NJ TRANSIT IS ON THE MOVE FOR EARTH DAY
Promoting A Sustainable Future With Innovative Programs and Services
April 22, 2022
NEWARK, NJ – NJ TRANSIT is continuing its mission to reduce its carbon footprint this Earth Day, by focusing on a variety of programs and services directed at current customers and those of generations to come. From launching the battery-electric bus program to the development of the agency's first sustainability plan, NJ TRANSIT is leading the effort to “go green.”
“NJ TRANSIT is committed to advancing sustainability and resiliency into all aspects of our public transit system,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. ”Working with community partners and other stakeholders, we look forward to doing our part to protect and preserve the environment for future generations.”
“NJ TRANSIT has a great deal to celebrate this Earth Day,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “In addition to playing an essential role in improving our environment – allowing our state to avoid approximately 6.3 million tons of Greenhouse Gas emissions every year – we are embarking on our first-ever Sustainability Plan and progressing our ambitious goal to achieve a 100 percent zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040, including the recent completion of the charging infrastructure at our Newton Avenue Bus Garage in Camden.”
First Ever Sustainability Plan
As highlighted in NJT2030: A 10-Year Strategic Plan, NJ TRANSIT is embarking on creating its first ever Sustainability Plan, incorporating feedback from stakeholders throughout the state to help shape the future of sustainability at the agency. This plan and its implementation are the next steps in advancing NJ TRANSIT’s commitment to sustainability. Through this plan, NJ TRANSIT will create a vision to establish a more sustainable future for the planet, the communities we serve, and for the NJ TRANSIT organization. Sustainability themes like water and energy consumption, equitable transportation, clean vehicle technology, resiliency, and the customer experience are among the themes that will be explored in the Sustainability Plan.
The first step in creating the Sustainability Plan is identifying what matters most to NJ TRANSIT’s stakeholders to prioritize the factors that will advance NJ TRANSIT’s role in sustainability. NJ TRANSIT is reaching out to stakeholders including the general public, environmental advocates, community leaders, NJ TRANSIT customers and the agency’s employees to develop the framework of the plan.
The Sustainability Plan supports NJ TRANSIT’s commitment to a clean energy future and will provide the direction for NJ TRANSIT to be a leader in sustainability.
For more information on NJ TRANSIT’s Sustainability Plan, please visit https://www.njtransit.com/sustainabilityplan
Zero Emissions Bus Program
In March, NJ TRANSIT unveiled new, electric bus charging stations at its Camden bus garage. These chargers and associated infrastructure upgrades represent the next step in NJ TRANSIT’s goal of transitioning to a 100% zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040. This work sets the stage for a deployment of the agency’s first eight battery electric buses in Camden later this year.
The Camden project is a first of its kind initiative for NJ TRANSIT, which will test electric buses in real world conditions on specific NJ TRANSIT routes. This will provide invaluable data and information on the effects of weather, passenger volume, road conditions and other factors on electric bus performance, including travel distance available between recharging. The project will also review the infrastructure resources and work required to modernize NJ TRANSIT’s bus garages to accept new charging stations, and the significantly greater power feeds needed to energize them.
Spring Fling Promotions
Throughout April, NJ TRANSIT has been offering various promotions for its customers to “go green” and save money. NJ TRANSIT is inviting new customers to see for themselves how safe, convenient and affordable the transit system is! From April 4 through April 30, customers who set up a new NJ TRANSIT Mobile App account or have not purchased an NJ TRANSIT mobile ticket from their existing account within the past six months are eligible to receive one free round-trip ticket between any origin and destination, using the promo code “TRYSPRING”. Only 5,000 codes will be issued each Monday.
NJ TRANSIT customers can use the promo code “FRIEND22” in the mobile app to “Buy One, Get OneFree” round-trip ticket between any origin and destination. Only one code can be used per account during the promotion. See njtransit.com/spring for more details.
Environmental Benefits of Riding NJ TRANSIT
According to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory report from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), it is estimated that New Jersey’s transportation sector (including personal vehicles and trucks) accounts for 40.0million metric tons CO2 equivalent (MMTCO2e), which is 41 percent of the gross GHG emissions statewide. Most transportation emissions, nearly three quarters, comes from personal vehicles. The Federal Transit Administration estimates a single occupied vehicle emits 0.96 pounds of CO2 per passenger-mile. The chart below highlights public transportation emissions through its various modes normalized on a per passenger-mile basis.
The total emissions released from
NJ TRANSIT’s operations represents just 1.62% of the total transportation sector and produces 60 percent less in GHG emissions per passenger-mile than the average person driving alone, demonstrating its efficiency.
NJ TRANSIT’s role in reducing emissions can be even more significant and can lead to even greater benefits as the more passengers who ride mass transit, the lower the emissions per passenger-mile.
In addition to efficiency benefits, there are land-use benefits of transit on GHG emissions. Public transportation promotes compact developments; businesses, retail space, schools, and living areas are constructed within close proximity. Land use that prioritizes public transportation, including Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), promotes walking and cycling due to the close distance of traveled areas and access to transportation options. Compact development tends to emerge near transportation systems —bus depots, rail terminals, and light rail stations. For instance, NJ TRANSIT’s Hudson-Bergen Light Rail serves the high-density areas of Jersey City and Hoboken and connects people from across the region to ferries, trains and buses.
About NJ TRANSIT
NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 253 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 166 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.