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Transportation choices for the green traveler - a presentation on travel choices Sept 2010
Getting There Getting Around (480 KB)

Getting There and Getting Around: Transportation choices for the green traveler

Transportation sources account for approximately 29 percent of total U.S. green house gas emissions and the percentage is growing. Considering and opting for different modes of travel, green travelers can reduce the carbon footprint and support the development of multimodal transportation systems in North America.

Getting There:
The United States is still oriented for car travel for short and medium distances and flying seems like the only long distance option, it might still be worth a little research to see what other options exist.

The Amtrak system serves 46 states and over 500 destinations. It may not be the right choice for every trip but for many trips it can work one way or both. For example, flights on airlines are priced for one way so you can consider riding one way and flying another. For medium distances in certain parts of the country, rail travel provides a real option to driving or flying. The northeast corridor and the west coast services in California and Oregon/Washington offer short and mid-distance service between popular destination cities.

Or for others, it may just be important to see that choices exist. For a group going to Minneapolis, Green Concierge Travel prepared a set of options with carbon footprints that included regional bus service (2 companies), rail and driving with 3 different types of vehicles. In the end, the group opted for two “one way” charter buses where people could ride both ways or one way and use another mode of travel for the other leg.

Look for MEGA bus in the central east coast and midwest for inexpensive intercity connections. Greyhound still provides service to 2300 destinations while it has eliminated many of its rural routes. And regional carriers offer service on high revenue/high use routes like Badger Bus and the Milwaukee/Madison service.

Getting Around:
New options are popping up all the time for getting around your destination once you arrive.

Private services: Green Cab serves the Greater Seattle area and Planet Tran in the San Francisco Bay Area (San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose airports) or Greater Boston Area (Manchester, Boston and Providence airports). These private ride services fill in when a personal service is needed or public transit does not work. For example, Green Concierge Travel used Green Cab which owns a fleet of hybrids to connect from Amtrak’s Cascade service to the SeaTac airport in Seattle.

Car rentals: When a car is needed, you now have more choices. Many of the car rental companies have added hybrids to their fleets but you may have to pay a premium for the Prius or Ford Escape. Bio-Beetle on Maui offers a selection of vehicles fueled by biodiesel.

Transit: Other options include the local transit systems. Most larger cities have a readily accessible route planner that can often be accessed from your hand held electronic device by phone. You can often get the schedule of the next bus/train serving your stop and connection information. If you are planning ahead, all of this is available on line.

Fare savers and stored value transit cards can make traveling around a destination very easy and convenient. Transfers from one mode of travel to another are usually included.

Bikes and walking: Many communities have bike rental shops. The mostly geared towards recreational biking, many have also recognized that visitor may be looking for commuting options as well. Check ahead of time. You might need to bring your helmet. And increasingly, communities are designating pedestrian zones to encourage walking. Look for walking tours to experience a destination from the ground up.

Just to give you a sampling of a few companies from around the country:

• Urban Adventours Boston bicycle tours & rentals, http://www.urbanadventours.com/
• Bike and Roll in Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco, New York, http://www.bikeandroll.com/
• Alamo Bike Rentals in San Antonio, http://www.alamobikerentals.com/

You get the idea. If you are interested in biking or walking, options exist at many destinations.

Green Concierge Travel will continue to look for new options and provide sample itineraries that highlight using a variety of modes of travel for Getting There and Getting Around. You can help by sending your information to info@greenconciergetravel.com with the header – Getting There, Getting Around. Or post your information on Green Concierge Travel’s Facebook page.

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