STEERING A NEW COURSE: TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT

This book makes bold recommendations for policymakers seeking to ameliorate a host of problems associated with the U.S. transportation sector. Because the recommendations cannot consider specific local characteristics, it is important to evaluate the synergistic effects of a package of policies that are tailored to address particular needs. Chapter 1 traces the rise of the automoblie, the decline of mass transit, the construction of the interstate highway system, and the oil crises of the 1970s. Chapter 2 analyzes current and projected future patterns of passenger and freight transportation. Chapter 3 examines the difference in transportation services in various countries. The cost of transportation, the greater emphasis on bicycling, walking, and trains as compared to the U.S., and greenhouse-warming policies of other nations are among the topics discussed. Chapter 4 provides the link between transportation, air pollution, and global warming. Chapter 5 surveys alternative transportation fuels and sets out criteria for evaluating the various fuels. Ultra-fuel-efficient vehicles are the subject of Chapter 6. The range of innovative strategies available to address transportation-sector problems is presented in Chapter 7. Options include mass-transit advancements; intermodal freight; improvements to fleet vehicles; new strategies to manage transportation demand and the transportation system; regional-development strategies; and state-of-the-art transportation technologies. Culminating the discussion of the first seven chapters, Chapter 8 presents a comprehensive survey of policy options available to decision makers by answering two questions: Which strategies hold the most promise?, and What policy tools should be used to induce the necessary changes? The concluding chapter discusses the question of who is best suited to formulate and implement the recommended policies. An Index is provided.