Smarter Business: Greening Advisor

Public Transportation

Using public transportation cuts down on the number of cars on the road. In addition, many forms of public transportation use alternative fuels such as natural gas and fuel cells. Using public transportation therefore reduces the transportation sector’s emission of pollutants such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulates. Reducing these emissions means less smog, global warming, acid rain, and negative health effects. Public transportation is also often cheaper than travel by car, and increased use of buses, subways, and trains reduces the need for on-site parking facilities. Review the ideas and resources in this section for more information on how to increase travel by public transportation to your business or event.

Program Ideas

• Pay employees’ public transportation costs.
• Offer “commuter checks” or other pretax vouchers for public transit tickets.
• Provide rebates or other incentives to employees or event attendees who arrive via public transportation.
• Consider charging a fee for parking.
• Enter those who arrive via public transportation into a monthly raffle.

Additional Resources

• PublicTransportation.org
• American Public Transportation Association