EcoChampion James Astley, Senior Manager, Mechanical, for southern British Columbia was looking for a good solution to a chronic challenge. Many of his employees require regular transportation to/from three yards in the Greater Vancouver area to handle workload fluctuations such as unscheduled train inspections, or to transport material, or to perform inventory counts on supplies and wheels.

“The primary mode of transportation was by taxi,” says James, “incurring costs and adding more greenhouse gas emissions to the environment.” The team was averaging close to a dozen trips per month at an average cost of $65 per trip. “I wanted to not only find a more economical mode of transportation,” says James, “I wanted a more environmentally friendly one as well. So, I asked a member of my team to research alternatives.” Robert Gilchrist, Manager, Mechanical, researched types of electric vehicles and batteries.

After weighing several options, he selected the all-electric Chevy Bolt. “It was the best option for Vancouver’s climate and our group’s needs,” says Robert. That’s when Ahmad Al-Hossainy, Financial Partner in Edmonton, AB, got involved. “I helped write the business case and secured the funding to purchase a 2019 Chevy Bolt for the Surrey Car Shop,” says Ahmed. Over the past six months, the team has put more than 8,000 km on the Bolt. “I estimate we’ve cut our use of taxis in half and saved over $15,000 already,” says James. “Best of all, we’ve significantly reduced the carbon footprint of our operations.”

CN’s EcoConnexions employee engagement program – a partnership with Earth Day Canada – drives sustainability across CN's network by empowering employees to conserve energy, reduce waste, and improve housekeeping.

Visit our "Delivering Responsibly" section to learn more about sustainability at CN.

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