Sometimes, less really is more, while fewer can be better. And in the nation’s 49th state, Carnival Corporation  is doing its part to reduce traffic and emissions from its land operation tour buses this May in time for the summer season.

Carnival Corporation’s land and sea operations for Holland America and Princess Alaska—or HAP—rely on a combination of cruise ships, buses, motor coaches, rail, lodges and hotels to create the ideal vacation to the Last Frontier.

The bus math looks like this: They are swapping out their Juneau fleet of eight older buses, used to reliably shuttle cruise passengers from dock to tours of the Mendenhall Glacier, with four newer double-decker, environmentally friendly tour buses. Each Enviro500 bus has about the same capacity as two older ones.

“We want to do our part and help with cleaner air and less traffic,” said Bill Hagevig, HAP’s division manager in Juneau. “We’ve long worked to do the right thing and be respectful neighbors, and these buses are another step along that path.

Double-Decked Bus Benefits

• Environmental benefits from converting from single-deck to double-deck buses are related to reducing the number of busses while maintaining carrying capacity—reducing congestion, emissions, fuel consumption and overall environmental footprint.
• Use of 10 percent biodiesel for the newer buses, reducing emissions.
• A net reduction of two coaches from dispatch operations per day.
• Reducing the amount of traffic in Juneau, where HAP has significant operations and roads can become busy with seasonal tourist traffic and people.
• Shrinking traffic and pedestrian flow downtown and at Mendenhall Glacier as a part of this move.
• Because of their low floor nature, a double-decker bus with 70 to 80 guests on board will load and unload quicker than a traditional coach with 50 guests, reducing boarding wait times at venues where they visit.

The new buses are wrapped in a graphics package with the distinctive logos for the company’s sustainability program called “Sustain Alaska and the Yukon” (SAY),” intended to focus on reducing waste, utility usage and the company’s carbon footprint. This design includes mountain imagery, an ice design representing Mendenhall Glacier, and a blue background reflecting the pristine Alaska sky.