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Goals > Vehicle Miles Traveled

Vehicle Miles Traveled

Picture
Photo: Flickr/ Alan Levine
Vehicle miles traveled (VMT, or vehicle kilometers traveled, VKT) is a measure how much an individual or household drives by a private vehicle. Reducing VMT offers many potential benefits:
  • Reduced greenhouse emissions, which contributes to climate change, and reduced air pollution, which contributes to respiratory and cardiovascular disease.
  • If people walk, cycle, or take transit instead of driving, the increase in physical activity reduces the risk of chronic disease.
  • With less space dedicated to vehicles (roadways and parking), public spaces could be used for other purposes, such as greenspaces or housing.
  • In addition, residents may have more social interaction if traffic volumes decrease and/or people walk or bicycle more frequently. 

Proven Strategies

  • Regional Accessibility (Regional Access to Destinations)
  • Residential Density
  • Employer-Based Trip Reduction Programs
  • ​Street Network Connectivity
  • Transit Service
  • Voluntary Travel Behavior Change Programs

Equity and Inclusion

Reducing VMT also reduces exposure to crashes and reduces the risk of injury and death, particularly for pedestrians who are overrepresented in traffic fatalities and injuries. Building auto-centric environments burdens low-income households with "forced" car ownership. Yet many low-income households currently need a car because they live far from employment or other essential destinations. For example, many low-income women are more likely to commute during off-peak travel hours and incorporate household errands into their commute, making transit infeasible (Blumenberg, 2016). Solutions intended to reduce VMT should also consider the travel needs of low-income households.

Implementation Guidance

Guides & Reports
​Driving Down Emissions: Transportation, Land Use, and Climate Change


​​
Smart Growth America, 2020
VMT per Capita (Transportation and Health Tool)




US Department of Transportation, 2015
Research Reports & Briefs
Cutting Greenhouse Gas Emissions Is Only the Beginning: A Literature Review of the Co-Benefits of Reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled

National Center for Sustainable Transportation, 2017​
Final Report: Quantifying the Effect of Local Government Actions on VMT

​
Institute of Transportation Studies, 2014
Tools
Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Emission Measures: A Resource for Local Government to Assess Emission Reductions from Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Measures
California Air Pollution Control Officers' Association,  2010
How Measuring Vehicle Miles Traveled Can Promote Health Equity 


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ChangeLab Solutions, 2019​​
Impact of VMT Reduction Strategies on Selected Areas and Groups


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Washington State Department of Transportation, 2010
Increasing Highway Capacity Unlikely to Relieve Traffic Congestion



​
National Center for Sustainable Transportation, 2015​​
Handbook for Estimating Transportation Greenhouse Gases for Integration into the Planning Process

Federal Highway Administration, 2013​
Special Report 298: Driving and the Built Environment: The Effects of Compact Development on Motorized Travel, Energy Use, and CO2 Emissions
Transportation Research Board, 2009​​
Mileage-Based User Fees (VMT Fees)
[Website, Multiple Links]



​
Federal Highway Administration, n.d.
The Effect of Land Use Policies and Infrastructure on How Much We Drive: A Practitioner's Guide to the Literature

​
​National Center for Sustainable Transportation, 2015
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  • Home
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    • Physical Activity
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    • Greenhouse Gas Emissions
    • Vehicle Miles Traveled
  • Strategies
    • Transportation Infrastructure >
      • Bicycle Infrastructure
      • Pedestrian Infrastructure
      • Traffic Calming
    • Transportation Demand Management >
      • Active Travel to School
      • Employer-Based Trip Reduction Programs
      • Parking Availability and Pricing
      • Road User Pricing
      • Voluntary Travel Behavior Change Programs
    • Land Use Strategies >
      • Local Accessibility
      • Regional Accessibility
      • Residential Density
      • Land Use Mix
      • Street Network Connectivity
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