Personal Impact
Driving and Riding Compliance Waste Diversion
Climate Changers Electricity at Home & Work
Driving
The transportation sector contributes 38 percent of Connecticut's economy-wide emissions, principally from the use of fossil fuels in passenger cars and light duty trucks.
Riding
People got on the bus less often.
Bottom Chart: In 2018, ridership on in-state local and commuter busses declined again, giving us our lowest ridership numbers since 2011. In late 2016, CTtransit fare prices were increased in eight transit service areas. The fare increase might not be the sole reason for the decline in ridership. Other factors that could include success in ride sharing efforts (see below) and gasoline prices that have stayed below the highs of some previous years.
Using mass transit or ride-sharing are effective ways to avoid the negative environmental consequences of driving a car. The Department of Transportation's transit and ride-sharing website helps commuters find the best way to get to work or school and offers information & resources for travel options throughout Connecticut. Recent metrics from CTrides shows an increase in general program usage.
In 2015, new routes were added and CTfastrak service was launched on the Hartford to New Britain corridor, but total ridership remained about the same. Ridership data, collected by the Department of Transportation, are estimated for 2016 and 2017 and will be refined in future reports.
* Personal impact indicators illustrate trends in behavior or practices that can be expected to influence the condition of tomorrow's air, water, land and wildlife.