Transportation Efficiency

Abstract

The transportation sector consumes 70% of the petroleum that the
U.S. uses for fuel, which leads one to study transportation to identify
significant opportunities to save energy. Every 1-cent increase in the
price of a gallon of gas costs the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) $8 million
per year for their 200,000-vehicle fleet. To reduce American dependence
on fossil fuels, the carbon footprint left by vehicular fleets should be
evaluated.
This article reports on the current state of fuel efficiency and fleet
efficiency in the U.S., including government, municipal, and large com-
mercial sectors. It also discusses opportunities in behavior modification
to improve fleet efficiency. Case studies are presented showing evidence
of best practices currently implemented. By studying transportation
fleets and educating fleet managers about viable alternatives to improve
fleet efficiency, we can save significant amounts of fuel and reduce our
carbon footprint.
This analysis demonstrates that transportation efficiency is eco-
nomically feasible for a wide variety of public and private entities and
is beneficial to the environment.