Search title image Search GO button

Transportation News

Spare the Air: Friday, September 5

Friday, September 5 is a Spare the Air day. There is no free transit. Spare the Air advisories are issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District when ground level ozone levels are expected to exceed federal health standards.

To help Spare the Air and protect the climate, make simple, everyday choices such as taking transit, combining errands into a single trip (trip linking), telecommuting or skipping a trip completely. Transportation is responsible for about 50 percent of the smog-forming compounds that form ozone, as well as 50 percent of the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

Tips to reduce both air pollution and greenhouse gases:

Take Transit:

  • Public transit saves money. For every dollar earned, the average U.S. household spends 18 cents on vehicle-related transportation. This is the largest source of household spending after home mortgages.

Refuel in the Evening

  • If you need to refuel your vehicle, wait until early evening (or later). By refueling late in the day, the gasoline fumes that escape while you’re refueling (volatile organic compounds) will have a minimal impact on the high ozone levels expected on July 9.

Drive Smart:

  • Slow down! Reduce speeds from 75 to 65 mph and increase gas mileage by 15 percent.
  • Smooth and steady: Accelerate and decelerate smoothly. Reduce aggressive driving to increase gas mileage by up to 33 percent (highway) and 5 percent (streets). Use cruise control to reduce speed changes.
  • Tune it up: Improve your vehicles gas mileage by 4 percent.
  • Lighten the load! Clean out the car and the trunk — remove 100 pounds and improve fuel economy by 2 percent.

Spare the Air Every Day and Protect the Climate!

For more information on Spare the Air, visit www.sparetheair.org

To plan your trip on transit, visit www.511.org.