The Traffic Problem and the Commute Trip Reduction Program - Essay Example

HERE HERE YOUR HERE HERE Solutions to Traffic Jams in Saudi Arabia INTRODUCTION It is a problem of terrible proportions! The traffic congestion problem in Saudi Arabia only continues to get worse each and every year due to a variety of different reasons. Saudi Arabia is only now beginning to develop a sound roadway infrastructure system that is more in-line with the rest of the Westernized world. At the same time, career opportunities are opening for women in many different industries, thus providing more incentive to commute back and forth to work each and every day. This puts more cars on the limited expressways that exist in Saudi Arabia, thus fueling the congestion problems. Additionally, with new market-based commerce and foreign imports flooding the region as consumer income levels rise, even more American, Asian and European auto imports continue to add to the problem as more and more households gain access to their own personal automobiles. It is important to come up with innovative solutions to the traffic jam problem in Saudi Arabia since it jeopardizes timely delivery of products and services to their destinations and also serves to dissuade foreigners from considering Saudi Arabia as a potential homeland for career migration because of the limited infrastructure. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM Only a small margin of roadway infrastructure in Saudi Arabia consists of paved roads and expressways since much of the region is still rural and not yet fully developed. Urban centers are also experiencing a much higher volume of roadway commuter traffic as new career opportunities open for men and women in a variety of different industries. One method of reducing the traffic problem is to develop Commuter Trip Reduction programs sponsored by the Saudi government. Under this policy, incentives are produced to ensure that people reduce their volume of car trips and also to inspire transport-sharing between commuters who are driving to the same urban regions. The Commuter Trip Reduction program uses these incentives to further reduce the volume of cars on the road during peak commuting times, offering incentives to businesses as well to provide flexible working hours under flexible contracts (Litman, 2). Programs such as this also provide incentives to use cycling for commuting rather than relying on automobiles. INVOLVEMENT IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM For this solution to work, the Saudi government must take an active involvement. The Commuter Trip Reduction program, if sponsored by the Saudi government, would offer taxation incentives or in many other ways subsidize the costs of driving, such as offering gasoline reduction cards to ensure that specific drivers who have signed up for participation in this program receive discounted oil and fuel at these retailers. Businesses who receive government-sponsored incentives would change their organizational policies to allow workers scheduling opportunities other than the typical nine-to-five structure so that it limits the volume of cars on the Saudi roadways. To implement this solution would require redeveloping the current taxation code in Saudi Arabia and also create a series of press releases directed as corporate entities about their obligations under the Commuter Trip Reduction Program. The costs of promoting these changes are minimal, however the costs associated with discounts and tax reduction would surely be in the millions of dollars for those who actively participated and received a government-sponsored discount card. Within a year, based on incentives, the traffic problem should be reduced significantly. ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS Other worthwhile solutions are to utilize Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), a form of management technology that includes use of message boards on urban roadways and computerized control centers where traffic management can occur and traffic flow better organized during peak periods. Offers Ray Morris, the Traffic Systems Manager for Southhampton, England, “You can’t build yourself out of trouble by constructing more fly-overs and more intersections. You need to manage traffic…and ITS is the best way to do that” (Stensgaard, 2). This is a solution that informs the commuting traffic or other users of conditions on the roadway and suggests potential alternative roads in the event of jams. Another solution is to create a policy where only license plates that end in an odd or even number can be on the roadways on alternate days. This was attempted once in China to reduce their traffic congestion problems (McFeatters, 1). The consequences of driving an odd numbered license plate on a calendar day that was even-numbered could be hefty fees associated with police-enforced tickets. This would solve the problem by minimizing volume of cars on the roadways, inspiring others to ride-share or use public transportation systems instead which are available in Saudi Arabia. To launch the Intelligent Transportation Systems, the Saudi government would need to recruit information technology support teams to manage the system as well as labor to manage traffic flow in the computerized control center. This would represent new labor costs to the government and a one-time investment in the purchase of this ITS system, thus representing several million dollars for start-up. However, this is a small price to pay since in the U.S., as one example, it costs approximately 1.9 million dollars for each single lane mile of new road construction (Washington State Dept. of Transportation, 7). For the Saudis to develop over 100 miles of new roadway, with 2 lanes, from the ground up, would represent $380 million dollars. ITS is a quality solution, however it would involve in-depth consultation with information technology support staff and urban planner consult to develop an appropriate flowchart of activities and incorporate the system into existing IT architecture currently in place. This process could take a year to develop and launch, with another year to ensure adequate traffic management. For the solution involving reducing cars on the road related to odd and even-numbered license plates, there would need to be a policing enforcement effort to ensure compliance. This might require recruiting more patrol officers by the government or setting up roadway cameras to monitor these activities on odd and even-numbered days. Costs of this solution are actually quite minimal, however enforcement becomes an issue and would require training packages on how to effectively patrol and punish. This would only take about three months to ensure new compliance and patrol measures. Therefore, the Commuter Trip Reduction program is the most viable solution since it involves more people with active involvement and gives them a motivational incentive to reduce their presence on the roadways without significant financial investment by the Saudi government. OBJECTIONS TO THE CHOSEN SOLUTION Individuals in Saudi society might come to resent the growing influence of government trying to manage their lifestyles, especially during a period where women, especially, are enjoying more freedoms related to career and politics. They might argue that taxation code changes have become too complicated and thus demand an end to the program. However, such criticism should be responded to with harsh rhetoric to remind opponents of the Commuter Trip Reduction program that the government simply cannot afford a $380 million dollar investment during a difficult global recession or a massive labor-intensive information technology architecture to manage traffic movements. Since this is a collectivist culture, speeches regarding being a cultural team player to assist in building a better Saudi Arabian infrastructure would likely reduce these criticisms. CONCLUSION The best solution to control the traffic problem is definitely the Commuter Trip Reduction program as it will likely have the most long-term benefits and cooperation. The difficulties and costs associated with the other solutions are extensive and difficult to enforce and manage. The goal is to establish a system that will invite higher social participation, ensure timely delivery of products, and make Saudi Arabia more inviting to foreign citizens who might want to choose the country for career development and migration. Works Cited Litman, Todd. Un-Habitat – World Urban Forum III, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, 2006. Accessed October 23, 2011 at http://www.unhabitat.org/cdrom/docs/WUF11.pdf McFeatters, Dale. “Chinese Traffic Jams Defy Solutions”, The Korea Times, 2010. Accessed October 23, 2011 at http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2011/01/137_78191.html Stensgaard, Anne-Birte. “Information is the key to stop traffic jams”, 2003. Accessed October 24, 2011 at http://www.ameinfo.com/32152.html Washington State Dept. of Transportation. “Highway Cost Comparison Survey”, 2002. Accessed October 23, 2011 at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/biz/construction/pdf/I-C_Const_Cost.pdf. Read More