Research Projects

On-road vehicles generate the largest source of California’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. AB 32 and Executive Order # S-03-03 establish aggressive targets to reduce California’s GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and an additional 80% by 2050. Technological advances in vehicles and fuels are identified as strategies to reduce transportation related emissions. However, a reduction in overall vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is another important strategy to help achieve statewide climate goals. SB 375 requires California regions to prepare Sustainable Community Strategies to identify a set of actions at the regional level to reduce transportation GHG emissions down to target levels. This study proposes to quantify the effect of local government actions on reducing VMT. The project will develop statistical models to estimate the elasticity of VMT with respect to a variety of local government transportation contexts. A tool will be developed to assist local governments with prioritizing policy choices to reduce VMT. The results of this study are expected to provide local and regional assistance to meet statewide targets to reduce GHG emissions and overall VMT.