Fuel costs are high and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. Managing fuel costs has become a key aspect of the overall cost control of transport operators, and is now an important part of their business strategy. Various approaches, both technical and operational, are now widespread in the industries, and new ideas are continually emerging.
From the public policy perspective this is welcome, because it aligns well with pressure for sustainable transport and the global need to address the challenge of climate change. So it is unsurprising that some initiatives involve collaborative approaches by LAs and transport operators.
Passengers also respond well to the message that their transport modes are “eco-friendly”. Some reports from bus operators even hint at patronage improvements from an explicitly “green” fleet.
This document presents RTIG’s position on how private and public sectors can, separately or together, improve the sustainability of transport through management of fuel use and other measures.