I’ve often said that we pursue every way to lower our carbon footprint. Here’s a simple idea that will have a big impact: Why not take the bus to work?
In this case, we’ve rolled out a fleet of 25 buses to take our techs from job to job in New York City. In a crowded urban area where traffic is ferocious and parking spaces are at a premium, we thought this would save a lot of time as well as gas. Click here to view a video and infographic of the MAGIC buses.
It turns out that the savings will be significant. Our buses – dubbed MAGIC buses, for Mobile Area Garage Installation Center – will remove 250 trucks from the roads of New York City, and save an estimated 70,000 gallons of gas each year.
The buses were customized to carry all the equipment and supplies our techs will need throughout the day, and two of the MAGIC buses were designed to be fueled by compressed natural gas, and also have plug-in electric systems.
The savings here roll into our overall sustainability goal of cutting our carbon-intensity by 50 percent by 2020. And it’s just one of dozens of energy-saving efforts in the works. We have more than 2,000 vehicles that run alternative fuel. We’re greening our offices, building ENERGY STAR-certified stores andhelping customers recycle their old wireless phones. We’re testing new technologies like electric work vans from VIA Motors, powering cell sites and network facilities with solar panels, and fuel cells, and saving gas by installing GPS monitoring and diagnostic systems in our vehicles. We’re even monitoring tire pressure and reducing the weight of equipment carried on our work vans. All to lessen our impact on the environment.
I’m particular tickled by our MAGIC buses, because they’re a win on so many fronts. We save on gas, reduce truck maintenance and cut carbon emissions, our techs move from job to job more efficiently, and there’s less traffic on New York City streets. And there’s one more benefit from getting on the bus – no more New York City parking tickets.
