CASE STUDY: Drive Less Save More

Our experience bringing about measurable results in behavior change is evidenced, in particular, through the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT’s) Drive Less Save More (DLSM) campaign. Traffic congestion takes a heavy toll on residents, our economy and the environment. Oregon’s population is rapidly growing, and traffic will only get worse unless action is taken. Compounding the problem is the fact that there are insufficient funds to build new roads on a sizable scale. An integral part of the solution is to better manage the demand put on our existing transportation system and to maximize its capacity.

Launched in 2006 by ODOT and Metro, Drive Less Save More seeks to reduce single-occupant car trips and vehicle miles traveled as a means of better managing the demand put on our transportation system, and minimizing the environmental impacts of vehicle use. Pac/West has since achieved impressive results in elevating public interest in driving less and spurring individuals to reduce car trips through strategies such as trip chaining and/or use of transportation options, including transit, ridesharing, teleworking, biking and walking. Target audiences for this campaign include individuals aged 18 and older.

The latest post-campaign telephone survey shows that Drive Less Save More continues to deliver results. More than half of area residents (51 percent) recall seeing, reading or hearing something about reducing car trips. Nearly 19 percent of the Portland area population has reduced their car trips as a result of Drive Less Save More, and a conservative estimate of reduction in vehicle road miles is 21.8 million, which translates into a reduction of about 10,700 tons of CO2.

Results achieved for the Drive Less Save More campaign have had a measurable, positive impact on Oregonians, our economy and the environment.