ACCESS 08, Spring 1996 – ACCESS Magazine

Introduction

Luci Yamamoto

I arrived here at the UC Transportation Center just nine months ago. A former lawyer and aspiring writer, I had only a layman's knowledge of transportation systems, mostly based on my personal experiences. Growing up in Hilo, Hawaii, I thought traffic jams meant having to circle the parking lot twice to find a space. No one worried about ozone or took cars in for smog checks. Every desirable destination-shopping malls, movie theaters, beaches, even downtown-was within a few minutes' drive.

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2017-05-31T23:06:10+00:00Categories: ACCESS 08, Spring 1996|

Free To Cruise: Creating Curb Space For Jitneys

Daniel B. Klein, Adrian T. Moore, and Binyam Reja

Public buses can't compete with private automobiles because bus rides usually involve long waits, slower commutes, limited route and destination choices, and less privacy. To improve transit, it may be necessary to overhaul our current government-owned bus system by legalizing private transit services. Consider one promising alternative, "jitneys" - small private vehicles that carry passengers over regular routes but allow flexible schedules.

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2017-05-31T23:06:20+00:00Categories: ACCESS 08, Spring 1996|Tags: Congestion, Planning History, Transportation Policy & Planning|

The Total Cost of Motor-Vehicle Use

Mark Delucchi

What costs are involved in motor vehicle transportation? Many people consider only the dollars they spend on cars, maintenance, repair, fuel, lubricants, tires, parts, insurance, parking, tolls, registration, and fees. But motor vehicles cost society much more than what drivers spend on explicitly priced goods and services.

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2017-05-31T23:06:30+00:00Categories: ACCESS 08, Spring 1996|Tags: Equity in Transportation, Tools of the Trade: Practice‚ Measuring‚ and Models|

Are Americans Really Driving So Much More?

Charles Lave

Many people seem to think that increased VMT (vehicle miles traveled) spells trouble. VMT growth bothers environmentalists because it implies greater energy consumption and pollution. VMT growth concerns urban planners because it suggests increased sprawl and decreased transit use.

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2017-05-31T23:06:39+00:00Categories: ACCESS 08, Spring 1996|Tags: Tools of the Trade: Practice‚ Measuring‚ and Models, Travel Behavior|

SmartMaps for Public Transit

Michael Southworth

Many people find the prospect of travel by public transit complex and unpredictable, rather than inviting. Riders must be able to read English, understand complex route maps and schedules, and figure out fares. Some must be able to use electronic ticket and information devices. These systems may seem simple, but many transit users have difficulty making sense of the transit information that’s usually available. Most systems ignore the special needs of children, foreigners, and users who are illiterate, sight-impaired, hearing-impaired, or otherwise disabled.

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2017-05-31T23:06:48+00:00Categories: ACCESS 08, Spring 1996|Tags: Technology & Innovation, Transit, Travel Behavior|

Decision-Making After Disasters: Responding to the Northridge Earthquake

Martin Wachs

and Nabil Kamel

Many people seem to behave differently during emergencies than they do under ordinary circumstances. Feuding families unite to help each other when a tornado strikes their town, and neighbors who haven't spoken for years share a candlelight dinner after a hurricane knocks out their power. When faced with a disaster, people become more cooperative and humane, rising above their conflicts and aloofness.

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2022-10-03T20:29:36+00:00Categories: ACCESS 08, Spring 1996|Tags: Transportation Policy & Planning|

THE ACCESS ALMANAC: Autos Save Energy

Sharon Sarmiento

The October 1973 oil price shock made everyone realize how much energy Americans use for transportation-over a quarter of total U.S. energy use (Table 1). By 1993 energy consumption for transportation reached 22.83 quadrillion BTU (British thermal units), of which over 70 percent was used for passenger travel. Not surprisingly, automobile travel accounted for over 40 percent of all energy expended for transportation (Table 2).

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2017-05-31T23:07:08+00:00Categories: ACCESS 08, Spring 1996|