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Three Chattanooga programs honored for sustainable transportation [photos]

By Judy Walton May 27, 2017 5 min read

Photo Gallery

Going green: Three local programs honored for sustainanable transportation

Trucks sit in a IdleAir system terminal Friday, May 26, 2017, at Covenant Transport in Chattanooga, Tenn. The trucking company installed a terminal that supplies electricity to up to 20 trucks, so drivers can run their onboard appliances, use Wi-Fi and keep warm or cool as they wait on loads or take mandatory rest breaks.

Trucks sit in a IdleAir system terminal Friday, May 26, 2017, at Covenant Transport in Chattanooga, Tenn. Covenant's IdleAir program recently won a state sustainable transportation award.

Esteban Torres, master trainer at Covenant Transport, shows off the part of the IdleAir system that is placed into an 18-wheeler cab with a connector to give drivers air-conditioning, heat and power Friday, May 26, 2017, at Covenant Transport in Chattanooga, Tenn. Covenant's IdleAir program recently won a state sustainable transportation award.

Esteban Torres, master trainer at Covenant Transport, shows off features of the IdleAir system Friday, May 26, 2017, at Covenant Transport in Chattanooga, Tenn. Covenant's IdleAir system allows truck drivers to hook their cabs up to electricity, so they can rest or sleep without having to run their diesel engines, reducing pollution.

Covenant's IdleAir program recently won a state sustainable transportation award. Covenant's IdleAir system allows truck drivers to hook their cabs up to electricity, so they can rest or sleep without having to run their diesel engines, reducing pollution.

Esteban Torres, master trainer at Covenant Transport, shows how the IdleAir system is installed into the truck window Friday, May 26, 2017, at Covenant Transport in Chattanooga, Tenn. Covenant's IdleAir program recently won a state sustainable transportation award.

THE WINNERS

2017 Tennessee Sustainable Transportation Award winners› CARTA: Solar-assisted vehicle charging and car share› Chattanooga-Hamilton County-North Georgia TPO: Green Trips program› City of Johnson City: Tweetsie Trail rails-to-trails project› IdleAir and Covenant Transportation Group Inc.: Truck stop electrification› Knox County Engineering/Public Works: Walk to School improvement project› Memphis Light, Gas and Water: Public access CNG refueling stations› Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority: CNG parking shuttle buses› Metro Nashville-Davidson Public Works: 46th Avenue-Murphy Road roundabout and streetscape› TDOT: Fast Fix 8 accelerated bridge construction project› The TMA Group: VanStar regional commuter vanpool program› UPS: UPS Rolling Laboratory

Three Chattanooga programs have been named winners of 2017 Tennessee Sustainable Transportation Awards.

CARTA’s solar-assisted electric vehicle charging and car share network, the Green Trips program and Covenant Transportation’s IdleAir truck stop electrification were among 11 winners announced Wednesday.

The awards “recognize outstanding initiatives to improve the efficiency, accessibility, affordability and sustainability of transportation systems in the state,” spokeswoman Kim Schofinski wrote in a joint news release from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

TDEC Commissioner Bob Martineau said by phone Wednesday that sustainable transportation programs have helped the state’s environment. “Since 2000, during a period of historic growth for Tennessee, pollutants have decreased and our air has become cleaner. Currently, the entire state is designated [in] attainment for the federal ozone standard.”