Methods for Modifying the Nature of Private Car Use

The Israel Ministry of Transport and Road Safety (MOT) commissioned several consulting firms to conduct a major study to explore how to change the current nature of private car use and to examine the transportation and economic consequences of any such changes. The study considered various alternatives for improving the quality of service the road system provides, including increases in vehicular occupancy rates, combined trips by car and public transport, and changes in the duration of vehicle travel time.

ADALYA was responsible for conducting an international comparative study of programs offering preferential treatment to private car owners who, through ridesharing or carpooling, for example, carry additional passengers when travelling to their destinations. This preferential treatment can be carried out in a number of ways. One approach involves creating high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, which are rapid transit routes to city entrances which only cars with a minimum number of passengers may enter. A related solution involves adding high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes which impose a usage fee that declines as the number of passenger in the vehicle increases. Other alternatives examined were offering ridesharing car owners prioritized public parking or creating economic incentives from the public or the private sector. The economic incentives could either be positive, comprising bonuses, reimbursements for fuel and the like, or negative, including fines and surcharges.