It seems the green trend has taken permanent root in America. Most Americans nationwide are making an effort to make their lifestyles more sustainable, and transportation companies are doing the same. Tour bus companies, trucking companies, school districts, and even hospitals have all discovered the benefits of saving money by greening their vehicles and reducing their carbon footprints.
Hybrid Buses
With the popularity of the hybrid car and the introduction of the hybrid SUV, the rise in the number of hybrid buses should come as little surprise. Many cities around the country which utilize hybrid buses as an integral part of their public transportation system are discovering that the buses save them money on fuel, have a smaller impact on the environment, and also result in quieter streets, something any city-dweller can appreciate.
But the hybrid bus trend is not limited only to the United States. Recently, in the United Kingdom, the London Transportation Department held a contest to design a more environmentally friendly version of the famous Double Decker tour bus. The winning entry was an emissions-free variation of the beloved Double Decker bus with all the iconic features of the original- just in a greener package, and prototypes of the bus are already popping up on London streets.
More Responsible Hauling
Trucking companies around the country are also finding reasons to follow the green trend. Whether they’re filling up with biodiesel fuel or hauling their goods with more aerodynamic trucks and tires, these companies are making an important effort that could not only save them money, but also reduce their carbon footprint.
Many companies are also reevaluating their shipping routes in an effort to eliminate driving unnecessary miles that could be costing them- and the environment. The company Kraft, for example, recently cut over 50 million miles from its shipping routes, in part by analyzing its packing methods to determine the most efficient way to pack a trailer with goods for shipment. Kraft, like many other trucking companies, has also purchased numerous hybrid diesel-electric vehicles for its new, greener fleet.
Greener School Buses
With concern rising over the amount of pollution school children encounter from school buses (over 15 times the average amount of particle pollution, according to a Yale University study) and with rising fuel costs combined with shrinking education budgets, a greener school bus was a natural development. School districts nationwide are considering a number of changes to their school buses, including switching to biofuels, investing in hybrid buses, recalculating bus routes to make them more efficient, reducing idling time (which wastes an estimated half gallon of expensive diesel fuel per hour), and redesigning buses to contain standing-room only spots like those found on most city buses, thereby increasing the number of children who could ride on each bus.
Environmentally Friendly – Even in Emergencies
Like all other vehicles, emergency vehicles, such as ambulances, can be made more environmentally responsible, and many companies are doing just that. These vehicle modifications manage to enhance the ambulances’ environmental friendliness without compromising their life-saving performance.
Sweden in particular has made a name for itself by promoting its green ambulances. The AISAB, Stockholm’s healthcare transportation service, has trained its ambulance drivers to deliver patients to the hospital in a manner that reduces their fuel consumption (i.e. slower acceleration, more attention paid to RPMs, etc.) while still placing a priority on the patient’s life, of course. AISAB’s green ambulances also run on biogas, which is fuel derived from specially processed sewage acquired from households in the neighboring area.
In America, the green trend in medical transportation has also appeared in the form of a solar powered ambulances, such as the one designed by students in Denver, Colorado.
All vehicles- not just cars- can be modified to reduce their environmental impact. Transportation companies across the world are discovering that greening their truck, bus, and ambulance fleets usually directly benefits the company as well as the planet.
The Tenney Group offers transportation business broker services and assists in the full process of buying and selling trucking, ambulance, busing and limousine companies. Contact them today to obtain a professional valuation of your transportation business.