Employees at the TransLink enterprise are committed to sustainability.Supplied
Residents of Metro Vancouver rely on transit, so it’s natural for them to be happy when their bus arrives, but for Namrata Sheth, the sight of any zero-emission or electric bus on the road makes her face light up. It also reminds her why she loves working at Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC), a TransLink (South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority) subsidiary.
“It brings a smile to my face because it means less emissions and that we’re closer to meeting our climate targets,” says Sheth.
“One of the reasons I joined CMBC was to work on something tangible around climate change, so seeing that brings me great fulfilment.”
The TransLink enterprise delivers transit services in the Greater Vancouver area. Headquartered in New Westminster, it’s responsible for everything from buses, SkyTrain and West Coast Express to major roads and bridges, as well as pedestrian and cycling paths. Dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint, the enterprise has an ambitious climate action plan.
Sheth is a program manager in the low carbon fleet department at CMBC, which is helping transform enterprise goals, like a 45 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050, into reality. From finding the most fuel-efficient vehicles right down to the kind of light bulbs used in offices, Sheth and her team are one of many working toward making operations more sustainable.
Sheth says the organization’s drive to be greener gives her and her colleagues a shared sense of purpose.
“It’s been a great experience working with the team and collaborating with many others, both at CMBC and across the enterprise,” she says. “I get to influence our sustainability goals and bring us closer to meeting targets, which is very meaningful.”
The TransLink enterprise also has benefits and incentives to encourage green behaviour from employees. A key component is the free Compass Card Sheth enjoys under the Employee Pass Program, giving access to SkyTrain, West Coast Express, bus and SeaBus services. It’s also one of the benefits that gets Will Steep out of bed at 5 a.m. every workday without complaint.
“I really don’t mind because I get to come into the office and focus on what needs to be done alongside people who care about what they’re doing, the quality of their work, and the impact it has on the communities we serve,” he says.
“It’s also allowed me and my family to go carless, taking one more vehicle off the streets.”
Steep, director of field operations for SkyTrain and West Coast Express commuter train service at British Columbia Rapid Transit Company, heads the team that oversees the station attendants and other employees who keep transit services running. They’ve also collaborated with other departments on initiatives like upgrading the West Coast Express locomotive fleet with new pollution controls, resulting in an estimated reduction of criteria air contaminants (CACs) emissions by 48 per cent.
Other measures include switching to hydrogenation-derived renewable diesel (HDRD), which will see an emissions reduction equivalent to taking about 940 cars off the road. Additionally, new LED lighting in the West Coast Express parking lots not only brings greenhouse gas levels down by being more energy efficient, but it also lasts 10 times longer, lowering maintenance costs.
The TransLink enterprise’s commitment to sustainability presents opportunities for current and prospective employees, says Steep.
“I feel very fortunate that the enterprise has been good to me, giving me progressively larger and more complex roles and portfolios,” he says.
“The shared sustainability values among enterprise employees make it hard to imagine working anywhere else.”
More from Canada’s Greenest Employers
Advertising feature produced by Canada’s Top 100 Employers, a division of Mediacorp Canada Inc. The Globe and Mail’s editorial department was not involved.