IATR Releases Guiding Principles for Mobility Policy and Congestion Mitigation

IATR President,?Matthew W. Daus,?who delivered a key?Transportation Research Board?speech on Sunday, January 8th?before an international group of academics, transportation officials and organizations, stated:

“The IATR’s guiding principles for decarbonization policymaking in the passenger ground transportation sector were well received by the international community at the TRB in Washington, DC.?The bottom line is there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to mitigating traffic congestion, and there is ‘no one person or entity’ that can move the needle on speeding up our global decarbonization efforts. We all need to work together, across government agencies, mobility industries and modes, in partnership with the private sector.?These 10 IATR principles require multi-modal implementation and suggest comprehensive multi-agency governance to produce master sustainability plans to reduce the reliance on personal motor vehicles.”??

The?International Association of Transportation Regulators?(IATR)?has endeavored to develop principles that would form a framework for best practices to support mobility policy-making for federal, state/provincial, and local governments to achieve efficient, affordable, sustainable, resilient, and equitable multi-modal passenger transportation, while mitigating negative impacts such as congestion in the post-pandemic world. This project includes the development of principles and best practices in the United States, Europe, and other relevant jurisdictions. Data-gathering techniques that were used for this project include, but are not limited to, the following: literature review, legislation, and regulation review, workshops, focus groups, and interviews.?The goal of this project was to develop a “community of practice” – or regulatory “do’s” and “don’ts” – through collaboration by and between regulators, regulated entities, and other stakeholders.?The project culminated in the issuance of “guiding principles” following two IATR workshops and a survey.?

The IATR developed ten solution-focused principles for mobility policy and congestion mitigation: fair road pricing and congestion revenue policy; integration of various private modes of shared mobility with public transit to foster Mobility-as-a-Service (“MaaS”); maximize vehicle utilization; deploying innovative, goal-oriented street design principles; implement sustainable transportation incentives and disincentives; thoughtfully plan to improve and expand EV infrastructure; promote shared mobility; promote equity; promote accessibility; and reduce the size of government fleets. While implementing any of these guiding principles to reduce or mitigate vehicle congestion, it is imperative to remember a list of simple regulatory “do’s” and “don’ts:”

• Vehicle Caps:?Do provide for sound competitive growth among TNCs, taxis, and other for-hire vehicles with proper incentives to promote equity, accessibility, and sustainability goals. Don’t implement blanket caps on the number of vehicles.?
• Fare Over-Regulation:?Do have strong policy reasons for setting minimum or maximum fares, and do ensure such policies are applied equally among competing for-hire modes.
• Congestion Pricing:?Do ensure there are viable alternatives to driving (e.g., public transit, walking, biking). Don’t implement congestion pricing policies without exploring exemptions that promote the above guiding principles.?
• Vehicle Utilization & Management:?Do encourage “pooling” of passengers, more sustainable vehicle fleets, and integration with public transport and active mobility. Don’t implement policies or regulations that lead to empty runs, including obligations for vehicles to return to a garage in between rides and geographical restrictions that prevent drivers from taking passengers on return trips from remote locations.?
• Shared Use Zones:?Do consider establishing zones within cities accessible to shared modes, including public transit, taxis, and TNC vehicles. Don't reduce access by prioritizing certain modes.
• Speed Limits:?Do reduce speed limits in parts of cities where such changes promote safety without increasing congestion. Don't reduce speed limits across the board.

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