BUSES BEAT CARS: NVTC REPORT CONFIRMS THAT PUBLIC TRANSIT IS GOOD FOR NORTHERN VIRGINIA'S ENVIRONMENT
Sharing the ride means that even diesel-powered buses are better for the environment than cars
The Northern Virginia Regional Commission is pleased to share the good work our colleagues across the region are undertaking. Happy to share a new report from the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission on the environmental benefits of public transit.
A new report from The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) finds the use of public transit in Northern Virginia reduces up to 160,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year and that even diesel-fueled buses provide greater benefits to the environment than people driving in cars, SUVs and light trucks.
Key Findings
The "Climate Benefits of Transit in Northern Virginia" report concludes that while personal vehicles are a major cause of pollution, riding trains and buses can mitigate these emissions.
Key findings:
The use of public transit in Northern Virginia reduces 120,000 to 160,000 metric tons of CO2 annually.
All bus fuel types, even diesel buses, are a much greater climate option than using cars.
While electric cars might eventually produce fewer emissions per mile than fossil fuel buses, electric cars need to make up a much larger proportion of on-road vehicles before other bus fuel types become better options.
There are opportunities for the region’s jurisdictions and transit agencies to learn from each other when it comes to developing policies that consider how transit could benefit the environment.
What does 120,000 to 160,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide mean?
Recommendations
"Transportation is the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, with over half of those emissions generated by cars, SUVs and pickup trucks," said NVTC Senior Program Manager Xavier Harmony, who co-authored the report with Senior Program Analyst Sophie Spiliotopoulos. "Despite improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency, transportation emissions have been creeping steadily upward for decades."
That's why it's important to think bigger about how to reverse the upward trend. The report makes the following recommendations:
Increase ridership (shorter-term)
Reduce miles and hours when a transit vehicle is not taking passengers, also known as deadheading, where possible (shorter-term)
Increase the amount of transit in the region (medium-term)
Speed up buses using bus priority infrastructure and policies (medium-term)
Transition to zero emission buses (longer-term)
"As Northern Virginia continues to attract new residents and businesses, we need to think about ways to make it a healthy region for our children and grandchildren. This report bolsters what we already know," said NVTC Chair Matt de Ferranti, "Encouraging as many people as possible in our region to ride public transit is good for the environment. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion, helping save our climate for generations to come."
About the Northern Virginia Regional Commission
NVRC is a consortium of thirteen local governments representing more than 2.5 million residents. While only 3% of Virginia's land mass, Northern Virginia has a GDP of $276 Billion which is 41.6% of the GDP of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Northern Virginia’s GDP is larger than 24 states and the District of Columbia and if a country would be the 48th largest economy in the world.