No person should be left behind with less efficient, higher polluting transportation options simply because of where they live. The Transportation Energy Institute announced that it is committed to finding solutions that are accessible to underserved communities, including lower income, rural and tribal communities.

The Transportation Energy Institute (TEI) announced yesterday that it has published a new white paper: Transportation Equity. The new release explores the depth of issues underserved communities are facing with transportation energy.

The paper first describes what transportation equity is and how states and the federal government have approached equity in transportation planning. It then discusses equity in the context of the Administration’s Justice40 activities, and how it has been considered in the rollout of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.

The white paper concludes with suggested questions and gaps that could be the subject for further research.

“If the transportation solutions being promoted are not accessible and affordable for consumers, they will fail,” explained TEI Executive Director John Eichberger. “The consumer is the ultimate decision-maker, and we must ensure that all consumers have access to affordable and reliable transportation. Understanding what current policies can achieve is an important first step, but ensuring equity in transportation will require more than just policies—it must become a priority for the transportation energy sector.”

The Institute hopes to raise awareness of the unique challenges and opportunities of these communities and support the development of solutions that ensure their continued access to affordable and reliable transportation energy.

Download the free whitepaper.

For more on transportation equity, keep an eye out for the upcoming spring issue of Fuels Market News Magazine, which will dive further into the TEI white paper and what transportation equity means for communities.