Transportation

Transportation
The economic and environmental costs of transportation can be high for your business and your employees. There are many ways to lessen the impact of your business’ transportation choices, including greening your company fleet, providing commuting alternatives and flexible work hours to employees, educating employees about green driving practices, and greening your company’s out-of-town travel.

The following list of green transportation tips will get your company started down the right road.

Get Started 

  • Measure your fuel use and emissions. Share the information with your employees and set reduction goals.
  • Improve your vehicle selection by selecting hybrids, or the smallest, most fuel efficient vehicle for the job.
  • Increase fuel efficiency by not idling, driving less aggressively and slowing down.
  • Combine and plan your trips to reduce miles driven.
  • Properly maintain your business’ vehicles – including performing timely oil changes, checking tire inflation, and other routine maintenance that boosts fuel economy.
  • Consider committing to purchasing Carbon Offsets to green all business travel.
  • When possible, use teleconferences or web conferences rather than traveling.
  • Give incentives such as parking space buy-outs for employees who use public transportation, carpool, or ride their bikes to work.
  • If possible, provide bike storage, showers, and changing facilities for employees who bike to work.

Local Resources and Organizations
Extensive links to State of Michigan programs, incentives and information regarding transportation efficiency

AAA Michigan provides knowledge about alternative fuels and vehicles at its Greenlight Initiative website.

Other Resources and Organizations
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

Earth911.com for Business: Conference Calls
Earth 911 examines the pros and cons of using conference calls to reduce the need for workplace travel, and provides information on several web conferencing services.

EcoDrivingUSA
This website offers comprehensive green driving tips, and a short educational video on driving more efficiently to save fuel, which may be suitable for employee education and training. The website also includes maintenance tips, an ecodriving calculator tool, and educational materials such as an ecodriver manual, tipsheet, and printable poster.

EPA Green Vehicle Guide
Use this guide to choose the cleanest and most fuel-efficient vehicles that meet your organization’s needs.

King County, WA: How to start a commuter benefit program
Information from King County, WA Metro Transit on how a business can develop a commuter incentive program for its employees. Information on a wide variety of options is provided. 

US Department of Energy (DOE)

  • DOE Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center
    This website is a comprehensive clearinghouse of information and resources to enable the use of alternative fuels, in addition to other fossil fuel reduction options such as advanced vehicles, fuel blends, idle reduction, and fuel economy. National trend analysis, funding opportunities, and an incentives and laws database are included.
  • DOE Clean Cities Program
    The DOE Clean Cities program supports local decisions to adopt practices that contribute to the reduction of fossil fuel consumption. The Clean Cities website includes information, resources, and financial opportunities.

Greening Your Company’s Business Travel
A GreenBiz article examining challenges and opportunities to greening business travel.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center
The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) is a national clearinghouse for information about health and safety, engineering, advocacy, education, enforcement, access, and mobility for pedestrians (including transit users) and bicyclists.