WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 13
Public transit does its part reducing NYC’s carbon footprint
BY CRAIG CIPRIANO
Public transportation is one
of the most effective tools we
have to fight climate change.
Every year, MTA services remove 17
million metric tons of carbon emissions
from the air by getting people
out of their cars – making New York
a national leader in reducing carbon
footprints.
It’s why we think every week is
“Climate Week” at New York City
Transit.
I’ve made it a priority throughout
my career to expand our agency’s
positive impact — because what’s
good for the environment is good
for the communities we serve.
In my former role as head of the
Buses division, I helped develop
Transit’s plans to transition our
5,800-bus fleet to all zero-emissions
vehicles by 2040. Earlier this year,
we ramped up that commitment
by ordering another 60 electric
buses, which is 15 more than we had
planned.
They’re expected to hit the streets
in all five boroughs late next year,
and we’re prioritizing deployment
to underserved communities.
This is an exciting step for Transit
after spending the last four years
piloting and learning from the use
of zero-emissions buses in our system.
The expanded purchase order
this year will more than triple our
electric fleet and represents a lot of
firsts for the agency: our first fully
owned, 40-foot, zero-emissions
buses; our first partnership with
the New York Power Authority to
install charging infrastructure;
and our first project that requires
adding new power supply from
our utility partners Con Edison for
electric buses.
That’s just the beginning. The
historic 2020-2024 Capital Program
includes $1.1 billion in funding to
buy another 500 zero-emissions
vehicles, along with required charging
equipment at eight of our depots.
There’s still a long way to go to
replace the entire diesel fleet — and
install the needed charging infrastructure
to support it — but we’re
optimistic that with local, state and
federal support we can meet our
ambitious 2040 deadline.
Continued expansion will not
only involve our local partners
like New York Power Authority,
Con Edison and New York State
Energy Research and Development
Authority, but also qualified bus
manufacturers from around the
country working closely with our
agency.
OP-ED
There’s no question the future
is electric. The entire country,
not just the bus industry, is in the
midst of a major transformation to
zero-emissions.
We’re getting on board to protect
the environment and improve social
equity for millions of people
who live in our service area.
Most of our bus depots are located
in low- and moderate-income
communities, with routes running
disproportionately through these
neighborhoods as a critical lifeline
for residents. Moving away from
diesel will not only further reduce
emissions that harm the environment
— it will also reduce cases of
asthma, emphysema and other illnesses
that affect our communities.
The arguments for the need
for a zero emissions fleet are not
theoretical, as the recent flash
flooding caused by the remnants of
Hurricanes Henri and Ida proved
what were once severe once-in-ahundred
years storms are increasingly
becoming more the norm. Let
the passing of Climate Week 2021
serve as a reminder of the powerful
role mass transit plays in creating a
better planet for all of us. Come take
a ride with us to be part of it.
Craig Cipriano is interim MTA
New York City Transit president.
SNAPS
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