timelapse exposure of traffic at night

Transportation

A Historic Step Toward Sustainable Aviation

You may be surprised to learn that air travel is already efficient. In fact, a flight between New York and Los Angeles achieves the equivalent of about 80 miles per gallon per passenger. Airplane manufacturers, such as Boeing and Airbus, prioritized reducing fuel consumption because jet fuel is the number…

Transforming Commuting from Burden to Benefit

We all have places where we go to get away to reduce stress—but what are we trying to get away from?Surveys show that our everyday commute is a top contributor. Americans aren’t likely to change commuting behavior unless better alternatives come along. Fortunately, better alternatives exist. We at Rocky Mountain Institute—partnering with Movability Austin and Capital Metro—recently launched our first integrated commuting solution project in Austin, Texas.

How Park-and-Rides Can Move Transit Forward

Public transit in the U.S. has fallen short of its potential, but recent recognition of the real costs of the personal vehicle culture is helping to change that. Innovations in transit technology, business, and policy are uncovering the real value of system components, and revealing that one of the most significant market opportunities is the park-and-ride.

EVs Charge Ahead with New Technologies and Business Models

A recent report from RMI’s Electricity Innovation Lab (eLab) describes how the rise of electric vehicles (EVs) could happen much faster than most expect, driven by a host of incentives, targets, and trends. The rapid growth of EVs is driving innovation in numerous areas and has far-reaching implications. For one,…

Transportation Transformation: How the DOT Is Driving “Smart” Change

Last March, during the South by Southwest festival, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced the seven city finalists for a single $40 million grant as part of the Smart City Challenge, aimed at transforming mobility in the winning city. The grant will be supplemented with $10…