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Going Green in Long Beach |
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Written by Administrator
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Wednesday, 10 March 2010 |
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We felt right at home with the big buses this past week in California. After all, the motor coach tour industry is actively ‘going green.’
Go green, go ‘IDLE-FREE for our kids’ – the signature campaign of The Children’s Clean Air Network was recognized for its work with Ambassatours Gray Line this past week at the United Motor Coach Association EXPO in Long Beach.
Ambassatours Gray Line VP Brian Gillis was on hand to receive special recognition from Pat Ziska, Vice President – Sales & Marketing at Motor Coach Industries. See the media-event photo album and in-depth interviews here.
Perhaps Long Beach (next-door to Los Angeles) was the ideal location for a mind-meld on ‘go green, go coach’ strategies – simply because of ‘walk the talk.’
The city’s own transit and active transportation systems and practices are extraordinary; we witnessed transit buses that shut-down at temporary stops, compressed natural gas (CNG) and hybrid buses were common, and cabbies more often than not, IDLE-FREE at curbside.
Wow. Think of the fuel and emissions they’re saving. Kids are breathing easier.
Sure, Southern California offers a lot user-friendlier climate than most to cut IDLE-time without passenger discomfort. However, based on what we know and years of talking to the tech experts, buses and cars need only a fraction of yesterday’s IDLE-time. And most interiors retain their comfort-zones a lot longer. In Calgary or Cuyahoga County.
This represents collective savings of astronomical amounts of fuel and emissions across North America.
Mixed in with all of this clean-air friendly transportation around Long Beach is a walking / cycling and active transportation system that could be the envy of North America.
When it comes to 'go green' creativity, especially in the area of individual mobility, California leads the way. Here’s a prime example, spotted on the streets (ok, sidewalks) of Long Beach. Behold the IDLE-FREE pedal-powered ‘canine cab.’ For interviews and context, visit: www.IDLEFREE-MCI.com
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 05 April 2012 )
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‘Hybrid power of kids & drivers’ fuels U.S. sponsorship |
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Written by Administrator
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Wednesday, 08 February 2012 |
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Big fuel and emissions savings at Ambassatours Gray Line will be in the spotlight at United Motor Coach Association EXPO in Long Beach, California, February 8 – 12, 2012.
“Ambassatours Gray Line has saved $60,000 and CO2 equal to the weight of about six motor coaches in two years by going ‘IDLE-FREE for our kids’,” says Ron Zima a.k.a ‘The IDLE-FREE Guy’, founder of The Children’s Clean Air Network.
Motor Coach Industries and Allison Transmission, two major suppliers in the industry, are co-sponsoring ‘The IDLE-FREE Guy’ to share the Ambassatours Gray Line success story at the UMA EXPO.
“Our drivers and staff have kids. Once they understood that this was important to their own kids, they quickly started to buy-in,” says Ambassatours Gray Line president Dennis Campbell. The company is the largest motor coach charter company in Atlantic Canada.
“What’s under the hood with our campaign is simple. It’s the emotional pull of kids on drivers,” says Zima, a hockey dad and father of two. “It’s transformational. Once we understand how much we can all save by ‘going green, going IDLE-FREE for our kids’ – drivers come on board pretty quickly.”
Motor coach operators from across North America attend the UMA EXPO to network with experts, share best practices and solutions for streamlining their enterprises.
It’s being held this year at The Long Beach Convention Center, in Long Beach, California.
For interviews and context, visit: www.IDLEFREE-MCI.com
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 05 February 2012 )
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