Analysis of consumer preferences toward governmental policies designed to reduce energy consumption in the private-transportation sector

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:6329573

Tashchian, A

Current energy shortages and price increases have brought the energy problem into sharp national focus. The private transportation sector of the US economy accounts for about 14% of national energy consumption and about 30% of all petroleum used in this country. Reduced consumption in the area of private transportation, therefore, can lead to significant savings of petroleum and can be a major tool in helping to alleviate the energy crisis. In order to explore the preferences, perceptions, and expectations of citizens regarding possible solutions to the nation's energy crisis, it is first necessary to have an instrument that measures consumer attitudes toward the energy problem and a test that gauges consumer knowledge about energy-related issues. The first phase of the study involves the psychometric development of a scale, designed to measure consumer attitudes toward the energy problem. In the second phase, public preferences were obtained concerning four governmental policies designed to reduce the amount of energy consumed by the private transportation sector: (1) a gas-guzzler tax; (2) weekend closing of gasoline stations; (3) increasing gasoline prices; and (4) rationing the supply of gasoline.

• OSTI ID: 6329573
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
291000* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Conservation
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320200 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Transportation
ALLOCATIONS
CONSUMPTION RATES
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY SHORTAGES
FUELS
GASOLINE
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
LIQUID FUELS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PRICES
PUBLIC OPINION
SHORTAGES
TRANSPORTATION SECTOR