Price of petrol set to surge

16,000klms is the figure that is used as the national average for klms
travelled per year.



Daryl

 

Not likely when you factor in population increases which has as much to
do with the increased PT use as anything else.
For PT transport to have much effect on car use in Melbourne the State
Govt needs to spend mega bucks improving rail infrastructure.
I've lived in Melb's outer West for 30yrs and in that time there hasn't
been any infrastructure improvements.


Daryl

 

It sounds light to me -- a bit like the difference between the average
wage and the wage that most people don't get.

Fran

 

One thing a serious cost on fuel could do is generate funds
specifically to provide the seed capital for new investment, not just
in PT but in high density housing near (within about 25 kms) of the
city.

Another possible idea would be to attack the psychology of vehicle
usage. Suppose each vehicle had to have a gauge that game you real-
time feedback on the fuel-efficiency of your current driving? When you
were at or near optimum, it gives you a five star rating -- at the end
of each day and the week it rates you for the week. It could also give
you projections based on your current driving style on how many km you
had left in the tank.

A pretty simple measure but I'll bet we'd get a more sensible use of
cars and it might help author some longterm culture change.

Fran

 

A couple of credible web sites agree on the 16,000klms, its not a figure
that was plucked out of the air.
Many people would do a lot less but of course many like me do a lot
more, my May 09 Hilux has already done about 25,000klms yet my wife's
3.5yr old Subaru has only done 54,000klms.
http://www.valuemail.com.au/explanation.aspx
http://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/29/Files/is15.pdf


Daryl

 

Possibly and I wouldn't be against Govts spending up big on improving
rail infrastructure but most likely the increased revenue from fuel
would just go into consolidated revenue.
I would object to Govt's spending money to ruin our lifestyle though, if
most Aussies wanted to live like Chinese peasants it would be easier to
move to China.

Lots of cars already have trip computers that tell the driver
instantaneous and overall fuel consumption.

Doubt it would make any difference as like I and others have said before
fuel cost is insignificant in overall vehicle running cost.
I work with a lot of young tradies who are earning very good money at
the moment, many of them own V8 utes and don't give a damn about the
price of petrol, compared to their other living costs petrol cost is
insignificant.


Daryl

 

Its been "recommended" for at least 30yrs but so far nothing has happened.
Where I live already has a rail service but its single track which
limits its capacity, since the area is flat and the current rail line is
a straight line it would be relatively inexpensive to duplicate and
electrify it but I don't think its going to happen any time soon.



Daryl

 

Bank of South Aus is paying 8%
Police Credit Union of NSW is paying 8.26%

 

There are many people who don't commute by car, and many people who
don't have employment, including myself. You also appear to be
expecting people to commute 6 days a week. Surely five is more common.
If allowing for 20,000 kms, the total cost would increase to $15,000
of which your addtional $0.50/l will be $1,000. Still only 6.7%
increase.

Theo

 

Yes ... that's fair comment -- I don't know how I got 276 days ... 240
(48 weeks * 5 days) would be closer (perhaps allow a couple of sickies
and public holidays too) so 230 ...

16,000 still sounds light though.

Fran

 

Thanks for the links -- the second was really interesting.

Fran

 

Also, many families have 2 cars but only one does the commute while the
other just does the short-hop school, shopping etc.

 

The vic government have their faults and so does our public transport
system but putting over a billion dollars into increasing the size and
frequency and coverage of the system is showing benefits.

Build it and they shall come...


G-S

 

The state government have put 500 new bus routes into outer suburbs in
the last 18 months and many of those new routes are in the outer west.

And those routes are showing growth at the high end of the range I
mentioned in the earlier post.

Buses and bus stops and bus interchanges at railway stations ARE
infrastructure just as much as light and heavy rail are.


G-S

 

We were talking about rail and no Govt has done a thing to upgrade
infrastructure on the Melton, Bacchus Marsh line.
FFS its one of the fastest growing area's of Melb but its still serviced
by a single rail line which isn't electrified.
If there are any increase in bus service's they are insignificant as the
main problem is the service to and from the city which is very poor.


Daryl

 

At no time in the quotes above was Rail defined specifically as the only
mode under discussion. I repeat Bus transport IS infrastructure, and I
don't call over 500 new routes insignificant.

And many of the more major routes in those increases are not just
shuttle services to stations and shopping centres, seom are in fact link
services traveling from suburb to city or hub to hub.


G-S