To begin with, the transportation sector is the easiest sector in which energy conservation, and in particular, decarbonization can occur. This decarbonization can occur in three ways:

• Improved Fuel Economy
• Using alternatives to gasoline (see previous notes on that in Modul3 4.
• Driving Less

But first, here is a historical snapshot view to give you the idea that transportation by personal vehicle in America seems to be an asbolute American right and there is significant expense associated with it:

9 out of 10 adults now drive.

• The number of drivers has increased 3 times as fast as the increase in population...the number of household vehicles has increased 6 times as fast. (hooray for the 3 car garage). By the way, this means there are approximately 500 million gas powered vehicles in the US.

• The number of highway miles driven by Americans is increasing at 2-3% a year.

  Men spend an average of 81 minutes a day behind the wheel, while women spend 64 minutes a day this is more time than we spend eating and twice as much time as we spend with our children

  Energy costs of transporting one ton of material one kilometer:

  
  
  
  Amercians spend a large fraction of their dollars on transportation:

  

  Most of this is tied up to our requirement to have a personal vehicle.

  

  And transportation costs are the main economic hardship amoung lower income groups.

  

  And, of course, America is a big country, full of transportation hogs.

  

  Transport costs depend critically on degree of urban sprawl and commuting patterns and mass transit choices.
  
  
  

  

  And spending patterns vary considerably:

  

  
  
  For improving fuel economy, the situation is not all that good. The best improvement that can ever be made in this regard is for the average American to drive a lighter weight vechile. Instead, we generally opt of the Urban Assault Vehicle: