The Freedom to Move Act aims to reduce emissions by expanding transit, not by banning driving
In what sounds counterintuitive, Massachusetts lawmakers are pushing a bill to reduce how much people drive, but it doesn’t actually target anything drivers do. It won’t reduce the number of miles people can rack up or penalize them for driving more.
Instead, it aims to offer more transportation options outside of driving itself. Legislators hope that better alternatives will encourage fewer people to rely on cars in the first place.
Read: Plug-In Hybrid And EV Drivers Face Pay-Per-Mile Tax In The UK
Formally titled S.2246, and more casually known as the Freedom to Move Act, the legislation would require the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to set clear targets for reducing total vehicle miles traveled across the state.
Sponsored by Democratic State Senator Cynthia Creem of Newton, the bill is designed to align Massachusetts’ transportation planning with its legally mandated climate goals.
The state says that transportation represents the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. By largest, they don’t just mean by a few basis points either. It evidently makes up some 40 percent of emissions.
Of course, the new bill won’t directly address that issue, but offering environmentally friendly options could, in the long run, end up paying off. That said, lawmakers are doing all they can to emphasize that this bill won’t stop (or forcibly reduce) residents from driving.
Can Better Options Change Old Habits?
According to Creem and other supporters, the legislation does not cap individual driving, impose new taxes, issue fines, or penalize residents for how often or how far they drive. Instead, it’ll focus on expanding alternatives like public transit, bike lanes, pedestrian infrastructure, and even ferries where appropriate.
“The purpose of the Freedom to Move Act is to ensure that we are investing in all transportation options,” Creem said to NBC Boston, stressing that the bill is meant to increase choice rather than limit it. She also highlighted the bill’s built-in flexibility, noting that transportation needs in Greater Boston are vastly different from those in Central Massachusetts, the Berkshires, or Cape Cod.
The legislation would establish a 15-member intergovernmental coordinating council tasked with developing strategies to reduce vehicle miles traveled. While the bill does not specify a numeric reduction target, it directs the state’s Transportation Secretary to set official goals beginning in 2030, with updates every five years. Whether or not this effort pays off won’t likely be something we know for quite some time.
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