Green+Initiative

[[image:banner_gogreen.jpg width="522" height="123" align="right" caption="Avatec. Retrieved from http://avatecpower.com/gogreen.php"]]
BC Transit is dedicated to using the cleanest, newest forms of technology in an effort to lessen their global footprint and create a green community. The corporation has a variety of green technologies in use, as well as green plans in motion to better our community. BC Transit is one of British Columbia's leaders in sustainability and sets an example to other businesses in the province. = = =Green Technology: =

BC Transit is proud to be using some of the most advanced forms of technology in their fleet of buses. Three of the buses BC Transit has introduced are:


 * __[|The BYD eBus-12]__ – designed in China, This zero emission bus, runs on an iron phosphate battery, which will take it 250 km’s before it needs to be recharged. The bus also has solar panels on the roof to convert solar energy to electricity.


 * [|The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buss] - these buses are a major asset in assisting the province of its goal to lower Green House Gass emissions by 33 percent, by 2020. The Hydrogen Fuel Cell buses emit no greenhouse gasses.


 * __[|The Hybrid Electric Buses]__ – these busses have three major advantages. They reduced fuel consumption and emissions and have substantially lower operating costs.

In addition to the technological advances on their buses, BC Transit is working to clean the air though the use of specialized filters and catalysts, which have been installed on over 180-power diesel buses. Over a year, the filters and catalysts are expected to particulate emissions by fifty percent, hydrocarbons by sixteen tonnes and carbon monoxide by two hundred and twenty-two tonnes.

=Green Programs: =

Park & Ride: In an effort to conect the transit system with other methods of transportaion BC Transit has started the Park & Ride program which enables commuters to drive to a location and take transit the rest of the way.

Bike & Ride: The majority of busses are equipped with bike racks so cyclists are able to bike & ride with convienece.

[|Clean Air Day:] BC Transit is partnered with the BC Ministry of Environment and Environment Canada to support Clean Air Day activities in communities throughout BC.

Rideshare: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Rideshare is a program that encourages people to reduce emissions by lessening the number of empty seats in vehicles on the road.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">No Idling Policy: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Transit operators are trained in a Smart Driving course which educates drivers on how to be feul efficient and enviromentally friendly on the road. This includes a no ideling policy.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">BC SCRAP-IT Program: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">BC Transit and BC Scrap-It help British Columbians replace higher polluting vehicles with cleaner forms of transportation like transit and cycling. For example in Victoria, citizens can trade in their car for up to two years of free transit service.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">[|Commuter Calculator:] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">A calculator that helps passengers discover how much they save by using BC Transit over driving their own vehicle.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">BC Transit Corporation. Green Programs (2011). Retrieved from: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">http://www.bctransit.com/gogreen/green.cfm