To help you understand the environmental impact of choosing a charter bus, we compared carbon emissions for passenger cars and charter buses. This comparison uses standardized emissions rates based on a study conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, commissioned by the American Bus Association Foundation.

Emission Rates Used:

• Passenger Cars: On average, passenger cars emit 406.1 grams of CO₂ per passenger-mile.
• Charter Buses: Charter buses are highly efficient, emitting only 52.6 grams of CO₂ per passenger-mile.

What Is a Passenger-Mile?

A passenger-mile measures the amount of carbon emitted for one passenger traveling one mile. For example:

• If a single car emits 406.1 grams of CO₂ to transport one person one mile, that’s 406.1 grams per passenger-mile.
• If a charter bus carrying 40 passengers travels one mile, its emissions are spread across all those passengers. As a result, emissions per passenger-mile are far lower.

How the Study Determined These Figures:

•The Texas A&M study used data from government sources, including the National Transportation Statistics and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s MOVES model, which estimates emissions for vehicles.

•Passenger-mile calculations consider fuel consumption and the number of passengers traveling. For example, one bus carrying 40 passengers achieves far lower emissions per passenger than individual cars.

Why It Matters:

By choosing to travel together in a charter bus instead of driving individual cars, you helped reduce carbon emissions significantly. A charter bus at average capacity emits 87% less CO2 compared to the same group traveling with single-occupant cars.