Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Your Mission – Should You Choose to Accept It

Every so often here at Smart Trips we’ll get an email or phone call asking how one can log their commutes in a hybrid, or on a motorcycle -- and probably coming soon – electric vehicles. The short answer is, well, you can’t. It’s not as simple as you might think.

Don’t get us wrong, we understand the reason for the confusion. Motorcycles can get good gas mileage, but most don’t produce fewer emissions. (Some actually are as polluting as SUVs!) Hybrids produce fewer emissions and get better gas mileage; electric vehicles will produce no emissions (at least from the tailpipe, but consider how much pollution was emitted during the electricity generation). All three types of vehicles still take up space on the road and in parking garages. And after all, Smart Trips’ mission is to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion.

What to do? Well, carpooling is an option regardless of the type of automobile you drive. And carpooling in a hybrid or electric vehicle will ease traffic congestion and reduce even more emissions! Rather be on two wheels? Give bicycling a try. Or think about this: one bus removes the equivalent of about 40 vehicles from the highway.

And please know that however you choose to help the environment, Smart Trips applauds your efforts.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

i am signed up w smart trips and i ride the bus often. Does smart trips have any influence with Kat? #22 Broadway bus often runs late in the afternoon , and yesterday the one that i ride didn't show up at all so i had to wait over 30 min to catch the next bus. Can smart trips do anything about this? I wont be riding the bus much longer if my bus doesn't show up. That means i will be driving alone everyday.

Knoxville Smart Trips said...

Update: Smart Trips forwarded Brian's concern to KAT customer service who responded to him within 24 hours as to the reason for the missing bus (mechanical failure).