- December 27th, 2024
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Citing that at 28% of total emissions in the United States, the transportation sector is responsible for the greatest share of greenhouse gas emissions, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), have published the Move! That! Bus! Tactics for Transforming Transit in Two Years report, designed to provide decision-makers like elected officials, transit board members, and department/agency executives with an action plan for improving bus service and reducing transportation-related emissions.
According to NACTO, the report offers details on how these groups can work together to offer frequent all-day bus service, redesign streets to prioritize buses, and adopt local policy reforms that support transit.
Flexible, simple, and efficient, a single bus can carry up to eight times more people than a personal car, reducing emissions by up to 82% per trip. More than half of all trips in the U.S. are less than five miles. With the right improvements, these short trips can be taken by bus at a fraction of the price, with efficient and reliable service that is competiive to driving.
Research from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change makes clear: Public officials have less than three years to avert the worst effects of climate change. And so they claim the power of the bus as a tool for fighting carbon emissions comes from three places.
First, improvements to bus service can be implemented quickly—with the actions outlined in the report capable of being realized in less than two years. Second, results are equally rapid. Leaders who commit to improving bus service can expect to see an immediate increase in bus ridersihp, as well as related safety, equity, and reliability benefits for their constituents. The bus is proven and effective.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, almost all decisions about bus service are made locally, by local governments and local leaders. Local transportation departments control the design of streets where the bus operates. Transit agencies decide which destinations to serve, how frequently to operate the bus, and what fares to charge. National policy cannot move at the speed needed to avert catastrophic climate change: local leaders must use local policy to reduce emissions and make key changes that improve the lives of their constituents.
Source: NACTO
