| Local Policy Description: | The City of Los Angeles calls for a number of cost-effective programs that will further reduce emissions from the transportation sector by 2010.
Bicycle Patrol Program
The city operates a very successful bicycle program called Bike Patrols for Clean Air that includes the LAPD, the Department of Recreation and Parks, the Los Angeles Zoo and the DOT. A 1999 net reduction accounts for energy consumption for electric bike charging. Based on information from city departments participating in the bike patrol program, it is estimated that an additional 140 standard bikes (for a total of 383) and 10 electric bikes (for a total of 37) will be deployed by 2010.
Alternative-Fuel City Fleet Vehicles
Currently, the city fleet contains approximately 15,000 vehicles, including 700 AFVs (slightly under 5 percent of the total fleet). The 2010 forecast assumes an increase in the number of AFVs to 6,710, or to about 45 percent of the total city fleet. This includes the procurement of approximately 600 compressed natural gas (CNG), liquified natural gas (LNG), liquified petroleum gas (LPG) or electric vehicles per year to replace gasoline- or diesel-fueled vehicles out of an average annual turnover in the city fleet of 1,200- 1,500 vehicles per year. It generally aligns with current city fleet management practices, including: demonstrating leadership in progressive fleet management, employing new vehicle technologies, improving average fleet fuel efficiency, reducing health and environmental impacts, and utilizing incentive funding to facilitate and enhance progressive fleet management practices.
Increased Fuel Efficiency in City Fleet
Fleet managers historically have worked to improve the average fuel efficiency of the city fleet to reduce operating expenses, limit expansion of existing fueling infrastructure, enhance productivity, and curtail contributions to regional air pollution from city operations. In the Energy C.A.P., the 2010 forecast assumes a 25-percent improvement in new vehicle fuel efficiency compared to today for gasoline and diesel light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles with Gross Vehicle Weight Registered (GVWR) of less than 20,000 lbs., and a 15 percent improvement in heavy-duty vehicles with GVWR of more than 20,000 lbs. Projected improvements in AFV fuel efficiency range from 5-15 percent based on vehicle class. To achieve the incremental reduction benefit (or 60 percent of the total), the City Council directed those city departments responsible for procuring city fleet vehicles to incorporate fuel efficiency as a selection criterion in bid specifications.
Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control System (ATSAC)
The ATSAC system represents the current state-of-the-art in computer control of traffic signals and results in substantial reductions in vehicle fuel consumption because of improved traffic flow. The city controls traffic management programs on the city's streets and can modify and enhance these programs to further reduce fuel consumption and resultant CO2 emissions. By 2010, ATSAC will be implemented at 4,497 intersections in the city.
Commuter Services Office Programs
The city administers several commuter trip reduction programs for city employees through its Commuter Services Office. The programs are designed to promote ridesharing through vanpooling, carpooling, and use of transit services, and to reduce commuter trips through compressed work week, schedules and telecommuting. Measures that decrease the number of vehicles on the road help mitigate traffic congestion and smog and reduce energy consumption and associated CO2 emissions.
Over the next 10 years, the city will continue to aggressively promote its commuter trip reduction programs with a goal of increasing employee participation in vanpools and carpools by 15 percent, and use of transit services by 40 percent.
Los Angeles Department of Transportation Bus Transit Services
The DOT has projected a 3-percent per year (or 30-percent) rise in passenger trips by 2010 without increasing the number of buses in service. Factoring in a 30-percent increase in ridership, this would result in the elimination of 25,020,038 VMT per year. Assuming a 2010 fuel efficiency rate of 25 miles per gallon for light duty vehicles, passenger use of the Commuter Express would reduce the amount of gasoline consumed. Consistent with the forecast for AFVs presented previously, it is projected that all Commuter Express buses will operate on CNG in 2010 and will use 731,714 equivalent gallons of fuel. Using the same basic assumptions for the 2010 forecast as those applied to the Commuter Express service (except that buses would operate on LPG), the Community Connection and Downtown Area Shuttle (DASH) services combined are projected to result in an elimination of 60,664,893 VMT, 2,426,596 gallons of gasoline, and 12,657 tons of CO2 per year.
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