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Northwest drivers using less gas than national average
Submitted by Jenni on April 17, 2008 - 11:08pm.
A new report released on Thursday showed that residents in the Northwest are using less gas per capita than the national average.
From The Oregonian:
At a time of record gas prices and rising sales of hybrid cars, it stands to reason that Americans would buy less gas. But the fact that Oregon and Washington residents are buying less gas than the national average stems from the region's investment in mass transit and development patterns that put homes closer to stores and employers, said Clark Williams-Derry, research director for Sightline.
...
Measured per person, Northwest motorists are buying less gas than at any time since the mid-1960s.
...
When gas prices are high, families tends to use their sedans for long trips, rather than less efficient sport utility vehicles.
"You take the baby step first," Conerly said.
But after the baby steps, if gas prices remain at elevated levels for the long term, consumers tend to change their behavior substantially, said Joe Cortright, a Portland economist who has studied fuel and driving patterns in metro areas across the nation.
Cortright said he believes transit use would play a significant factor in lower Northwest consumption. Unlike some metro areas, in Portland transit use is not restricted to the poorest residents: 19 percent of non-poor residents use transit at least once a week, compared with 8.7 percent in Houston, according to a Cortright study called "City Vitals."
I know I certainly have cut back since gas prices went up. I've tried to not go into Portland if at all possible. I've cut back on the number of meetings I attend in Portland, try to group together client meetings, etc. It's harder to rely on mass transit out where I live since we have only a few routes total, and even less that run outside of the M-F commuter hours. So if you're trying to get around Gresham, it becomes difficult and can take a long time - not to mention the fact that only a small part of town is covered by the bus.
Have you cut back on your driving? What are your thoughts?
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I have definitely curbed my
I have definitely curbed my personal driving. The savings of driving to a discount store is now offset by the fuel costs and I do my shopping at stores near the office or home. I have a much harder time cutting back on driving for work. It isn't practical to spend an hour on public transportation to get to a meeting location a 15 minute drive from my office.
Homebuyers desire to shorten commutes
I agree with this article. I am a real estate broker here in Portland and I have worked with a number of buyers who rank commute options as a top 5 factor when choosing a neighborhood to purchase a home. I think that most people want to live in neighborhoods that have great shopping and restaurants close by. I have had many clients who want to be near the Max stations because they are provided with commute incentives by their employers.
Good Job!
My job requires tremendous driving and as much I complain about gas prices, I have to admit it has been a major motivator in curbing my consumption. It's nice to hear we are doing a good job state wide.