Anti-carists

“It is easier to get the pollution out of cars than to get the people out of cars,” writes Rutgers Uni prof James A. Dunn in one of the sharpest formulations we’ve read of the issue that regulators, transport planners and elected officials are constantly wrestling with. Writing a guest commentary in INNOVATION BRIEFS, the always insightful publication of Kenneth Orski (innobriefs.com) Dunn questions the wisdom of the congest-’em-out-of-their cars/drive-’em-to-rail strategies.

“It would cost untold additional billions to double transit’s current 3% market share of US surface passenger-mi travelled. And 94% of the miles would still be traveled in automobiles.”

Dunn continues: “The inescapable conclusion is that more pollution reduction can be had for much less money by improving automobile engines and emissions technology than by trying to force people onto trains and buses.”