The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County’s transit fleet is getting better for the environment as the RTC Board continues to make clean transportation a priority in our community. The RTC added an additional 17 new hybrid buses to its fleet in February 2021.
The New Flyer Hybrid electric/biodiesel buses replaced aging, end-of-life vehicles. As of February 2021, 55 out of the 68 buses in RTC’s fleet, or more than 80%, are hybrid or electric alternative-fuel vehicles. The RTC’s goal is to have an all-alternative-fuel fleet by 2035.
The RTC is committed to improving sustainability across the agency and throughout our community. Since 2010, the RTC has reduced total facility energy use by 25%, reduced criteria air pollutants per unlinked passenger trip by 13.1%, and increased our recycling rate to approximately 33%.
There are a variety of benefits to taking public transportation. For example, if you take a bus, you help reduce greenhouse gas emissions into our environment, which helps promote better air quality in the Truckee Meadows. In addition, public transportation can ease traffic, reduce congestion, and save energy and fuel.
In July 2017, the RTC Board formally adopted its award-winning Sustainability Plan as the guiding document on the future of sustainability for the agency. This plan identifies the existing transportation and operational sustainability measures undertaken by the RTC and establishes goals to continue to reduce fuel consumption, improve air quality, and further minimize the carbon footprint of RTC operational activities.