By André BROTO

Vinci Autoroutes

Abstract

The potential of buses and “shared” forms of road transport is illustrated by focusing on two aspects. First of all, for the thirty million people living in suburbs and exurbs, cars tally 80% of the distance traveled, even though the demand for transportation there is so dense that public transit should be feasible. For economic, social and environmental reasons, the second focus is on home-work-home trips. The stakes are considerable for families whose “transportation” budget is much higher than for downtown households. They are also considerable in relation to CO2 emissions, since these trips account for about a quarter of all automobile emissions. Comparable to the difference between a high-speed and an ordinary train, the intercity bus on a freeway has advantages over the ordinary city bus — fewer stops and faster service, factors that could set off a virtuous circle by improving service and reducing fixed costs.