Cincinnati Metro invites the region to “go green” this Earth Day by choosing public transportation, which offers an easy and immediate way for each of us to reduce our energy use and carbon footprints.
One person switching his or her commute from a private vehicle to public transit can reduce daily carbon emissions by more than 4,800 pounds a year, or 20 pounds per day, according to the American Public Transportation Association. That means that choosing to “go Metro” offers even greater environmental benefits than other energy savings activities, including using energy efficient light bulbs or adjusting household thermostats.
Nationally, public transportation reduces the number of cars on the road and saves 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline, while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 37 million metric tons annually.
“Metro is proud to offer a transportation option that not only saves money, but also lessens the impact on our environment,” said Darryl Haley, Cincinnati Metro CEO and General Manager. “As a transit system that moves nearly 50,000 people a day all over our region, we continue to look for new ways to reduce our carbon footprint and strive toward developing a zero-emissions fleet.”
As part of a new Transit Electrification Program, Metro is seeking competitive grant funding to deploy six zero-emissions electric buses and six charging units by the end of 2023, with plans to acquire additional electric buses and all related charging equipment as funding allows.
A few of the ways Metro has already worked to reduce its environmental footprint include:
- Operating 27 hybrid buses, which help reduce emission by more than 90 percent
- Using rainwater to wash buses, burning waste oil to heat garages and recycling engine fluids such as refrigerant, coolant and transmission fluids
- Installing LED lights at Metro’s transit centers and operating facilities
- Recycling more than 45 tons of scrap metal per year
- Using a cardboard baler purchased with the help of an Ohio EPA grant to reduce waste and generate $1,200 annually from cardboard recycling
Cincinnati Metro is a non-profit, tax-funded public service of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, providing about 13.5 million rides per year.