GASOLINE CONSUMPTION IN URBAN TRAFFIC

A linear relation between fuel consumption per unit distance phi and trip time per unit distance t phi = k1 + k2t, has been shown to adequately explain fuel consumption for different drivers driving normally in urban traffic. In the present study, the applicability of this relation to a wider range of drivers, traffic, driver motivations, ambient temperatures, and vehicles is experimentally investigated. The effect of different driver instructions is studied. For example, drivers instructed to minimize trip time experienced higher fuel consumption than predicted by the linear relation, while those who drove slower than the traffic generally consumed less fuel. The parameters k1 and k2 obtained for different vehicles are approximately proportional to vehicle mass and idle fuel flow rate respectively; therefore, fuel consumption in urban traffic can be preconsumed because of cold starts is determined as a function of trip length for different ambient temperatures. These data are combined with data on the dependence of commuting trip speed on trip length to show that the fuel consumed in commuting trips increases substantially less rapidly than trip distance.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1976/599/599-005.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=GASOLINE+CONSUMPTION+IN+URBAN+TRAFFIC&author=M.+Chang&author=L.+Evans&author=R.+Herman&author=P.+Wasielewski&publication_year=1976
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by Committee on Energy Conservation and Transportation Demand. 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
• Authors:
  • Chang, Man-Feng
  • Evans, Leonard
  • Herman, Robert
  • Wasielewski, Paul
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 25-30
• Monograph Title: Transportation programming, economic analysis, and evaluation of energy constraints
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 599
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Drivers; Fuel consumption; Gasoline; Travel time; Trip length; Urban areas; Vehicle characteristics
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Highways; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00148663
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309025680
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-020 305
• Files: HSL, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 15 1983 12:00AM