ENVIRONMENT
Environmental Leadership
Since its founding in 2007, RPRC has been an environmental leader in the rail industry.
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Richmond is a major distribution and logistics hub of the Bay Area, with logistics, warehousing and distribution businesses playing a major role in the city's economy.
Studies have shown that moving freight by rail instead of trucks lowers greenhouse gas emissions by up to 75%. In fact, one rail car can generally take 3-4 trucks off the road. And freight trains are, on average, four times more fuel efficient than trucks. So, moving freight by rail prevented 16.6 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 alone, the equivalent of taking 3.25 million cars off the road or planting 251.5 million trees. (1)
Knowing this, the Levin family — who owns the RPRC — bought and leased track to connect the Class 1 railroads (Class 1s are freight tracks used for long-hauls with as few stops as possible) to customers in the inner Richmond and waterfront areas that would otherwise have been served by trucks, resulting in reduced air emissions. (2)
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RPRC then looked at how to reduce locomotive emissions even further by upgrading our older locomotives with state-of-the-art diesel/electric Tier 4 and Tier 4 Final locomotives — the cleanest technology available today.
In 2013, RPRC partnered with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) and the National Railway Equipment Company (NRC) to test and adopt NRC’s newest N-ViroMotive Ultra-low emission Tier 4 locomotive (one of the first in the nation). (3)
The test was successful and RPRC bought its first Tier 4 Final locomotive. RPRC went on to partner with other builders of the latest, cleanest diesel/electric equipment and today, RPRC’s entire regular fleet of locomotives are built with this technology. -
Our family's commitment to reducing our environmental footprint doesn’t stop with our locomotive technology. RPRC participates with its sister company, Levin Richmond Terminal, in the Green Marine Certification program.
To earn and retain this certification, Green Marine participants must demonstrate continual and measurable improvement, year after year, and respect all elements of the certification process (i.e., annual self-evaluation, external verification, and publication of results).
As part of the Green Marine Certification program, RPRC carries out the following:Uses sustainable fuel where possible.
Recycles railroad track and ties where possible.
Promotes sustainable transportation practices by employees.
Takes measures to reduce the noise emanating from rail operations (such as rail lubrication, etc.).
Implements measures to manage traffic (e.g., bus, truck, railway) in and out of the property to avoid local congestion (e.g., signboard, traffic coordinator or checker).
Maintains all spaces on the property clean and free of litter, especially in areas bordering and visible from public spaces and roads. Routinely assist the city in cleaning homeless encampments or perform these activities on its own.