When you use Calgary Transit as part of your trip, you are not only getting a cost- effective way to travel, you are also helping the environment.

Reducing vehicular emission is the most important way we can improve Calgary’s air quality. Six of the seven major air pollutants come from cars and light trucks, with the average car emitting four tons of pollutants every year. Transportation is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions (32%), which are expected to cause major climate change impacts in the future.

In Calgary, over 110,000 people work and travel into the downtown core every day. More than 42% of these people travel by Calgary Transit to work. If these people decided to drive instead of using Transit,  an extra 38,000 vehicles would enter the downtown core. This extra 38,000 vehicles and the current 53,000 vehicles entering the downtown core today, would occupy over 20 lanes of traffic, which is equivalent to 273 city blocks. CO2 emissions would increase by 40%.

75% of Canadians feel air pollution is affecting their health. As many as 16,000 Canadians die prematurely each year as a result of high pollution levels and poor air quality. The number of children hospitalized for asthma increased 23% between 1980 and 1990. Car-related health costs in Canada are now estimated to be over a billion dollars annually.

Ride Calgary Transit! Using Calgary Transit instead of your vehicle, reduces CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions by 176,000 tonnes.

A single bus can carry as many people as 40 to 50 cars, with emissions per passenger-kilometre close to one quarter the level of cars. The buses used by Calgary Transit are cleaner-burning, use premium quality low sulphur diesel fuel, are monitored for fuel efficiency and have maintenance performed on them regularly.

A three-car C-Train can carry over 600 passengers, equal to 545 private vehicle trips. And the great thing about the C-Train it is 100% wind-powered. 12 wind turbines were installed near Pincher Creek to produce enough electricity to power the entire C-Train system, reducing CO2 emissions by 26,000 tonnes (equivalent to 7.5 million vehicle trips in Calgary).

Calgary Transit is working to help cyclist get around Calgary for part of their trip. Calgary Transit’s bike programs allow customers to ride to the C-Train station and lockup their bike before boarding transit, take their bike on the C-Train and our new program, "Bikes on Buses" lets customers put their bikes on the bus on front mounted racks. 

Try carpooling, walking or cycling. If you need to use your car, perform regular maintenance checks, oil changes and check your emissions control system. This will help reduce the amount of emissions that your car creates.

So what are you waiting for? Ride Calgary Transit today. Your health and the environment will thank you for it.