About VIA Mission, Vision & Promise

VIA’s primary sustainability efforts focus on the reduction of vehicle emissions. VIA’s maintenance personnel have performed retrofits of older buses to install reduced emissions engines, and idle limit controls are employed along with dry-break refueling. In 2017, VIA began to replace the agency’s fleet of clean-diesel-powered buses with vehicles that are fueled by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). VIA has diversified its fleet further by integrating new, alternative power sources such as propane, electricity, and hybrid technology. VIA continues to monitor fuel and propulsion technologies that help reduce local air pollution.

VIA employs rigorous recycling efforts, focusing on waste oil and lubricants, batteries, paint solvents, office paper, cardboard, scrap metals, refrigerant, and plastics.

Conservation is a high priority. VIA has retrofitted its facilities with energy efficient lighting, installed upgrades to the HVAC systems and windows, and reduced the energy requirements for the climate control system of the maintenance garage.

VIA has implemented an Environmental and Sustainability Management System (ESMS) using the International Standards Organization (ISO) 14001:2004 standard as a guideline. The ESMS and its rigorous standards demonstrate the commitment that VIA has in working to mitigate environmental impacts on our community and our shared environment.

In 2016, VIA earned certification from the ISO for the agency’s proactive efforts to provide sustainable service through its ESMS. VIA was the first agency in the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Region 6, a five-state region, to earn the ISO 14001 certification.

To commemorate the achievement, green-and-white flags were placed at VIA locations that are certified by the ISO, which sets worldwide standards and has published more than 20,500 international standards covering almost every industry. The flags fly at VIA’s Maintenance facility, 1720 N. Flores St., Administration Building, 800 W. Myrtle St., and the VIA Metro Center, 1021 San Pedro Ave.

VIA explores the use of renewable energy where feasible. The agency draws 100 percent of its electricity from CPS Energy’s Windtricity program. Solar panels will power the lighting at new bus shelters, and solar-panel systems have been installed to reduce power needs at five transit facilities, nearly 700 bus shelters, and the recently completed Centro Plaza at VIA Villa.

VIA works to reduce water pollution through the use of an on-site industrial wastewater treatment facility and the installation of stormwater interceptors to prevent contaminated bus yard runoff from reaching the local watershed. Water use is also conserved through the use of native, drought-tolerant landscaping at all properties and recycled water for bus washing.