Encouraging Fuel-Efficient Commuting in Young Drivers in Duluth, MN

This work investigates the commuting habits of young (18–24 year old) drivers, in Duluth, Minnesota (MN), with the goal of encouraging sustainable commuting. Sustainable commuting modes are cleaner, cheaper and healthier. Encouraging younger drivers to increase their use of public transportation would contribute to a more sustainable use of transportation infrastructures. Transportation infrastructure asset management is the allocation of available funds across infrastructure classes (e.g. pavements, bridges, signs) or programs (e.g., maintenance, construction). Sustainable commuting attempts to encourage the more efficient and sustainable use of transportation infrastructures. By focussing on younger drivers, it is hypothesized that early adoption of sustainable habits will lead to long-term sustainable habits. The research questions becomes how to encourage young drivers to reduce their dependence on personal vehicles? This work presents the results of a survey of 370 18–24 year old drivers from the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) campus to understand their commuting habits and problems with the current bus system. Approximately 46% of UMD students choose their personal vehicle as their primary commuting option. Among these students, 24% cite “inconvenience of the bus schedule” as the reason that prevents them from riding the bus more often even when using the bus can save them more than $2,000 per semester in vehicle maintenance costs. It seems as though poor marketing of bus routes and lack of education toward using the bus system has led to efficient routes being cancelled and lack of ridership.