Do buses really reduce pollution?

Question

I think carpooling and biking are great ideas, but I have never really felt great about buses. They run all day, sometimes with only a few passengers, and they take really circuitous routes to get to all their stops.

So which is better, to have people drive only when they need it, or to have buses run all day (and take longer routes) but carry multiple people? Is there a quota of passengers that must be carried for buses to truly be more fuel-efficient than cars?

Answer 1

In San Diego and Los Angeles most of the busses run on Compressed Natural Gass which is very clean burning,as far as biking, the busses have bike racks so you get the best of both worlds.I dont know what city your in but in Southern California the busses are packed.

Answer 2

I never thought about it that way, but you do have a point. I think that a bus would have to stay a little over half full of passengers the whole day to be as effective than less cars on the road. What really needs to happen in the automobile industry is more cars with hybrid engines, including bus and big-rig engines, because they operate 24/7 in most places. I think that buses should be continued to be used, but only in peak hours when more people are riding the bus.

Answer 3

For most major cities bus systems new buses run off of Compressed Natural Gas or Propane which means the bus runs cleaner than your car.

Answer 4

A car that makes short runs (grocery runs) expell much more carbon monoxide than does a bus that is at operating temperature running all day. Over the length of 8 hours, a bus transports many more people and reduces traffic congestion than you would driving your car on a commute.

Answer 5

Yes, the buses would need a minimum number of people; however, the buses are going to be running anyway. So each time you decide to drive, instead of taking a bus, all of your vehicles emissions are not neccesary.

Answer 6

well it's hard to say, the bus produces more pllution than a car if travelling the same distance, but a double decker bus can take around 75 people and that's mainly the equivalent to around 34 cars. so the bus helps cut down on pollution. Plus new ones are being fitted with all sorts of hybrid technolgy, running on hydrogen or electrical battery packs, instead of using diesel.

Answer 7

not when they are running all day in some cites and if they are not being properly serviced.

Answer 8

no