Going green

We’ve done a lot in recent years to reduce our carbon footprint, both on the road and in our stations and offices. And we’re going even 'greener' wherever we can…

Eco reasons to go Greyhound

Traveling on a bus (like a Greyhound), is actually the smallest carbon footprint of any mode of transport. (Bikes and walking excluded!)

If you took a Greyhound bus instead of your car, you'd reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by around 85%. That's pretty huge. And it's true for 1 person traveling alone, or even two buddies going together.

If you’re thinking about traveling with Greyhound instead of flying, that’s a good move, too. Even if there are two of you, you’ll cut carbon emissions by 55-77% if you travel by bus (plus, it’s way better for the wallet).

Our greener buses

And now, for the technical, geeky bit on eco technology...

All new Greyhound buses are built with the latest emissions-reducing parts. And our refurbished buses have been given the green treatment too – with upgrades that help increase engine efficiency and fuel economy.

Low-sulfur fuel & fuel economy

All our buses run on clean-burning low-sulfur diesel fuel, and our engines meet the latest EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) standards for carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions.

Our refurbished buses have a re-tuned driveline and torque management in lower gears, which means an increase in engine efficiency and fuel economy.

Diesel particulate filters

During 2013-14 we retrofitted part of our fleet with diesel particulate filters, to cut down our emissions even more.

Using our modern vehicles most

As part of environmental strategy (yes, Greyhound is so serious about going green we have a strategy), we ensure that our most modern vehicles are the ones that see the most asphalt, since they produce lower emissions.

Idle management systems

We limit the amount of time our buses are idle to conserve fuel and reduce emissions while the bus isn’t moving.

Our eco-friendly stations

You probably won’t notice all the little things we’re doing in our stations to save energy and resources – because they’ve all become second nature (especially our super-green landscaping).

Saving electricity

We’ve been switching our fluorescent light bulbs to LED lights or more energy-efficient bulbs. Even our back-lit, neon Greyhound signs have been switched to LEDs without compromising their iconic glow.

Environmentally-friendly landscaping

The landscaping in our stations requires minimal watering and uses water from our rainwater capture systems. We also use recycled materials wherever possible.

Recycling cooking oil

Even the oil we use in our food service kitchens doesn’t go to waste – we work with a vendor to recycle it.

Our energy-saving offices

We started a ‘small changes, big difference’ campaign in our head office and the mantra's worked, with little improvements adding up to a much greener working environment. Here are just a few of the ways we’re saving energy and reducing waste, every day.

Not a paper cup in sight

We've banished paper cups. Mugs are much nicer anyway. And while we can't eliminate all paper (at least, not yet) we're cutting down wherever we can – like making our printers print documents double-sided by default, cutting usage in half. Our average waste recycling increased in 2013 to 25.1% – so over a quarter of all waste gets recycled – and we’re still aiming higher.

Recycling our electronics

Whenever we update our computers or other electronic equipment, we pass it on to an electronics recycling company who's able to either re-use or recycle it, reducing waste that may otherwise end up in a landfill.

Reducing water waste

The taps in our restrooms have motion-activated sensors, so they only turn on when there's a hand to be washed. No forgotten taps running.

Motion-activated lights

The lights we use in our offices have motion sensors, so if no movement is detected, the lights will automatically go off, saving electricity. (The sensors are much better than us humans at remembering to switch the lights off.)

Motion-activated paper towel dispensers

Our paper towel dispensers reduce waste by only dispensing what’s needed. (No more pulling out a stack of paper towels when one will do.)

Did you know more than half of the air pollution comes from cars, SUV's and trucks? Greyhound is an inexpensive, convenient and comfortable alternative to ridesharing.

These might all seem like common sense things, but when you add them up across offices with thousands of people... it adds up real quick.