Carbon-costing tool. A tool for calculating annual CO2 costs of special-needs transport

One of the procurement activities facing every Dutch local authority is organisation of transport for people with special needs. In some cases collaboration among municipalities and districts may be facilitated by provincial authorities.

Special needs transport falls into three categories, each with their own characteristics:

• Additional (mini-bus) transport under the Social Support Act for those unable to travel by regular public transport or by other, independent means. This transport is for shopping, visits to family/friends and other social/recreational purposes as well as for dentist and physiotherapy appointments and suchlike.
• Transport for pupils unable to attend regular schools and needing transport to special-needs schools.
• Transport for youth care/day care, responsibility for which moved to local authorities in January 2015. With youth care, this transport is for children and teenagers going to (medical) day-care centres or after-school treatment/therapy. Day-care transport is for a wide range of clients of varying age.

To what extent could carbon pricing influence the modernisation of transport company vehicle fleets, specifically those vehicles used for these three categories of transport? The study starts by characterising the current situation, using the carbon-costing tool to estimate the carbon costs associated with how this transport is organised at present.

Link to the Excel carbon-costing tool