In this edition of local business news, Greyhound Lines Inc. – which offers bus route stops in Montgomery County – is upgrading its fleet. Penn Medicine, with offices lining U.S. 422, aims to be the nation’s most eco-friendly health system.
Greyhound, with Local Route Stops, Upgrades Bus Fleet
DALLAS TX – Women account for 55 percent of all people who travel long distance on a bus, according to the federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Almost two-thirds of long distance trips are made by travelers age 25 to 64, it adds.
Those and other bus passengers, Greyhound Lines Inc. says, are looking for greater comfort, safety, and reliability in their intercity travels. Dallas-based Greyhound hopes to provide for those needs, it reported Tuesday (Nov. 12, 2024), with substantial improvements in its bus fleet.
Greyhound currently makes route stops in King of Prussia, Norristown, Doylestown, Quakertown, Allentown, and Philadelphia, as well as more than 60 other locations across Pennsylvania.
Greyhound, a business owned by Flix North America Inc., observes that “the demand for affordable and convenient travel options” is rising. It recently introduced a fleet of 60 new buses, some of which are already deployed on popular Northeast routes. Their destinations include Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston.
Their features are said to include redesigned interiors, ergonomic seating, enhanced wifi connectivity, and advanced safety technology. Over the next few years, Greyhound claims, it plans to similarly “upgrade its existing fleet with hundreds of buses.”
Photos provided to Travels With The Post by Greyhound Lines Inc.
Penn Medicine Goal: ‘Most Enviro-Friendly Health Care’
PHILADELPHIA PA – Penn Medicine, officially known as the University of Pennsylvania Health System, says it intends to “become the nation’s most eco-friendly health care” organization.
The health system on Monday (Nov. 18, 2024) released what it called a “sweeping” climate and sustainability action plan. It is a follow-up to Penn Med’s Earth Day 2024 pledge “to significantly reduce the organization’s environmental footprint by 2050.”
Penn Medicine operates or is affiliated with physicians’ offices in Pottstown, Limerick, Phoenixville, Schwenksville, Collegeville, Skippack, and King of Prussia. It also has hospitals and other facilities across Philadelphia and its suburbs.
The plan represents a road map to reduce carbon, buy solar energy for 70% of its power needs, reduce surgical equipment waste, print less paper, and recycle or donate unused furniture. Its goals include “cultivating a sustainable health system;” cutting harmful environmental emissions in half by 2030, and eliminating them by 2042.
Steps toward that end, some of which are already under way, cover:
- Swapping harsh cleaners for more environmentally sustainable products, and exploring new sanitization technologies;
- Replacing all single-use plastic food service items with plant-based or biodegradable products;
- Replying on local farms to source plant-forward meals, and to collect and compost food waste;
- Encouraging its staff to use more environmentally friendly transportation options for commuting; Installing electric vehicle charging stations at all locations;
- Transitioning all health system-owned vehicles to hybrid or electric models; and
- Incorporating recycled materials, integrating expansive greenery, and using less water and energy in new building projects.
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