News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Beth Gorman (520) 740-3343
Tucson, Arizona (June 14, 2006) – The results
of the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality Clean
Air Program’s annual telephone survey are in and people
are driving less due to the high price of gasoline. The 2006
survey also indicates that there is strong support for the Clean
Air Program’s campaigns and events that encourage actions
to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion through the use
of alternative modes of transportation. The annual survey of
500 households tracks attitudes and behaviors related to air
quality and transportation use. The 2006 telephone survey and
subsequent analysis were completed by FMR Associates, Inc.
Sixty three percent of those who participated in the survey
agreed with the statement that because of higher gas prices,
they are generally driving less. Nearly 80 percent of survey
respondents are combining trips more often and those respondents
who carpool are doing so more frequently and with more people
in their carpool. While the percentage that carpool or vanpool
at least one day per week to work or school is unchanged from
last year at 24 percent, the average number of carpooling days
per week has increased from 3.6 to 4.4 days. In addition, carpools
with three or more people in them have increased from 26 percent
in 2005 to 57 percent in 2006.
“Since the majority of our air pollution is caused by
motor vehicle use, it is good news for the health of our air
that carpools are occurring more frequently during the week and
that the carpooling vehicles are filling up with more people,” said
Beth Gorman, Program Manager for Pima County Department of Environmental
Quality. “These actions not only save gasoline, but also
reduce traffic congestion on our streets and improve air quality,” Gorman
continued.
Awareness of the Pima County “Clean Air Program” has
increased to its highest point in the last six years (59%, up
from 53% in 2005) and 83 percent of respondents aware of the
campaign indicate a favorable opinion of the campaign’s
advertising and events that encourage people to use other modes
of transportation or work from home instead of driving alone.
In addition, 90 percent of respondents believe that it is either “very
important” or “somewhat important” to have
a regional campaign that encourages people to take actions to
improve air quality.
Based on the number of people who use alternative modes of transportation
in our community to get to work or school and the length of the
average commute, it is estimated that 2,477,921 vehicle miles
are saved each day by those who walk, ride the bus, carpool,
bicycle, work a compressed work week, or telecommute.
Other actions that individuals are taking to reduce air pollution
include keeping their car well-tuned (31 percent of those taking
action) and tires properly inflated (13 percent). Many other
questions are asked of the respondents including; the number
of household members with breathing related medical conditions;
the use of the internet; recall of air pollution information
from TV, radio, newspapers; rating of air quality where respondents
live; children’s inquiries about air pollution; travel
behavior for shopping and recreation; suggestions to reduce air
pollution in Pima County; and more. The Clean Air Program’s
Annual Telephone Survey full report and executive summary are
both available on the Pima County Department of Environmental
Quality’s website at http://www.deq.pima.gov/air/index.html under the Clean Air Program heading.
###
