Certification for Sustainable Transportation and Green Coach
Lisa Chase, UVM Extension & Vermont Tourism Data Center David
Kestenbaum, UVM Extension & Certification for Sustainable
Transportation Laura Anderson, Rubenstein School of Environment and
Natural Resources TRC Brown Bag | August 17, 2012
Slide 2
Sustainable Transportation Transportation accounts for more
than 25% of CO 2 emissions in U.S. Over 50% of these CO 2 emissions
come from vehicles driven for personal use Focus on mass transit,
supply and demand Source: US EPA 2010
Slide 3
Motorcoach Travel Can exceed 300 to 500 passenger mpg and
remove 55 to 80 private vehicles from roads per bus, if filled to
capacity. Carry approximately 750 million passengers per year.
Slide 4
Certifications
Slide 5
TRC Signature Project #3 Assess the impacts of a pilot green
coach certification program on: 1.Behaviors of motorcoach
operators, 2.Consumer demand for motorcoach travel.
Slide 6
GCC Pilot Program Certification Criteria 1.Meeting or exceeding
the industry average of 148 passenger miles per gallon. 2.Running
an EPA 2007 compliant engine. 3.Running an EPA 2010 compliant
engine. 4.Offsetting carbon emissions by 80 percent through an
endorsed carbon-trading program. 5.Running on an alternative fuel
such as a blend of biodiesel. 6.Having a strict, documented, and
verifiable energy conservation and recycling program.
7.Incorporating other emerging environmental technologies as
prescribed by the GCC.
Slide 7
GCC Pilot Program 2009-2011
Slide 8
Participating Companies Academy Coach Anderson Coach Lines
Archway Bristol Tours Brown Coach Calco Travel Capital Bus Lines
Coach USA/Megabus Dattco Escot Hammond Transportation Services
Hampton-Jitney Hotard Coaches Lamoille Valley Transportation
Paradise Trailways Peter Pan Plymouth and Brockton Premier Coach
Lines Riteway Bus Lines Royal Celebrity Coach Lines Time Lines
LLC
Slide 9
Research Component 2009 (Start of GCC Pilot) 2011 (End of GCC
Pilot) Tour operator survey-- Motorcoach operator survey GCC
participant survey