01:00:00.750,01:00:03.458
[Dennis Butler] Our region is a very green region.
We serve the people.
01:00:03.458,01:00:07.833
It’s not just carrying them around town, but it's doing it in a way
that’s going to be sustainable for the long term.
01:00:07.833,01:00:10.667
[TEXT: Innovative Cities Oakland, CA. Americans are greening their
transportation systems.]
01:00:10.667,01:00:13.583
[TEXT: Dennis Butler, AC Transit] AC Transit had had a long history
in experimenting and adopting
01:00:13.583,01:00:16.125
alternative energy technologies and green technologies.
01:00:16.125,01:00:20.917
So it just seemed like a way that we could contribute to developing
some environmentally sustainable technology
01:00:20.917,01:00:24.583
by converting 700 buses to compressed natural gas.
01:00:24.583,01:00:28.667
[TEXT: Daniel Kammen, University of California, Berkeley]
Oakland has been one of the hotbeds for taking these ideas and
putting them into practice.
01:00:28.667,01:00:33.458
What can you do to encourage the use of green vehicles?
You start it at the city level.
01:00:33.458,01:00:37.625
[Iris Starr] The city doesn’t own AC Transit;
we work in partnership with them.
01:00:37.625,01:00:43.500
[TEXT: Iris Starr, Oakland Public Works Agency]
If we are doing smart transportation then we are not putting so many
cars on the road.
01:00:43.500,01:00:48.083
[TEXT: James Pachan, AC Transit]
We provide service to about 60 million passengers per year.
01:00:48.083,01:00:51.083
The customers really like it because it doesn’t have any emissions.
01:00:51.083,01:00:54.875
So as it’s traveling down their street, it’s not going to pollute
their neighborhood.
01:00:54.875,01:00:58.000
[TEXT: Raymond Davis, AC Transit]
Since I’ve been driving it, it’s gotten a lot of attention.
01:00:58.000,01:01:00.417
I think the more of them they put out there the better it is.
01:01:00.417,01:01:04.083
[TEXT: Lindsay Wright, Oakland Tourism Bureau]
Other cities could take a look at our AC Transit system and really
learn
01:01:04.083,01:01:08.292
about all the advanced technologies that are taking place right now.
01:01:08.292,01:01:11.917
[Daniel Kammen] Sustainability has been pushed by the public.
01:01:11.917,01:01:14.625
My hope is what happens in California will go nationwide.
01:01:14.625,01:01:18.167
[Dennis Butler] We consider stewardship of the planet to be an
important part of what we do.
01:01:18.167,01:01:21.042
The people we serve are interested in environmental sustainability.
01:01:21.042,01:01:24.333
They love the bus, they love being part of a technology
demonstration program
01:01:24.333,01:01:28.083
that’s going to improve bus service and improve the ecology
everywhere.
01:01:28.083,01:01:30.667
[TEXT: Americans are greening their transportation systems.]
01:01:30.667,01:01:34.208
[TEXT: Share your ideas. Facebook.com/CONX
Facebook.com/ConversationsOurPlanet]
01:01:34.208,01:01:37.500
[TEXT: Produced by the U.S. Department of State]
Videos
Innovative Cities: Oakland, California
11 December 2012
This video was produced by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Information Programs in December 2012. Speakers include Dennis Butler, AC Transit; Daniel Kammen, University of California, Berkeley; Iris Starr, Oakland Public Works Agency; James Pachan, AC Transit; Raymond Davis, AC Transit; and Lindsay Wright, Oakland Tourism Bureau.
- Keywords:
- hydrogen fuel cell buses,
- sustainable,
- green,
- technology,
- environment,
- Oakland,
- California