Personal Impact*

Waste Diversion               Electricity               Zero-Carbon Energy               Solar PV

Transportation

 

 

 

Transportation contributed 37.4 percent of Connecticut's economy-wide emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG).⁷⁸

 

Significant reductions of GHG emissions are achievable by reducing the combustion of fossil fuels in the transportation sector, which will likely be achieved by increased fuel efficiency, increased use of mass transit, and the use of electric drive vehicles that operate on electricity or “green” hydrogen. Electric drive vehicles (EVs) include plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV), battery electric (BEV), electric motorcycles, and fuel cell electric (FCEV) vehicles.** While there has been substantial growth in EVs in the state, it is unlikely that Connecticut will achieve the goal of 125,000 EVs in Connecticut by 2025⁷⁹ since they currently account for less than two percent of all passenger vehicle registrations.⁸⁰ Furthermore, there are only thirteen electric drive light duty vehicles, of the more than 3,600 vehicles, leased by Department of Administrative Services for state use.⁸¹ The state’s EV adoption rate is only 0.36 percent, compared with a statewide EV adoption rate of 1.76 percent for 2021.

Driving: The recent trend of driving more changed in 2020, likely due to the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic (most recent data).

In 2020 (most recent data available), the average daily vehicle miles travelled (DVMT) declined almost seven percent from 2019 with an average of 22.6 miles per person; likely due to the impact of COVID 19.⁸² From 2013 through 2019, the DVMT generally increased, which is consistent with the increase in employment in the state, and the decrease of both gas prices and bus ridership depicted in the chart below. In the past, as residents drove more, gasoline consumption increased, which caused more air pollution. However, analysis of the data for the period 2009-2019 suggests that the trend for gasoline consumption increased at a rate greater than the trend for driving (DVMT/capita).⁸³  A likely reason is that the new vehicle market has shifted away from cars towards sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickups. Light duty trucks made up 76.4 percent of vehicle sales in 2020, up from 51.2 percent in 2010.⁸⁴

Riding: People got on the bus less often in Connecticut in 2021.

In fiscal year (FY) 2021 (July 2020 through June 2021), ridership on fixed route, commuter, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) transit services declined to the lowest ridership numbers since 2011. In FY 2021, the passenger trips per capita value was 6.17, which is approximately 40 percent lower than the ten-year average.⁸⁵ The primary reason for the decline in ridership in FY 2021 is the impact of COVID 19; however, other factors such as employment, fuel prices, and the success in ride sharing efforts could also be partially responsible for the decline.


_{Technical Note: *Personal Impact indicators illustrate trends in behavior or practices that can be expected to influence the condition of tomorrow’s air, water, land and wildlife. **Electric motorcycles and fuel cell electric vehicles are included in the total number of EVs registered in the State. “Green” hydrogen refers to the production of hydrogen from sources other than fossil fuel. The vertical axis in the chart above has been shortened, beginning at 21.5 DVMT/capita and 1,3 billion gallons rather than the customary zero.}

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⁷⁸ _{DEEP, 2018 Connecticut Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, September 13, 2021; portal.ct.gov/-/media/DEEP/climatechange/GHG_Emissions_Inventory_2018.pdf.}
⁷⁹ _{DEEP, 2020 Electric Vehicle Roadmap for Connecticut, April 21, 2020; portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Climate-Change/EV-Roadmap.}
⁸⁰ _{DEEP, Bureau of Air Management; personal communication from B. McDaniel and P. Kritzler, January 13, 2022.}
⁸¹ _{Department of Administrative Services (DAS), DAS Basic Fleet Information and Services; January 14, 2022; portal.ct.gov/DAS/Fleet-Operations/DAS-Basic-Fleet-Information-and-Services.}
⁸² _{Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT), personal communication from C. Lau, September 28, 2021.}  
⁸³ _{Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, Annual Reports; portal.ct.gov/DRS/DRS-Reports/Annual-Reports/Department-of-Revenue-Services-Annual-Reports.}
⁸⁴ _{National Automobile Dealers Association, NADADATA 2020; www.nada.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=21474861098.}
⁸⁵ _{DOT; personal communication from E. Dorsey; February 9, 2022.}