1. What is Sustainability?
Lifecycle Sustainable Transportation Christopher Juniper, SustainALogic, USA ATRA Member/Treasurer
What is Sustainability?
Maximized economic, environmental and social performance…that protects the next generation from this one.
Nature
Ecological health; Water; Climate
Economy
Local/national wealth and job creation/retention;
Minimized costs of service
Well-Being
Personal capital development – health, education, etc.; Affordable quality of living
Society
National/regional security and resilience; Governance; Fairness
NEWS invented by Alan AtKisson, AtKisson Group at: AtKisson.com

2. Lifecycle Sustainable Transportation
UN Sustainable Development Goals
(Adopted 17 SDGs in 2015 to achieve by 2030)
Target 11.2 of Goal 11 “provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport…”
“Sustainable transport is essential to achieving most, if not all, of the SDGs…”
World Bank Global Mobility Report (Oct. 2017):
Mobility should be equitable, efficient, safe and climate responsive. ”
Sources: (1) UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform website, at: and (2) World Bank’s Global Mobility Report, Oct. 2017, at: The four objectives are listed as universal access, efficiency, safety and green mobility.
The World Bank report notes that “The green mobility objective is reflected in 7 SDG targets…”

3. Lifecycle Sustainable Transportation
Lifecycle is at the heart of sustainability
Example: Toyota lifecycle study of carbon footprint of its vehicles: 80% from their use; 14% materials development; 6% Toyota’s mfg operations.
Energy/GHGs lifecycles likely comprise 80-90% of environmental impacts of everything (unless highly toxic).
Lifecycle sustainability performance SHOULD be a key decision-making factor at initial design phase!

4. Lifecycle Sustainable Transportation
UN High-Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport (2016):
10 recommendations starting with…
“Make transport planning, policy and investment decisions based on the three sustainable development dimensions: social development, environmental impacts, and economic growth – and a full life-cycle analysis.”
Source:

5. Lifecycle Sustainable Transportation
Are Transit Decision-makers Using
Sustainability Performance Screens/Thinking?
MTBA (Boston) Sustainability Guiding Principles includes “ensure that environmental, social and economic considerations are included in its design, construction, procurement…etc.”
Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (EU): New WBCSD planning tool includes 19 “Sustainability Mobility Indicators”
Is Sustainable Mobility Planning the future??
Source:

6. Lifecycle Sustainable Transportation
Lifecycle Sustainability Management System asks – via quantitative LCA and qualitative assessments:
What’s the most sustainable transport?
Nature
Ecological health, Water, Climate
Economy
Local/national wealth and job creation; Minimized costs of service; Truthful prices;
Well-Being
Personal capital development – health, education, etc.; Affordable quality of living
Society
National/regional security and resilience; Governance; Env. Justice/Fairness

7. Lifecycle Sustainable Transportation
Advanced Transit should win most sustainability metrics!
Nature
Lightweight, on-demand, maybe sustainable-energy powered vehicles minimizes ecological impacts including land-use and GHGs; TODs further reduce GHGs.
Economy
Least cost per service unit (pass or freight mile/km) saves wealth for better uses and retains it regionally; facilitates TODs that reduce combined housing/transp. costs;
GHG reductions from TODs over lifecycles were estimated by Chester etal. (2013) at 1.7 to 230 gg, depending on density, at:

8. Lifecycle Sustainable Transportation
Advanced Transit should win most sustainability metrics!
Well-Being
Minimal cost transport allows personal budgets to spend scarce$$ on critical needs e.g. health, higher education, housing etc. I.e. greater mobility access. Safer.
Society
Distributed energy systems more resilient and better for national security. Fuel switching away from imported uranium or petroleum is a positive. Better to be moved around above grade as oceans rise…??
GHG reductions from TODs over lifecycles were estimated by Chester etal. (2013) at 1.7 to 230 gg, depending on density, at:

9. Lifecycle Sustainable Transportation
Dramatically efficient energy/GHGs transport
Ultra:
“System typically provides at least a 50% carbon emissions benefit over buses and 70% over cars.”
“In peak periods when cars and busses are restricted by congestion, over 90%.”
PRT “uses less than 1/3 the energy per passenger km than autos or public transit”
skyTran estimates: 100 watt hours per passenger mile, compared to 1500 for 25 MPG auto and for electric autos.
Sources: (1) Ultra energy use average 0.55 MJ per passenger km - at: and
(2) Martin Lowson, “Engineering the Ultra System,”, 2007, at:
(3) Keeping Up With Technologies to Improve Places, 2015, at:
(4) Robert Baertsch, “SkyTran,” 2014, at:

10. Lifecycle Sustainable Transportation
Most efficient travel, direct energy use only
(Passenger Miles Per Gallon estimates, Juniper, )
Electric bicycle: 2,185
Bicycle: 710
Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) (w/4 pass): 667
Walking: 393
PRT (w/1.5 pass): 314
Heavy rail (electric): 225
Electric cars (w/1.5 pass): (Bolt = 180, Leaf/Tesla = 150)
Commuter rail: 43
Air travel: 43
Average US car purchased 2009 (22 MPG; w/1.5 pass): 35
Average transit bus, US, 2009 (9 riders/vehicle): 28
Average US car purchased 2009 w/1 pass): 22

11. Lifecycle Sustainable Transportation
CONCLUSIONS
Sustainability performance, especially life-cycle, should be a key decision factor in transport systems design, but is rarely utilized.
Does industry/academia need to help create/promote analysis tools or PRT data? Engage with SUMP Indicators?
Advanced transit systems would typically win sustainability performance metrics in comparison to other systems. Make your case!