Curbing U.S. Traffic: Video

One of the headlines on CNN this morning was “U.S. Traffic: Bad and Getting Worse“. No kidding–anyone who lives in a major city can tell you that. But just how much time do we spend sitting in traffic? On average, 38 hours a year. Unless you live in Los Angeles, of course, where you could be wasting upwards of 72 hours a year. That’s almost two full work weeks (and the same amount of vacation time most American workers get a year)! And it’ s not just our time we’re wasting–2.9 billion gallons of fuel are wasted each year in traffic jams alone.

So what can we do about it?

1. Refuse to idle. Turn the car off if you’re stuck in gridlock. Idling wastes a tremendous amount of fuel. Bring a portable fan or mist bottle during the summer and a blanket to keep warm during the winter instead of relying on A/C and heat.

2. Carpool. Try to find coworkers who live in your neighborhood or vicinity. One car on the road is a lot better than four. If everyone carpooled to work, that would curb a lot of traffic. Post a bulletin at your office or try this great website, erideshare.com, for a list of carpools in your area.

3. Take public transportation. A lot more people can fit in a bus than in a car. And a lot of city buses are beginning to go green by using biodiesel and other fuel alternatives. It’s quite possible (and highly likely) that in the future, personal transportation will become a thing of the past. Might as well get a seat on the bus now.

4. Try not to travel during rush hour and other peak times. Adjust your work schedule so you can start a little later or a little earlier to avoid the heaviest traffic.

5. Ride a bike (or a scooter) instead. If this is a possibility for you, it’s a fantastic option. Not only will you avoid traffic (or squeeze right through it), but you won’t use any fuel and you’ll give your body a workout, too. Electric bikes are another eco-friendly option and are looking better than ever.

If you have any bright ideas about how to curb traffic, contact us or leave a comment and we’ll post it. We’ll reward the most original idea with a $50 gift card!