Light Trucks

How Oversized SUVs Are Killing Us and the Environment
A video from Not Just Bikes describes the impacts of increasingly large vehicles on road safety, public health, and the environment.

Unlike Smaller Cars, 'Megacars' Drove More in 2020
The increase in miles driven by light trucks and other 'megacars' could have contributed to the rise in traffic deaths, despite an overall reduction in VMT.

For Transportation Justice, Auto Safety Must Protect People Outside the Car
Light trucks are killing more pedestrians than ever while keeping their drivers and passengers safer. Is it time to reframe safety regulations?

Climate Concerns Largely Absent in Auto Showrooms
A consumer survey found that less than a third of respondents considered carbon emissions or the environment when they last purchased a motor vehicle, yet three-quarters of Americans consider climate change a major problem or crisis.

California Lawmaker Wants to Triple Electric Vehicle Rebates
Assemblyman Phil Ting seeks to dramatically increase the state electric vehicle sales rebate of $2,500, motivated in part by the phasing-out of the federal EV tax credit of $7,500. The bill rules out significant revenue sources.

Automakers Required to Increase EV Sales in Colorado
Due to the adoption of the Zero-Emission Vehicle standard by the state's air quality commission last week, there will be a much greater selection of electric vehicles available for interested Colorado consumers. Sales should reach 5% by 2023.

Four Automakers Make Private Deal with California on Emissions Standards
Next month, the Trump administration rolls out one of their most significant environmental rollbacks, freezing auto emission and fuel efficiency standards at 2020 levels. The deal unveiled by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday may upend Trump's plans.

Legislation to End Sales of Gas and Diesel Passenger Vehicles in California Reintroduced
Assemblymembers Phil Ting and Ash Kalra have reintroduced the Clean Cars 2040 Act with the goal of banning the sale of passenger vehicles powered by internal combustion engines by 2040, with the California Air Resources Board playing a lead role.

SUVs Sales Increase in California While Car Sales Drop—Except Those with Plugs
It's a classic paradox, observes David R. Baker for the San Francisco Chronicle: bigger, thirstier vehicles sell better than smaller, more efficient ones, while the market for battery-powered vehicles, especially Teslas, also increases.

The Future of the American Auto Industry: Not Cars
The American passenger vehicle fleet is being transformed into bigger, fuel-thirstier, and more dangerous models (for those hit by them). Americans have shown a preference for light trucks, and manufacturers are responding by ditching cars.

Rollback of Fuel Efficiency Standards Announced by EPA
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced Monday that his agency is siding with auto manufacturers and relaxing greenhouse gas emission standards for new cars and light trucks.

Energy Demand and Carbon Emissions Increased in 2017, Just Not Everywhere
The International Energy Agency found that China and India were responsible for 40 percent of the increased energy demand. The biggest decrease in carbon dioxide emissions came from the U.S., largely due to increased use of renewables.

April 1 Showdown Between U.S. EPA and California Looms
At stake are greenhouse gas emission standards for 2022-25 model year passenger vehicles. Relaxing these standards would likely doom efforts to reduce these emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 as required by 2016 state legislation.

Fuel Efficiency Just Became Much More Important
Two widely cited University of Michigan transportation researchers urge consumers to drive more fuel efficient vehicles to reduce their own carbon emissions as President Trump works to relax vehicle fuel economy standards.

How Much More Damage to Roads is Caused by a Hummer Than a Prius?
A Hummer weighs 2.6 times more than a Prius C, so it must contribute that much more to road wear, right? Actually, that's wrong, not even close. To understand the main cause of road wear, one must look at heavy, not light trucks.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
City of Bakersfield
Standridge Inc.
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service