In observance of National Air Quality Awareness Week, the Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership, Inc. and Krispy Kreme Donuts served breakfast to more than 300 commuters who use the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s University Boulevard Park and Ride in Moon Township this morning.

“The rising price of gasoline has many regional commuters looking for an alternative to their daily drive to and from the office,” Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership Chair Lee Ann Briggs said. “Using transit can help commuters save money as well as cut down on air pollution. Today, we are rewarding those commuters who are doing their share for clean air by using the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s park and ride system.”

Pittsburgh radio station Y 108 helped to host the breakfast event. Port Authority offered tours of its new hybrid-electric bus.

Driving a car is one of the biggest contributors to ground-level ozone or smog, and summer time is our smoggiest season. During the hot summer season, air quality pollutants bake in the sun to cause ground-level ozone. On a day when the ground-level ozone is high, the elderly, young and people with asthma or emphysema, are at risk for more respiratory problems.

“National Air Quality Awareness Week is a great time to reiterate the environmental benefits of public transportation,” Port Authority Chief Executive Officer Dennis Veraldi said. “Each of the Port Authority’s 900 full-size buses can take the equivalent of 60 cars off the road, thereby significantly reducing emissions.

“Our buses meet or exceed strict federal emissions standards and will operate even cleaner this fall with the use of ultra low-sulfur diesel. Port Authority also is committed to testing alternative fuels and is currently operating six hybrid-electric buses that reduce emissions and noise while increasing fuel efficiency.”

Regular car maintenance and tune-ups, changing the oil, and checking tire inflation can improve gas mileage and cut fuel costs for commuters. Proper maintenance can reduce car emissions by more than half. Emissions from one poorly maintained vehicle can equal that from 25 properly functioning cars!

The Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership offers the following tips to help commuters conserve energy and improve air quality:

· Try to limit daytime driving and minimize “cold starts” by combining trips and errands so the catalytic converter on your car stays warm. Most vehicle emissions occur within the first few minutes of engine operation, when the converter is cold and inefficient.

· Reduce unnecessary car engine idling by parking your car and walking into a building rather than going through the drive through lane;

· Refuel after dark to prevent some of the resulting gasoline vapors from becoming smog. Avoid spilling gasoline and stop when the pump shuts off automatically;

· Avoid carrying unnecessary items in the trunk. Extra weight decreases the gas mileage. Reduce drag by placing items inside the car, not on the roof rack;

· Avoid high speeds. Mileage can be increased by about 15 percent by driving 55 mph, rather than 65 mph;

· Keep tires properly inflated and aligned. Periodic wheel alignments and keeping tires inflated to their maximum recommended pressure will help increase gas mileage; and

· Carpool, take a bus, walk or ride a bike just one day a week for a year, and you’ll save about 1,200 miles in a typical commute and about $455 in total driving costs. Ridesharing can mean a shorter ride on the High Occupancy Vehicle lanes too.

Following these suggestions is particularly important on an Air Quality Action Day when ground-level ozone levels are expected to be high.

Look for more energy conservation tips for your home, car or business for the busy summer season ahead, by visiting the Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership, Inc. website or call 412-396-1550 or 1-800-333-7688. While at the website, sign up to receive the free daily Air Quality forecast on your e-mail!

5/19/2006