Life Cycle Comparison of the Environmental and Economic Performance of an Informal Low-Capacity Passenger Transport System

This research aims at providing more information concerning the performance of public transport means that exist in most underdeveloped countries from an environmental and economic perspective. This study compares autorickshaws, motorcycles, 14-passenger, and 29-passenger minibuses. A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) and a life cycle cost analysis (LCC) for passenger transportation were carried out. The LCA analysis was carried out using the Center of Environmental Science, Leiden University (CML-IA) baseline impact assessment method. A cost model was developed to analyze the purchase, maintenance, and operation costs of passenger transportation. The LCA results reveal that in an informal transport system, lower-capacity vehicles have a better environmental performance per passenger-kilometer than higher passenger-capacity vehicles during off-peak hours. In the LCC analysis, motorcycles were revealed to be the most cost-inefficient alternative. Both LCA and LCC results show that the operational stage owing to fuel consumption has the highest impact on the environment and economy. To decrease the environmental and economic impacts of the transportation system, the first action should be focused on the operational stages of these types of vehicles.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981231224745
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Alp Özdemir https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2834-8669© National Academy of Sciences: Transportation Research Board 2024.
• Authors:
  • Kalifa, Muhammad
  • Özdemir, Alp
  • 0000-0003-2834-8669
  • Banar, Müfide
  • 0000-0003-2795-6208
• Publication Date: 2024-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 1-17
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
  • Volume: 2678
  • Issue Number: 9
  • Publisher: Sage Publications, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0361-1981
  • EISSN: 2169-4052
  • Serial URL: http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Developing countries; Economic impacts; Environmental impacts; Life cycle analysis; Minibuses; Motorcycles; Passenger transportation; Rickshaws
• Subject Areas: Economics; Environment; Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01906977
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 5 2024 3:02PM