Comments for Drive Less Challenge http://drivelesschallenge.com Reduce your carbon footprint with less driving alone Mon, 07 May 2012 06:00:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on ONLY $2.25 to SFO by Lawrence http://drivelesschallenge.com/2012/03/only-2-25-to-sfo/comment-page-1/#comment-5470 Lawrence Mon, 07 May 2012 06:00:06 +0000 http://drivelesschallenge.com/?p=1313#comment-5470 Reprinted From http://www.samtrans.com/riderinformation/KXLuggagePolicy.html Route KX Luggage Policy SamTrans strives to accommodate the needs of all of its customers. However, SamTrans is unable to allow luggage, other than that outlined in the "Carry-on Policy" below, to be carried on Route KX between San Francisco and the San Francisco International Airport in either direction. SamTrans Carry-on Policy States: "If a passenger can carry the item(s) on his/her lap or store it under or next to him/her on a seat unneeded and not hurt anyone else, and not interfere with others, the item is probably safe to transport." The final decision will be made by the bus operator, who is responsible for the safe transport of everyone on the vehicle. Alternatives & Information: An alternative to Route KX between the airport and San Francisco is Route 292. SamTrans wants your trip to be as pleasant as possible. If you have any routing or fare questions, please call 1-800-660-4287. Background: Since SamTrans receives some federal money to help fund its operation, a private bus operator cited "unfair competition." Under an agreement with the Federal Transit Administration, SamTrans agreed not to transport passengers with luggage between The City and the airport on its express route. 8/27/11 - rph Lawrence's PS: It used to be that luggage could be carried between Palo Alto and the airport, but not between SF and SFO. Now they have apparently changed it to this "if it's safe to carry" policy, which sounds subjective and limiting of luggage on the PA-SFO run, which wasn't in question before. Progress? Reprinted From http://www.samtrans.com/riderinformation/KXLuggagePolicy.html

Route KX Luggage Policy

SamTrans strives to accommodate the needs of all of its customers. However, SamTrans is unable to allow luggage, other than that outlined in the “Carry-on Policy” below, to be carried on Route KX between San Francisco and the San Francisco International Airport in either direction.

SamTrans Carry-on Policy States:

“If a passenger can carry the item(s) on his/her lap or store it under or next to him/her on a seat unneeded and not hurt anyone else, and not interfere with others, the item is probably safe to transport.” The final decision will be made by the bus operator, who is responsible for the safe transport of everyone on the vehicle.

Alternatives & Information: An alternative to Route KX between the airport and San Francisco is Route 292.

SamTrans wants your trip to be as pleasant as possible. If you have any routing or fare questions, please call 1-800-660-4287.

Background: Since SamTrans receives some federal money to help fund its operation, a private bus operator cited “unfair competition.” Under an agreement with the Federal Transit Administration, SamTrans agreed not to transport passengers with luggage between The City and the airport on its express route.

8/27/11 – rph

Lawrence’s PS: It used to be that luggage could be carried between Palo Alto and the airport, but not between SF and SFO. Now they have apparently changed it to this “if it’s safe to carry” policy, which sounds subjective and limiting of luggage on the PA-SFO run, which wasn’t in question before. Progress?

]]> Comment on About Us by Tom Kabat http://drivelesschallenge.com/about-us/comment-page-1/#comment-5446 Tom Kabat Fri, 04 May 2012 16:48:08 +0000 http://drivelesschallenge.com/?page_id=92#comment-5446 I'm enjoying the challenge. I've looked at some of the posted logs and have some ideas for more prize categories and a graph. Consider prizes for: a) Most miles walked b) Most miles biked c) Least miles driven solo d) Least miles in cars (includes solo and carpool) e) Least motorized miles (includes driving solo, carpool, bus, train) f) Lowest transportation carbon footprint Make a scatter plot of y axis= lbs CO2 saved, and x axis= lbs CO2 used. Dots can be labeled by our usernames. Thanks for considering these communication ideas. I’m enjoying the challenge.
I’ve looked at some of the posted logs and have some ideas for more prize categories and a graph.
Consider prizes for:
a) Most miles walked
b) Most miles biked
c) Least miles driven solo
d) Least miles in cars (includes solo and carpool)
e) Least motorized miles (includes driving solo, carpool, bus, train)
f) Lowest transportation carbon footprint
Make a scatter plot of y axis= lbs CO2 saved, and x axis= lbs CO2 used. Dots can be labeled by our usernames.
Thanks for considering these communication ideas.

]]> Comment on FAQ: How does the Drive Less Challenge work? by bretandersen http://drivelesschallenge.com/how-does-the-drive-less-challenge-work/comment-page-1/#comment-5438 bretandersen Fri, 04 May 2012 05:01:06 +0000 http://drivelesschallenge.com/?page_id=450#comment-5438 The "Lbs CO2 Saved" box in the logging tool shows your total savings based on the following factors applied to the trips/modes you logged: Mode Lbs CO2 Avoided/Mile Pounds of CO2 Generated per Mile Bike 0.870 0.000 Walk 0.870 0.000 Bus 0.630 0.240 Train 0.500 0.370 Carpool 0.435 0.435 Small Electric 0.734 0.136 Electric Car 0.465 0.405 Drove Alone 0.000 0.870 The “Lbs CO2 Saved” box in the logging tool shows your total savings based on the following factors applied to the trips/modes you logged:

Mode Lbs CO2 Avoided/Mile Pounds of CO2 Generated per Mile
Bike 0.870 0.000
Walk 0.870 0.000
Bus 0.630 0.240
Train 0.500 0.370
Carpool 0.435 0.435
Small Electric 0.734 0.136
Electric Car 0.465 0.405

Drove Alone 0.000 0.870

]]> Comment on FAQ: How does the Drive Less Challenge work? by bretandersen http://drivelesschallenge.com/how-does-the-drive-less-challenge-work/comment-page-1/#comment-5437 bretandersen Fri, 04 May 2012 04:53:28 +0000 http://drivelesschallenge.com/?page_id=450#comment-5437 Great ideas, Tom. We define the Greenest Travel prize category as: Lowest average CO2 emissions per mile (Most carbon efficient travel). This takes into account, to some extent, the fact that some green modes are better than others from an emissions standpoint. In fact, even with that we end with a lot of people doing 100% green travel (zero brown miles as you called it) by biking and walking only so we break ties using number of trips logged. The Most Green Miles by Mode categories avoid comparing train to bike miles, for example, which make sense too. Cheers, Bret Great ideas, Tom.
We define the Greenest Travel prize category as: Lowest average CO2 emissions per mile (Most carbon efficient travel). This takes into account, to some extent, the fact that some green modes are better than others from an emissions standpoint. In fact, even with that we end with a lot of people doing 100% green travel (zero brown miles as you called it) by biking and walking only so we break ties using number of trips logged. The Most Green Miles by Mode categories avoid comparing train to bike miles, for example, which make sense too.
Cheers,
Bret

]]> Comment on FAQ: How does the Drive Less Challenge work? by Tom Kabat http://drivelesschallenge.com/how-does-the-drive-less-challenge-work/comment-page-1/#comment-5433 Tom Kabat Thu, 03 May 2012 16:42:42 +0000 http://drivelesschallenge.com/?page_id=450#comment-5433 With the type of data collected already you could display each participant's estimated transportation operational carbon footprint. Just pick some common factors to multiply by each participant's miles traveled by mode. For example: Biking and walking: 0.0 lb CO2/passenger mile (pm) Driving solo: 1.0 lb/pm Bus incremental: 0.1 lb/pm Carpool average: 0.5 lb/pm Carpool incremental: 0.2 lb/pm Train incremental: 0.05 lb/pm (I made these numbers up. This is intended as food for thought. Your milage may vary.) With the type of data collected already you could display each participant’s estimated transportation operational carbon footprint. Just pick some common factors to multiply by each participant’s miles traveled by mode.
For example:
Biking and walking: 0.0 lb CO2/passenger mile (pm)
Driving solo: 1.0 lb/pm
Bus incremental: 0.1 lb/pm
Carpool average: 0.5 lb/pm
Carpool incremental: 0.2 lb/pm
Train incremental: 0.05 lb/pm
(I made these numbers up. This is intended as food for thought. Your milage may vary.)

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