Yesterday in gas prices...in the Netherlands

One of the things I hope to do with this blog is not just tell the story of transportation here in Southern California, but the world. While traffic here is certainly no picnic, I do often think that many of us -- myself included -- could use a little perspective on how other people get from Point A to Point B.

Over the last week, I've been corresponding with Arie Verheul, who lives in Nijeholtpade in the Netherlands.  He first emailed me to note that while our gas prices may be shocking by American standards, it's something that the Dutch have dealt with for a long time.

I asked him to write up some comments about gas prices and transportation and yesterday Verheul emailed some photos and his thoughts on transportation in his home country. Here's an excerpt:

"For about thirty years the respective governments have tried to make driving less attractive, mainly by imposing all sorts of charges, and on the other side to make public transport more attractive, by providing various facilities, or even by providing certain groups of people with free passes for public transport. Until recently this had little effect, but the various existing initatives to reduce car traffic now seem to benefit strongly of the high fuel prices."

About the photos: The first, at right, shows a Dutch gas station near Wolvega. The prices are per liter and in Euros. The top price in the photo is for regular gasoline and translates to $9.43 U.S. dollars per gallon.

Verheul wrote that the second photo, below, shows: "A typical country side supermarket, few cars and many bicycles. Many people have large bags attached to their bicycle to carry the groceries home. An average bicycle may carry a load of about 25 KG or 55 Lbs."

 

To read the entirety of Verheul's email, click below...

The following is Verheul's message -- he broke it into categories, each beginning with an asterisk:

*** About fuel price structure

Shell oil company specifies on it's website [1] the cost structure of car fuel.

With this information the current dutch consumer gas price may be broken down (approximately) to the following:

    production and/or purchase cost for oil company  32.0 %

    sales and handling margin                         8.5 %

    government duties                                43.5 %

    VAT                                              16.0 %

*** How do we experience the high fuel prices ?

Strange enough the high car fuel prices are, generally speaking, hardly an issue.

On the average we travel over limited distances, and as we were accustomed to high fuel prices long before the spectacular price increase of crude oil, and as we have a long tradition of using public transport, and our bicycles, the recent price increase of car fuel went largely unnoticed.

Long before the rise of crude oil prices, and long before any environmental issues came into view,
there existed in our country large problems with, and concerns about, congestion and lack of parking space. For this reason there exists a broad concensus that these issues need to be solved.

For about thirty years the respective governments have tried to make driving less attractive, mainly by imposing all sorts of charges, and on the other side to make public transport more attractive, by providing various facilities, or even by providing certain groups of people with free passes for public transport. Until recently this had little effect, but the various existing initiatives to reduce car traffic now seem to benefit strongly of the high fuel prices.

So it may be assumed that to our government the current high fuel prices are a gift from heaven: from one side they are very helpul to reach the long term goal to make more people use the public transport, while on the other side they bring in considerably increased tax revenues.

It is still uncertain what consequenses may be expected in other area's, like home energy bills,
or energy intensive industries, but until now there does not seem to be any major panic.

*** How do people cope with the high fuel prices ?

For a fairly large group it is favourable that at this time many companies have great difficulties to get specialised senior staff. It therefore has become an established practise to offer these employees, as a part of the salary package, a company car that may be used under favourable conditions for private purposes. This means that for this group the increased cost of driving is in fact translated into a salary rise, and thus in economic inflation. Although the scheme may cause certain fiscal complications, it reduces in many cases the total cost of driving.

On the other side there are many who are less lucky, and to whom the car is just a costly means of transport. They are the first to adopt alternatives, like teleworking, carpooling or train-bike schemes.

*** Teleworking

As to an increasing extent commuters became stuck in the congestion around larger cities, it was realised that there was often little need to come all the way to the office. Through the internet one can log on to the company network from any place in the world, so why not from someones own home? People started to do this more and more, and both employers and employees are very satisfied about the results.

Some people also appreciate it to be temporarily freed from an overcrowded office, and use the days they work at home to do those jobs that require concentrated attention. By now it has in many companies become a fully accepted practise to work a few days per week at home.

*** Car pooling

Initially conceptuated as means to fight congestion around larger cities, car pooling enjoys now an increasing popularity. The idea is simple: near highway accesses medium size parking lots were

created, with a cycle store. A website was launched to bring commuters who travel daily from the same town of origin to the same business park elsewhere in contact with each other, and television commercials were broadcasted to promote the idea.

People come at a negotiated time to a car pool place with their own car, or on bicycle, and continue from there with one car to their destination. One is either taking turns to make the trip with someones car, or one shares the cost.

Similarly, companies use these locations to pick up their staff with mini buses. The advantage works both ways: cities save on road capacity and parking space, and commuters save on travel cost.

*** Travelling by train

Although travelling by train is far from cheap in our country, there are several subscription and discount schemes that can make it affordable.

Sometimes companies provide their employees with a railway pass, to save on company parking space and to avoid the loss of working hours through congestion.

Therefore in many places transport by train enjoys a growing popularity. On all lines there is from six in the morning to about midnight always at least one train per hour, which increases on busy lines and during peak hours to four or six. This leaves just the problem of transportation to and from the station in those cases where connecting public transport is unavailable or insufficient. Several solutions are used.

*** A. Two second hand bikes

Every railway station in the country has a good and free cycle store (such as the one at right). Many people keep two old bicycles, one in the place where they live, and the other in the place where they work or study, and go with one bicyle to the station of departure, do the long haul by train, and then take the other bicycle to their destination.

*** B. Collapsable bicycles

There is a small type of bicyle that enjoys a growing popularity. At first sight it looks like a children's bicycle, but it is proportioned in such a way that an adult can use it.

Because of it's small wheels it is not suitable for long trips, but up to about 3 miles and on good roads it is okay. It can be folded together in a simple way, and in that state it may be carried at no additional charge as hand luggage in all trains.

These days one may find in or around railway stations commuters folding or unfolding their mini-bike ("vouwfiets") to go from the station to their office.

*** C. Hire a bicycle

In cases where suitable connecting bus transport is unavailable, and a cab would exceed the budget,
it is at many railway stations possible to hire a bicycle.

A new scheme, using an electronic pass, makes it possible to avoid time consuming formalities like identification, registration and payment of a warrant sum. Because of the increased efficiency, the cost could be reduced to Euro 2.75 per day, or about the same amount one would spend for the bus. The use of this subscription service is charged monthly from one's bank account.

The scheme seems to be quite successful.

--Arie Verheul and Steve Hymon

photos: Arie Verheul

Comments

[don't ask]

yes indeed bikes are very comfortable...(irony) especially in the spring/winter/autumn,when u have to get up at 7.00 and go with 5-10C and constant rain at work...I FULLY ENJOY IT!!!(irony). as for the commuting in netherlands..very expensive and INEFFICIENT..for a distance of 15 mins by car it takes 35-45 mins by bys..on a 3 dollar ticket.
bike is nice..but it cannot be used solely as a means of transport.as for the fuel in europe is a NIGHTMARE...but still to me is cheaper and time saving to use my car...besides you dont need to have an SUV to go at work like americans do.

[Bucky]

I second Arie's assesment. I am an American living in The Hague and I can say most Americans haven't a clue how good they have it.

I work for the UN, and therefore am exempt from Dutch tax on my motor fuel. So in essence, I only pay about $5 a gallon here.

However, If you see an SUV here at all, be certian it is driven by a VERY wealthy Dutchman. With the taxes imposed by the Dutch government, a very basic BMW X5 sells for about $120,000. Then you will pay about $120 a month in road tax. After that, expect to pay $200 to filll up the tank. Get the picture.

We're moving back to the USA soon and will smile everytime we fill up at $5 a gallon!

[Jacqueline]

I'm glad I don't drive a car. Long live the bicycle. SAves a lot of money.

[Richard H]

"One of the things I hope to do with this blog is not just tell the story of transportation here in Southern California, but the world."

The story of high gas prices and high gas taxes in Europe is well known. Do an entry on China. I'm curious about the Gas prices there. Isn't gas subsidized? Also the major expressway construction that has been in progress for the last twenty years. The Beijing Government boasts that China's expressways will be larger than the U.S. Interstate Highway system in 10 years or so.

China used to be known as the land of bicycles. For the last several years bicycles have been getting run off the road. According to Chinese Government statistics, "The total number of motor vehicles for civilian use reached 56.97 million by the end of 2007, up 14.3 percent,[from 2006] of which private-owned vehicles numbered 35.34 million, up 20.8 percent [from 2006]. The total number of cars for civilian use stood at 19.58 million, up by 26.7 percent [from 2006], of which private-owned cars numbered 15.22 million, up by 32.5 percent [from 2006]."

Do other countries as well. I don't want to turn bottleneck blog in some sort of China bashing forum.

[ubrayj02]

I can see all of this stuff working here in Southern California.

Bike rentals at train stations? Why not?