A Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) report found that since 2012, the agency has reduced total NOx emissions by 50%, and last year expanded the use of renewable natural gas for bus fuel to reduce the agency’s greenhouse gas emissions by 13%, while at the same time reducing operational costs.

Metro’s “Energy and Resource Report” provides an annual evaluation of the agency’s sustainability performance measured across 10 specific performance metrics. These include unlinked passenger trips, vehicle-miles traveled, operating expenses, criteria air-pollutant emissions, greenhouse-gas emissions, greenhouse-gas displacement, energy use, water use, total solid waste, and diversion from landfill.

Performance in 2018 across the 10 sustainability indicators shows that during this era of expansion, the continued adoption of best practices has enabled positive trending across several areas. For example, since 2017, Metro has reduced its greenhouse-gas emissions and criteria air-pollutant emissions through the transition to renewable natural gas and near zero-emission engines. Metro also has reduced energy use and increased waste diversion from landfills, even as the system is expanding.

As Metro plans for the future, this performance summary reveals areas of opportunity to be prioritized in Metro’s sustainability strategic plan. These include identifying new and innovative ways to reduce water use and waste generation that will ensure continued progress in these areas.

In addition, the report shows several case studies and program highlights illustrating how the agency’s forward-thinking approach to sustainability is driving a decentralized change in Metro’s internal culture and how this is building a sustainability movement within the organization and across the region.

To view the 2019 Energy and Resource Report, click here.