TRANSPORTATION'S TECHNOLOGY FUTURE. PROSPECTS FOR ENERGY AND AIR QUALITY BENEFITS

A technology-oriented transportation future should create opportunities for enhancing energy security and air quality. If the United States and other countries are to pursue these opportunities, however, effective organization is crucial. Those involved must overcome longstanding biases and address the issues that will help shape the overall effects of new technology. Although many technical issues must be resolved, it is not too early to outline the basic opportunities, obstacles, and issues that will affect new transportation technologies and their application to energy and air quality problems. This article looks first at new applications of existing technologies now being considered for transportation. These include intelligent vehicle-highway systems (IVHS), urban commute vehicles, advanced travel demand management (e.g., telecommuting and videotex), and new mass transit concepts. This is followed by a discussion of transportation-related approaches to energy security and the attainment of air quality goals. For vehicles, these strategies include (1) improving vehicle fuel economy, (2) maintaining more effective vehicle emissions controls, and (3) providing flexibility beyond the single (gasoline) fuel transportation system, including cleaner, renewable fuels and compatible propulsion systems. System-level strategies generally involve (1) reducing overall travel demand, (2) shifting trips from lower- to higher-occupancy vehicles, and (3) shifting travel to nonpeak periods and smoothing traffic flow, thereby reducing fuel wastage and the polluting effects of vehicle stops and delays. Also discussed in this article are barriers to and arguments for joint action for meeting mobility, energy, and air quality goals, and California's experiences in forging a link between transportation and air quality groups.

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trnews/trnews148-006.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07386826
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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• Authors:
  • Conroy, P J
• Publication Date: 1990-5

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 32-37
• Serial:
  • TR News
  • Issue Number: 148
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0738-6826
  • Serial URL: https://doi.org/10.17226/895

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air quality; Air quality management; Alternate fuels; Cooperation; Energy; Fuel conservation; Highway traffic control; Innovation; Intelligent transportation systems; Modal shift; Public transit; Strategic planning; Technology; Telecommunications; Traffic flow; Transportation; Travel demand; Videotext
• Uncontrolled Terms: Concept vehicles
• Old TRIS Terms: Future concepts; Joint programs; Transportation technology; Urban commute vehicles
• Subject Areas: Energy; Operations and Traffic Management; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00497230
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Sep 30 1990 12:00AM