Ride to Work: Motorcycle Commuter Facts

http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/2010/ride-to-work-day-motorcycle-commuter-facts Ride to Work: Motorcycle Commuter Facts Tony Russo 06/20/2010
Click the images below for bigger versions: Ride To Work Day
This year the 19th annual Motorcycle and Scooter Ride to Work Day is Monday, June 21st. On this day over a million workers will commute via motorcycles and scooters to demonstrate the efficiency and other positive benefits of these vehicles.
Cities across the world have been asked to support and encourage this popular grass-roots event by issuing an official proclamation.
To encourage riding, some cities also announce that on this day motorcycles and scooters may park at municipal ramps and metered spaces without charge.
Hundreds of cities, groups and organizations worldwide have decided to support the annual 2010 Ride to Work Day.
Studies have shown the public benefits of riding are substantial, and include:
> Motorcycles and scooters make more spaces for everyone else, because several fit in each space.
> Motorcycles and scooters consume far less resources per mile than most other mobility technologies.
> Motorcycles and scooters reduce traffic congestion and save travel time.
> Riding is fun and helps make people more alert and engaged.
On an average weekday over 80 million cars and light trucks are used for daily commuting on American roads, and only about 200,000 motorcycles and scooters are a part of this mix.
On Ride to Work Day the practical side of riding becomes more visible because a large number of America's 8,000,000 cycles are ridden to work.
Motorcycle and scooter riders seek both government and employer support for riding's broad benefits.
Other Supporting Facts
NUMBER OF MOTORCYCLES COMMUTING Out of a total 129,141,982 commuters in this country (USA, 2003) 147,703 of them ride motorcycles to work regularly. That's only .11 percent. -US Census Bureau
Of all the motorcycles registered in the USA, (6,567,197) 4.3% of them are used for year-round primary transportation (282,389), with an additional 9.9% used seasonally for this purpose (932,542 total). -Motorcycle Industry Council
NUMBER OF MOTORCYCLES ON THE ROAD As of 2003, there were 5,370,000 motorcycles regularly in use in the United States. -US Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics
As of 2003, these 5,370,000 motorcycles traveled an average of 1,800 miles a year per motorcycle (9,539,000,000 total miles). -US Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics
TRAFFIC CONGESTION The average roadway delay per person in 2001 was 26 hours per year and in 2003 it was 47 hours per year, an increase of 81%. The average commute time one way is 25 minutes. -Texas Transportation Institute
JOURNEY TIMES The average United States driver travels 29 miles per day and is driving a total of 55 minutes per day. (This is an average vehicle speed of 32 mph.) - US Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Tests comparing car and motorcycle performance on real journeys suggest that traveling by motorcycle can shorten journey times by as much as 33 minutes of every hour for town centre and city travel, and 20 minutes of every hour for travel through a mixture of built-up and non built-up areas. - Motorcycle Industry Association (UK)
POTENTIAL AGGREGATE BENEFIT Motorcycles cover 1-2% of the total distance traveled by road, and cars cover 86%. If 2% of car commuters switched to motorcycles or scooters, the current level of motorcycle utility use would effectively double. -Motorcycle Industry Association (UK)
Average 2002 annual household private vehicle expense is $7,371. This is divided into $3,665 for vehicle purchases, $1,235 for gas and oil and $2,471 for insurance and misc. -US Department of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey
PARKING SPACES 3 - 5 motorcycles fit per automobile parking space. -Ride to Work
TOTAL FUEL CONSUMPTION - 2003 Motorcycles: 191 million gallons (50.1 avg mpg x 1,800 miles per year per motorcycle) Passenger Cars: 74,590 million gallons (22.3 avg mpg x 13,000 miles per year per car) Light Truck/SUV: 56,302 million gallons (17.7 avg mpg x 13,000 miles per year per Lt Trk / SUV) -US Dept of Transportation, Bureau of Travel Statistics
NORMAL WEEKDAY MOTORCYCLE COMMUTING DAY FUEL USED (estimated) 150,000 commuting motorcycles x 5 mi average commute distance x 2 (both ways) = 1,500,000 motorcycle commuting miles per day. 1,500,000 motorcycle commuting miles @ 50 mpg (avg) = 30,000 gallons per commuting day.
100,000,000 commuting passenger cars, light trucks and SUV's x 6 mi average commute distance x 2 (both ways) = 1,200,000,000 car, light truck and SUV commuting miles per day. 1,200,000,000 car, light truck and SUV commuting miles at 20 mpg (avg) = 60,000,000 gallons per day.
RIDE TO WORK DAY FUEL SAVINGS (estimated) 150,000 motorcycles use 30,000 gallons per normal commuting day x 2 (an estimated 150,000 added motorcycles on Ride to Work Day) = 60,000 gallons used by motorcycles on Ride to Work Day.
60,000 gallons used on Ride to Work Day - 30,000 gallons used by motorcycles on a normal commuting day = 30,000 additional gallons used by motorcycles on Ride to Work Day.
On Ride to Work Day, there are an estimated 150,000 additional Ride to Work Day commuting motorcycles and 150,000 less commuting car, light truck and SUV's. A 6 mile (avg) commute x 2 (both ways) x 150,000 commuting car, light truck and SUV's = 1,800,000 car, light truck and SUV miles.
1,800,000 car, light truck and SUV miles / 20 mpg (avg) = 90,000 gallons. 90,000 less car, truck and SUV gallons - 30,000 more gallons used on Ride to Work Day = 60,000 less gallons of fuel used on Ride to Work Day.
If every work day were Ride to Work Day, 60,000 gallons saved x 250 work days = 15,000,000 less gallons used per year.