality.
* "Estimation Of Generated Traffic By New Developments: Current Practice
And Possible Improvements Based On Bangkok Experience" by Shihana Sulaiha
Mohamed and Kazunori Hokao (posted with permission.)
This paper reviews current methods used to estimate generated traffic
caused by new developments such as housing, shopping centres, conventional
centres, hospitals, etc.
* "Response to Mark Delucchi's "Should We Try to Get the Prices Right?",
with Allen Greenburg
Mark Delucchi's article "Should We Try to Get the Prices Right?" (Access,
Number 16, Spring 2000) provides useful insights concerning the role of
price reforms in addressing transportation problems. We agree with many
points he raises. However, we believe that Delucchi is overly pessimistic
about the desirability and feasibility of transportation price reforms.
* "How Canadian Climate Change Emission Reduction Analysis Undervalues TDM"
The report "Transportation and Climate Change: Options for Action"
summarizes Canadian government research to evaluate transportation emission
reduction options. The methodology that was used has significant errors
that tend to undervalue transportation demand management.
* "Why ICBC Should Offer Distance-Based Pricing"
There is a better way to price vehicle insurance that benefits consumers,
increases road safety, and reduces traffic problems. It's called
"Distance-Based" or "Pay-As-You-Drive" insurance pricing. This article
describes how distance-base pricing works. It argues that the Insurance
Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) should complete its research on this
concept and implement a pilot project to test its feasibility.
* "Distance-Based Vehicle Insurance Feasibility, Costs and Benefits;
Comprehensive Technical Report"
This is a detailed study of the benefits, costs, equity impacts and
feasibility of distance-based insurance pricing.
* "Transportation Land Valuation; Evaluating Policies and Practices that
Affect the Amount of Land Devoted to Transportation Facilities"
This is the first-year report of a three-year project that explores the
relationships between transportation, land use and taxation.
* "The Potential for Further Changes to the Personal Taxation Regime to
Encourage Modal Shift", by The Open University/WS Atkins/Napier University
(posted with permission).
This is a preliminary report on UK research that evaluates tax reforms to
encourage more sustainable commuting. It includes a review of current tax
policies related to commuting benefits, and analysis of various
alternatives. The analysis indicates that targeted tax policies can
encourage more efficient commuting and help achieve sustainable
transportation objectives.
"Divorce Your Car" Book Review
The new book, "Divorce Your Car" by Katie Alvord argues that our
relationship with automobiles requires intensive therapy. Like other
self-help guides, it helps readers understand the dynamics of their
unhealthy affiliations..
PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE
"Transportation Market Reforms for Sustainability," Transportation Research
Record 1702, Transportation Research Board (www.nationalacademies.org),
2000, pp. 11-20.
"Evaluating Carsharing Benefits," Transportation Research Record 1702,
Transportation Research Board (www.nationalacademies.org), 2000, pp. 31-35.
Ira Carnahan, "Insurance by The Minute," Forbes, 11 December 2000, pp. 86-88.
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OTHER NEWS:
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BC VEHICLE EMISSION REDUCTION OPTIONS
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VTPI participated in development and review of the discussion paper,
"Options to Reduce Light Duty Vehicle Emission in British Columbia." It is
available at http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/tbs/emissions.htm.
TAX EXEMPT TRANSIT PASSES
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A report submitted to the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on
Finance examines the benefits of tax exempt transit passes:
http://www.cutaactu.on.ca/HofC2000.pdf
CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION
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VTPI director Todd Litman has been appointed a boardmember of the Canadian
Centre for Sustainable Transportation. For information see
http://www.cstctd.org.
PRESENTING AT TRB
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Todd Litman will present the following papers at the Transportation
Research Board 80th Annual Meeting:
"You CAN Get There From Here; Evaluating Transportation Choice," Session
334, Recent Research on Transportation Choice and Access, sponsored by
Committee on Social and Economic Factors, Wednesday, January 10, 8:00-9:30,
Hilton, Lincoln West Room.
"Overview of Walkability Evaluation," Session 385, Walkability Research:
Audits, Indicators, and Level of Service, Sponsored by Committee on
Pedestrians and Committee on Highway Capacity and Quality of Service
Wednesday, January 10, 2:30 p.m.-4:15 p.m., Shoreham, Diplomat.
Sincerely,
Todd Litman, Director
Victoria Transport Policy Institute
"Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"
1250 Rudlin Street
Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, Canada
Phone & Fax: 250-360-1560
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Website: http://www.vtpi.org
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