Ditch the single occupancy commute
Ditch the single occupancy commute during Public Transport Month
12 October 2007 – South Africans have been urged to get into gear and join Public Transport Month by ditching single-person car journeys and finding more environmentally friendly ways of commuting.
The message comes from the National Energy Efficiency Agency (NEEA), which said single occupancy car journeys were an inefficient and environmentally damaging misuse of fuel, and contributed to traffic misery on the country’s busiest roads.
Barry Bredenkamp, the NEEA’s Operations Manager, called on private car owners to consider joining car share clubs, and where possible using public transport to improve fuel economy.
“Our network is not as sophisticated as more developed countries’, but public transport does not end with buses and trains.
“Finding someone going in the same direction to and from work and sharing a car with them will go a long way to reducing congestion, and result in the far more efficient use of fuel,” he said.
Bredenkamp added that increased public transport produced all-round savings – it saved commuters’ money, it saved time by reducing congestion, and it helped save the environment by reducing the amount of Carbon Dioxide released in exhaust fumes.
Gauteng Provincial Government estimates that congestion costs the business hub of Africa one billion Rand per year in working hours lost and reduced productivity.
Public Transport Month runs during October, and is now in its third year.
The month aims to showcase developments in the transport network and encourage non-users to take up public transport.
For car-share schemes in your area, visit www.getalift.co.za and follow the links.
NOTES
The NEEA was formed from a directive from the Department of Minerals and Energy in 2006.
It was created as part of a broader strategy to reduce overall energy demand by 12 per cent by 2015.
The NEEA is a division within the Central Energy Fund – an organization set up to find the energy solutions that will meet the future needs of South Africa’s growing economy.
The overarching objectives of the NEEA are:
- The prioritisation and recommendation of energy efficiency and DSM projects to be undertaken in the country.
- Identification and development of key strategies, to address the growing demand for energy in the country, including gas, electricity, liquid petroleum, etc.
- Stimulate areas neglected in terms of energy efficiency in the past, such as the transport sector.
- Develop and implement comprehensive annual ‘Energy Efficiency and DSM’ awareness campaigns, to assist the general public in making wise choices when purchasing energy-consuming equipment and appliances.
- Oversee the integration and co-ordination of training in energy efficiency currently undertaken by various stakeholders in the country. The Agency will also facilitate skills transfer, capacity building and the creation of additional jobs in the field of energy conservation.
- Oversee the integration and co-ordination of training in energy efficiency currently undertaken by various stakeholders in the country. The Agency will also facilitate skills transfer, capacity building and the creation of additional jobs in the field of energy conservation
- Co-operate with persons, associations and institutions undertaking energy efficiency programmes in other countries, to ensure that international ‘best practices’ are adopted and applied in South Africa.
http://www.savingenergy.co.za/
Move more efficiently
- Make use of public transport, walk or cycle
- Form driving clubs to avoid travelling / commuting as single passengers in vehicles
- If you own more than one vehicle, drive the one that’s most fuel efficient whenever possible
- If possible, take advantage of car lift clubs for schools and work, and ride-share programmes – this cuts fuel costs in half and saves on vehicle wear and tear
- Stagger work hours to avoid peak rush hours – spend less time in traffic and consume less fuel
- When you buy a car, enquire about the fuel consumption of the vehicle as it could save a lot on your petrol bill. Diesel vehicles are generally more fuel-efficient than petrol vehicles. Smaller engine sizes are more efficient than bigger ones, and fuel injection is better than carburetted vehicles
