Minimizing car use is somewhat like dieting. They both require breaking old habits and making lifestyle changes for long-term health. To lose weight, we first must be aware of what we eat and how many calories it has. Similarly, to reduce car use, we first must be aware of where we drive and how many miles are in each trip.
TxIPL's trip Calculator will help you take stock of your car use.
Trip Calculator - Excel Version
INSTRUCTIONS
Column 1 – List all of the places you regularly drive your car. If there’s a type of place where you go frequently, but not always to the same location, it may be easier to list a category, such as “Restaurant.”
Column 2 – Estimate the number of roundtrip miles from your home to this place. Google Maps, the Waze app, or other application can provide the number of miles. For a category of places, use the roundtrip mileage to a place that’s approximately a middle distance for the category (i.e., not the closest and not the farthest) or use the mileage to the place you go most frequently go (i.e. restaurant where you most often eat).
Column 3 – Enter the typical number of times you go to a place each week. If you go less often than weekly, enter “1” (e.g., enter “1” for going to Grandma’s house every other week).
Column 4 – Estimate the number of weeks in a year that you go to the place. 52 = every week; 36 = typical school year
Column 5 – Total Miles will calculate automatically in the Excel file. If you’re using the PDF version, the calculation each location is:
Total Miles = (Miles per Round Trip) X (Number of Times per Week) X (Number of Weeks per Year)
After everything is entered, look at the five locations with the largest number of total miles. Are there any surprises?
EXAMPLE
In this example, the surprise mileage is going out to eat at restaurants, which is tied for the second highest number of miles driven each year.
