By LeJuan Burt, VP of Maintenance
Every day, millions of vehicles pack the roads of Southeast Michigan, adding up to a significant environmental cost. In 2023, Michigan drivers logged 98.3 billion miles and produced 141.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. Passenger vehicles account for most of that impact, with 91 percent of all miles traveled and 86 percent of transportation-related emissions.
Public transit is one of the most effective tools we have to change that.
A single SMART bus can take as many as 60 cars off the road. When that bus is full, its per person emissions drop by roughly 37 to 40 percent compared with the same number of people driving alone. This is happening across our region every day. Each rider who chooses SMART over a solo trip helps lower emissions and ease congestion.
Cleaner air follows. Communities with higher transit use experience fewer tailpipe emissions, better air quality, and reduced respiratory health risks. This is especially important in urban areas where pollution tends to concentrate and where vulnerable residents feel the effects more sharply.
SMART is already moving toward a cleaner future. Through our partnership with DTE and Proterra, electric buses are now part of Southeast Michigan’s transit network. These zero-emission vehicles reduce both air and noise pollution. Since 2022, we’ve expanded our electric fleet, with the Oakland Terminal in Troy serving as our center for charging and maintenance.
Powered by renewable energy, electric buses eliminate tailpipe pollution entirely while delivering reliable service. As the fleet grows, so does our environmental impact. We are also using data and real-time GPS to plan smarter routes, reduce fuel use, and cut idle time.
We know people face barriers to choosing transit. Limited awareness, gaps in service, and concerns about convenience can make driving feel like the default. SMART is addressing that with on-demand Flex services, onboard Wi-Fi, charging ports, and real-time arrival information that makes transit easier to use.
Infrastructure upgrades are part of the solution, too. Dedicated transit lanes and traffic signal priority, supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Michigan’s Carbon Reduction Strategy, will help buses move faster and stay on schedule. These improvements reinforce the idea that public transit is an essential infrastructure for a sustainable future.
Michigan’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 means rethinking how we move people. Transit must play a central role in reaching that target.
As we move forward, the environmental value of transit will continue to go beyond reducing emissions. Communities built around reliable transit see less congestion, lower infrastructure costs, and better public health. When people have practical alternatives to driving alone, neighborhoods become more vibrant and more sustainable.
Every trip on SMART carries real environmental benefits. Choosing transit reduces emissions, improves air quality, and strengthens the infrastructure that supports healthier communities.
The environmental future of Southeast Michigan depends not just on the vehicles we drive, but on the trips, we decide not to take alone. Choosing SMART is choosing sustainability.
