The Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce welcomed the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corp. (IndyGo) as a new member to its Green Business Initiative, recognizing IndyGo's proactive engagement in environmentally responsive and "green" business operations.

IndyGo was also honored as one of 15 finalists for the inaugural Indianapolis Sustainability Awards.

"While the nature of our service promotes sustainable choices, IndyGo's recognition as a Green Business is more about what we are doing to lessen the environmental impact of our own operations," said Mike Terry, IndyGo president/CEO. "It's especially rewarding to find that these initiatives are not only good for our environment; they can also provide tremendous cost-savings."

Among IndyGo's "greening" initiatives is a multi-million dollar fleet and facility upgrade project that was made possible in part by ARRA funds. This work is expected to yield $400,000 in annual operational savings. The upgrades include the procurement of 22 new buses, hybrid supervisor vehicles and even a Segway for the downtown supervisor.

The project also covers installation of bike racks and solar lighting at bus stops and the repair/ replacement of major facility infrastructure systems, including HVAC, lighting and ventilation — all of which will reduce IndyGo's overall energy utilization and environmental impact.

To learn more about IndyGo's efforts to encourage the use of transit while enhancing the sustainability of its own operations, click here.