Impacts of Park-And-Ride Systems on Vehicle Emissions in Intermediate Cities

The park-and-ride system is a modal interchange point, enabling commuters to switch from conventional vehicles to public transport for their urban journeys. This study explores the potential of the park-and-ride system to reduce fuel consumption and pollution compared to using a private passenger car in Ibarra, Ecuador. The novelty remains in the assessment of the Euro level and the bus occupancy, based on real-world driving profiles and using a detailed micro-level emission model to estimate fuel consumption, carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon moNOxide (CO), and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. The results reveal potential fuel consumption and pollution per passenger reduction when Euro VI buses are fully loaded. CO2, CO, and NOx emissions per passenger are reduced by approximately 13 times, eight times, and 1.7 times, respectively, compared to private Euro 3 passenger cars. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing park-and-ride systems’ occupancy to substantially reduce fuel consumption and air pollution. The park-and-ride system can promote more sustainable and environmentally friendly urban transport by transitioning from personal vehicles to shared public transportation.