Transit Workers are Environmental Warriors

APRIL 22 -- You can breathe easier on Earth Day knowing that our system is doing more to fight against the adverse effects of climate change than any other. The transportation sector, powered mainly by fossil fuels, is the largest single source of emissions in the United States, accounting for 28% of all national greenhouse gas emissions in 2022. However, over half of these emissions come from passenger cars and trucks. In contrast, public transit emits a fraction of the emissions compared to the same commute by car.

That’s where we come in. Each bus takes on average 30 cars off the road, and the average subway can replace 250 automobiles. By riding with NYCT, transit riders across the New York City region avoid at least 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from being pumped into the atmosphere. This is equivalent to the amount of carbon absorbed by a forest the size of Indiana. Back in 2012, noted climate campaigner Bill McKibben wrote a column for the Daily News titled Bus Drivers and Subway Workers are the Real Environmentalists. McKibben wrote, “If you wanted to find some of the greenest workers on the continent, look no farther than the city’s subway tunnels and bus lanes.” In addition, TWU Local 100 was also part of the initiative to refurbish diesel trains and rebuild their engines to meet the latest EPA-approved standards for burning ultra-low-emission fuel, extending the trains by 10 years. As McKibben mentioned, the NYC Transit is “a model of efficiency, with the lowest cost per passenger trip, the second-lowest cost per hour of service, and the second-lowest cost per passenger mile.” Happy Earth Day!