PARATRANSIT ENERGY EFFICIENCY: LESS THAN MEETS THE EYE

This paper presents a simple analysis which shows that under reasonable conditions the introduction of a paratransit system results in an overall decline in the energy efficiency of a region's transportation system. It is shown that system-wide marginal fuel consumption per additional person-trip may be quite high unless the region has significant latent demand which is captured in large part by the paratransit system. Surprisingly, shifts to paratransit from auto are shown to degrade overall system efficiency, in sharp contrast to the effect of shifts to fixed-route bus from auto. This is due primarily to the circuitous nature of typical paratransit routes, a consequence of scheduling constraints. This analysis demonstrates that the use of passenger-miles per gallon as a measure of fuel efficiency may lead to seriously erroneous results because it focuses on an individual mode ignoring system level effects such as mode shifting.

• Corporate Authors:

  GORDON AND BREACH SCIENCE PUB.

  AMSTERDAM:
  ,    
• Authors:
  • Sexton, T R
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 291-307
• Serial:
  • SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND PRACTICE
  • Volume: 1
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Gordon and Breach Publishers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Fuel consumption; Paratransit services
• Uncontrolled Terms: Energy efficiency
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Energy; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00381491
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 29 1984 12:00AM