VMT Has Peaked In Cities, Says New Report

An Australian study indicates that in large cities in Europe, North America and Australia, driving has 'peaked' largely due to congestion causing a limit to commuter's travel, known as the Marchetti wall.

1 minute read

July 18, 2011, 5:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid

"A study (PDF) from the Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute says that many cities--including Vienna, Zurich, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Houston--have already seen a decline in car usage between 1995 and 2005."

The study points to 'Marchetti's Constant',"a term for the average amount of time spent traveling each day, which is approximately one and a half hours."

The study notes that increasing VMT in the developing world may overwhelm the decline in vehicle usage in urban areas of developed nations.

From DC Streetsblog: Has America Passed Peak Car Use, or Is It Just a Cyclical Decline?: "Meanwhile, new data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics adds to the body of research about the decline in driving - but whether that amounts to "peak car use" is worth further consideration. The report shows a leveling off in vehicle miles traveled, beginning at the end of 2007."

Thanks to Streetsblog New York City

FULL STORY: We Are Approaching Peak Car Use

Tuesday, July 5, 2011 in Fast Company

Transportation World North America Europe Australia VMT Bureau of Transportation Statistics Marchetti Wall View More

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