Ecological driving refers to a series of measures that any vehicle driver can put into practice and that contribute to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). For example, making smooth starts and stops, anticipating traffic movement and traffic light changes, using the decelerator and minimizing idling are driving habits that have a direct impact on the reduction of pollutant emissions. For a few years now, the STM has provided all its bus drivers with intensive training in ecological driving, and the positive effects on air quality are increasing year by year.

CONCRETE RESULTS

At the end of 2006, 1 507 bus drivers, or more than half the workforce, spread over five transportation centres, had received training in ecological driving. With the bus drivers’ contribution, the reduction in GHG emissions from the buses has reached more than 2 000 tonnes, the equivalent of the withdrawal of 449 cars travelling 20 000 km per year.

EVEN MORE POSITIVE EFFECTS

When they discuss ecological driving, many bus drivers admit to having also adopted this type of driving for their personal vehicle so our programme also produced unexpected positive effects!

INTEGRATED ACTIONS

The STM joined in with the City of Montréal’s campaign against idling by adopting the slogan « Vous ne roulez pas? Coupez le moteur! ».

Does this statement seem obvious to you? Well, you should know that it hasn’t always been that way. Not so long ago, no one would have thought that it would have been beneficial for the environment to turn off the engine of a stationary vehicle. Some people even had the idea that it cost them more in gas to restart an engine that to let it idle, an idea that proved unfounded. Leaving an engine idling unnecessarily consumes more and pollutes more. Those are the facts!

The STM has installed some one hundred posters bearing its logo and the tagline for its ecological driving programme to remind its bus drivers of the threat that unnecessary idling can present to health and to the environment. The posters have been installed in the transportation centres and the bus terminals as well as at locations where our vehicles are likely to be stopped for several minutes.

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