GO Riteway Transportation Group is not putting the brakes on its efforts to care for the environment. Between its use of alternative fuels, idling technologies and policies and advanced technology vehicles, the motorcoach operator is making strides in petroleum reduction.
Thanks to a grant from the Wisconsin Clean Transportation Program (WCTP), over the past few years GO Riteway has greatly reduced its use of petroleum in the Milwaukee area.
Through assistance from the Wisconsin State Energy Office and Wisconsin Clean Cities-SEA, who administer the WCTP, GO Riteway's fleet has gone greener. In 2012, the conversion of GO Riteway's airport shuttle fleet from gasoline to propane autogas was completed. Thirty-one shuttle vans were converted with the Roush Cleantech Propane Autogas Conversion System. In late 2011, GO Riteway built a propane refueling station for its shuttle vans. Funding for the conversion of the airport shuttle fleet was provided by the WCTP.
In addition to funding for propane conversions, the WCTP provided funding for the up-fit costs for five GO Riteway school buses and one 24-passenger commercial minicoach. Up-fitting is a term used for the conversion of gas burning vehicles to run on cleaner burning propane autogas.
Other green vehicles within the GO Riteway are 16 Thomas Freightliner C2 school buses that run on the Eaton hybrid regenerative braking system and two International school buses, also run on the Eaton regenerative braking system. Two Chevy Volts, which run on electric hybrid technology, were introduced to the fleet in early 2012 and are used by the outside sales team. The Volts run 35 miles on battery power before switching over to gas operation.
Going forward, GO Riteway and the Wisconsin Clean Transportation Program will continue their efforts together and individually to do what they can to improve the air quality in and around the metro Milwaukee area.