When you hear the word “bus,” you probably automatically think of the loud, smelly yellow bus with ripped seats that you had to ride to and from school everyday. If you’re like most people, this isn’t really the happiest of thoughts. But the truth is, modern coach buses are so unlike those old school buses, mostly in regards to smell and noise and comfort in general.
There’s one big similarity between all buses though: they’re easily some of the most eco-friendly methods of travel today, even when paired up against high-tech hybrid cars and passenger rail trains. Take a look at some of the statistics discovered by the American Bus Association (in collaboration with the Union of Concerned Scientists) about the eco-friendly superpowers that modern coach and charter buses have these days:
- Any vehicle that runs on fossil fuels (i.e., nearly every vehicle right now) ends up producing carbon dioxide emissions that harm the environment as a whole, but engineers focusing on better bus systems have put a lot of effort into reducing the “carbon footprint” of coach bus lines.
- In fact, data shows that coach buses are about three times more efficient, in terms of reduced CO2 emissions, compared to commuter rails, and about seven times more efficient than normal single-passenger vehicles.
- Averaging about 206 miles per gallon (MPG) per passenger, buses are, by far, the most fuel-efficient transportation option. The runner-up is the commuter rail, which gets a measly 92 MPG per passenger.
- By providing well over seven million passenger trips per year, coach bus companies have provided intercity transportation options for Americans that don’t have access to other options, like planes or railways.
- Furthermore, coach buses have helped reduce congestion in busy cities, and just one bus can replace up to 55 cars on the highway.
So with all of those statistics in mind, maybe it’s time to start planning your next cross-country trip? To learn more, read this. Read this for more.