The APTA Sustainability Commitment recognizes members who commit to becoming more sustainable in their operations and practices. Through a series of core sustainability principles, the Commitment provides both agency and business members with a common framework that helps define, initiate, and advance sustainability in the public transportation industry.
Currently, we are NOT accepting Transit Agency applications for higher level recognition at the moment. The Sustainability Commitment Signatories Subcommittee and APTA staff are working on updating the Transit Agency application and will launch the updated application in Summer 2025.
We are accepting Business Members/Non-Operators applications for higher level recognition. The deadline to apply is May 31, 2025.
Please note all APTA members are still welcome to signing the (entry-level) Commitment Letter to help advance sustainability in the public transit.
Commit
Commit to becoming more sustainable in your operations and practices
Strategic Objective
Make sustainability a part of your organization’s strategic objectives
Champion
Identify a sustainability champion within the organization coupled with the proper human and/or financial resources and mandates
Employee Outreach
Establish an employee outreach program that engages staff on how they can help realize the organization’s sustainability goals
Inventory
Undertake a sustainability inventory of your organization
Products & Services
Provide the transit industry with products and services that contribute to sustainability (for business members/non-operators)
Overview and Guidelines
To learn more about the program, review the Overview and Guidelines for the organization type that applies to you.
How to Participate in the Program
Become a Signatory
There are no prerequisites for members to sign the commitment. APTA members can sign onto the APTA Sustainability Commitment at any time and have the flexibility to meet the core principles on their own timing and resource availability. To become a signatory, complete and submit the Commitment Form that applies to your organization.
Agencies looking to measure baseline and follow-up indicators may use the Transit Emissions Quantifier Tool to calculate their criteria air pollutant emissions, greenhouse gas emissions and greenhouse gas savings:
APTA does ask commitment signatories to report on their sustainability progress through a brief annual status update using a higher-level application template provided by APTA.
Advance Further
APTA members can also obtain further recognition for their actions by applying for higher levels of the commitment, which requires a demonstration of increasingly greater numbers of short- and long-term sustainability achievements and targeted improvements across key indicators. Levels of recognition start at Bronze and advance through Silver, Gold, and finally Platinum.
Signatories can apply for higher recognition or report on their Commitment progress and adherence by using the appropriate application template.
Please email Christina Jung at cjung@apta.com for any questions.
Connect with Other Signatories
Signatories can connect with and learn from other organizations who have signed the Commitment through the APTA Sustainability Commitment Signatories Subcommittee. Membership to this subcommittee is open to all signatories and will allow access to the Subcommittee online community where signatories can participate in discussion pertaining to implementation of the Commitment and share best practices and challenges.
