Personal Impact*

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Transportation

 

 

 

Transportation contributes significantly to Connecticut’s economy-wide emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG).

The number of electric drive vehicles (EVs)** registered in the state increased by approximately 41 percent from 2021 to 2022, although the number of registered EVs represents less than three percent of all registered vehicles in the state.⁸³ Significant reductions of GHG emissions in the transportation sector are necessary and achievable by reducing the combustion of fossil fuels through increased fuel efficiency, use of mass transit, and use of EVs that operate on electricity or “green” hydrogen. While there has been substantial growth in EVs in the state, it would be challenging to achieve the goal of 125,000 EVs in Connecticut by 2025⁸⁴ since that would require more than a 300 percent increase in just three years. Public Act 22-25 includes provisions to increase the number of EVS in the state fleet and promote the installation and use of EV charging.

 

_{Goal: Public Act 22-25 requires that an increasing percentage of all cars and light duty trucks purchased or leased by the state be battery electric vehicles: at least 50 percent by 2026, at least 75 percent by 2028, and 100 percent by 2030. In 2022, the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) had 21 EVs, which represents approximately 0.6 percent of their vehicle fleet and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) had 12 EVs and 11 electric buses.⁸⁵}

Driving: The recent trend of driving more changed in 2020 and 2021.

In 2021 (most recent data available), the average daily vehicle miles traveled (DVMT) per capita was 22.03.⁸⁶ From 2012 through 2019, the DVMT generally increased, which was consistent with the decrease in bus ridership depicted in the chart below. However, in 2020 and 2021, DVMT decreased, which might be due to fuel prices,⁸⁷ a change in commuter driving, and the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic as more people were learning and working from home, compared to previous years. In the past, as residents drove more, gasoline consumption increased, which caused more air pollution.

 

_{Goal: The Governor's Executive Order 21-3 focuses on climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate resiliency. Section 8 of that Executive Order directed the CTDOT to establish a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) reduction target. CTDOT proposes a VMT per person reduction of five percent by 2030 (from the 2019 baseline of 24.28 daily person miles), which equates to 23.07 daily person miles.⁸⁸}

Riding: People got on the bus more often in 2022 than in 2021 but less than the previous ten-year average.

In fiscal year (FY) 2022 (July 2021 through June 2022), total ridership (27.5 million passenger trips) on fixed route, commuter, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) transit services increased from FY 2021 (24 million passenger trips). In FY 2022, per capita passenger trips were 7.6, which is approximately 14 percent higher than 2021 (6.65), but approximately 29 percent lower than the ten-year average (10.74).⁸⁹ Some reasons for the general decline in ridership in FY 2022 compared to the previous ten years include the impact of COVID 19, alternate work arrangements (teleworking), and the success in ride sharing efforts. It should be noted that buses were fare free from April 1, 2022 through June 30, 2022, and that was extended through March 31, 2023.⁹⁰


_{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 drive vehicles (EVs) include plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV), battery electric (BEV), electric motorcycles, and fuel cell electric (FCEV) vehicles. 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 20 DVMT/capita rather than the customary zero. The CTDOT collects traffic volumes on a sample of Connecticut roadways (both state and local), on a three-year cycle which are used to develop the DVMT.}

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⁸³ _{DEEP, Bureau of Air Management; personal communication from B. McDaniel, January 17, 2023. USDOT, Federal Highway Administration. State Motor-Vehicle Registrations – 2020, February 2023; www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2020/mv1.cfm.}
⁸⁴ _{DEEP, 2020 Electric Vehicle Roadmap for Connecticut, April 21, 2020; portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Climate-Change/EV-Roadmap.}
⁸⁵ _{Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS), personal communication from S. McGirr, January 11, 2023 and Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), personal communication from P. Zelez, January 12, 2023.}
⁸⁶ _{CTDOT, personal communication from F. Dominguez, February 8, 2023; portal.ct.gov/-/media/DOT/documents/dpolicy/RoadwayInformationSystems/RoadwayInventorySection/DVMT_UrbanizedAreaCOGCountyTown.pdf.}  
⁸⁷  _{EIA, New England (PADD 1A) All Grades All Formulations Retail Gasoline Prices, Accessed 3-24-2023; www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=EMM_EPM0_PTE_R1X_DPG&f=A.}
⁸⁸  _{CTDOT, 2030 VMT Goals and Strategies; portal.ct.gov/DOT/PP_Bureau/2030-VMT-Goals-and-Strategies.}
⁸⁹ _{CTDOT, Bureau of Public Transportation, Office of Transit & Ridesharing; personal communication from T. Roth; March 27, 2023.}
⁹⁰ _{CTDOT, CTTransit, Suspension of Bus Fares Statewide Continues Through March 31, 2023, November 29, 2022; www.cttransit.com/news/suspension-bus-fares-statewide-continues-through-march-31-2023.}