U Colorado Boulder Sees 20% Drop in Freshman Parking Permits
The University of Colorado at Boulder has seen a 20 percent drop in the amount of freshman buying parking permits since the last school year. Of the 5,215 in this year's freshman class, 852 purchased parking permits. In 2005, the number was more than 1,400. To help meet its goal of reducing petroleum use on campus by 25 percent by 2012, the university encourages students who tour the campus to not bring cars their freshman year. University recruiters instead educate prospective students about the alternative options to driving to campus. Currently, student fees pay for bus passes, mobile mechanics will help service students' bikes, and the university provides free bike rentals and a Zimride carpool matching service.
U Chicago Expands Online Outreach for Bike Share Program
In celebration of the first anniversary of its Bike Share program, recycles, the University of Chicago is expanding the program's online outreach. The free program offers one-day bike rentals to the campus community with nearly 1,000 registered users and about 100 rentals per week. In response to feedback from users, a bicycle mechanic was recently hired to maintain the bikes and a new website launched where users can register and view available bikes online. The program's refurbished bicycles are purchased from a local nonprofit organization, Blackstone Bicycle Works, which also sponsors local youth programs.
U Massachusetts Medical School Adds More Carpool Parking Spots
Due to the growing popularity of its carpool program, the University of Massachusetts Medical School will add 20 more parking spaces for the exclusive use of carpoolers. With nearly 400 carpoolers and growing, the university now has a waiting list for its carpool tags.
U Missouri-Kansas City Purchases All-Electric Truck
The University of Missouri-Kansas City has unveiled its first all-electric cargo truck. The new addition to its transportation fleet will be used primarily to service the university's recycling programs. The truck was purchased with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Initiative.
U Oregon to Promote Year-Round Biking with Globe Bicycles Grant
The University of Oregon's Bike Program has been awarded a grant from Globe Bicycles to help promote year-round bicycle commuting among its campus community. The university has received 14 new weather-friendly cargo bikes equipped with fenders, built-in lights and cargo racks capable of holding up to 90 pounds. The university plans to kick off its short-term bicycle loan program on January 12 with a "Ride in the Rain, A Celebration of Wet Weather Bike Transportation" campus event featuring free bike repair and a rain gear fashion show. For $10 a day, short-term loan bikes are designed to be immediately available to the campus community for short-term needs. This is in contrast to its existing long-term bicycle loan program, the university's Bike Program Coordinator Ted Sweeney tells AASHE Bulletin, which charges $12 per term with a $65 deposit and a waiting list checkout process to reserve them.
Louisiana State U Installs Pollution-Cleaning Pavement
Louisiana State University has installed air-purifying asphalt and concrete photo catalytic pavements on campus. The pavement cover will absorb pollution including nitrogen oxides released by traffic or those already in the air. Prior to the installation, a university professor evaluated the technology in the laboratory through funding from the Louisiana Transportation Research Center and the National Science Foundation. The university will monitor the half mile of pathways to determine the rate of reduction in pollution levels over time. The field study, in partnership with Pureti Inc., is funded through the Gulf Coast Research Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency.
U Arizona Launches Bike and Pedestrian Study
The University of Arizona has launched a bike and pedestrian study aimed at reducing crashes and increasing the number of people biking and walking to campus. The university's Parking and Transportation department is working with students and the Pima Association of Governments to discover who bikes and walks and why, and what their safety concerns are. Once the study is conducted, the university will develop a plan to implement improvements to bike and pedestrian infrastructure and education on campus.
U South Florida Launches New Carpooling Program
The University of South Florida has announced a partnership with Zimride to connect drivers in the campus community with riders looking to carpool to class or work. Zimride allows users to post when and where they’d like to go and create personal profiles with favorite music, radio stations and smoking preferences to ensure the most enjoyable ride possible. Carpooling requests are sent to university Zimride members and can also be posted on individual Facebook pages. The program debuted in October and the university currently has 750 members.
U Winnipeg Announces New Cycling Services for Campus
In partnership with the Students’ Association, the University of Winnipeg (MB) has announced the planned construction of a new campus cycling hub. The Bike Lab will be a cycling education and advocacy facility that will offer free year-round advice to students, staff, faculty and community member. Programs will include bike maintenance, safety workshops, advocacy and networking workshops, a registry and individualized support plan for all campus bikes. The project received a private donation from an alumnus and a $50,000 capital donation from the university.
U Buffalo Debuts Metro Pass Discount Pilot Program
The University at Buffalo (NY) has launched a pilot program with Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority that will allow students, faculty and staff to purchase metro rail passes at a discounted rate. Student rail-only passes will be available for $10 per semester, and faculty and staff passes for $30 per year. The university expects the lowered prices to decrease traffic and help reduce the university’s carbon footprint.
U California Berkeley Opens Bike Maintenance Hub
The University of California, Berkeley has opened a new bicycle maintenance education center. BicyCAL members will offer free repairs and do-it-yourself information to the campus community. The program hopes the education provided will enable students to become excited about bike transportation. The center was funded by a $12,000 Green Initiative Fund grant. BicyCAL now hopes to create a bike sharing program.
American U Starts Commuter Bike Benefit
American University (DC) has begun giving incentives to bike commuters. The monthly incentive comes as a $20 Commuter Check for Bicycling voucher valid for bicycling gear and services at participating bicycle shops nationwide. The vouchers can be spent each month or accumulated for up to a year and placed toward a larger purchase. Starting this month, bike commuters can request a January 2011 voucher through PayFlex at www.healthhub.com. In accordance with the federal legislation that makes this tax free program available, this benefit is available only to commuters who are not enrolled in any other transit or parking benefit.
Georgetown U Launches Bike Share Program
Georgetown University (DC) has installed three bike share docking stations near the university’s main campus. Bike share members can rent the bicycles for an annual or monthly fee. Day passes are also available. The District’s Department of Transportation and Arlington County in Virginia launched Capital Bikeshare earlier this fall to help decrease car emissions and increase healthy activity. The university has partnered on the effort as part of its overall sustainability goals.
Marquette U, Michigan State U Partner with Zipcar
In separate deals, Marquette University (WI) and Michigan State University have partnered with Zipcar, Inc. to provide faculty, staff and students with a car sharing service. Two vehicles will be made available to the Marquette University campus community and six vehicles to the Michigan State University community. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will cost members at both universities $8 per hour or $66 per day. Goals at both universities include reduced greenhouse gas emissions, ease of traffic congestion and lowered barriers to alternative transportation.
Rice U Studies Surrey Bikes as Alternative to Electric Golf Carts
As part of an environmental impact study in Rice University's (TX) "Rice into the Future" class, students are assessing the surrey-style bike as a zero-emission alternative to the electric golf carts used on campus. The four-wheeled, dual-pedaled vehicle will be on campus until Thanksgiving.
Tufts U Creates Bike Share Program
Tufts University (MA) has announced the creation of a bike sharing program on campus. Tufts Bikes will purchase a fleet of bicycles and give members of the community the ability to check out the bicycles free of charge. The program will also create a bicycle repair space on campus to maintain the bike share’s fleet, sponsor group rides and teach bicycle maintenance and repair classes, as well as safe city-riding classes.
U California Riverside Creates Incentive for Alt Transportation
The University of California, Riverside has announced that it will raise the Transportation and Parking Services Gold permit fees by 10.7 percent in an effort to maintain incentive levels for taking alternative transportation. The university provides campus shuttles, a vanpool service and the U-PASS program, which allows students to ride for free.
U Connecticut Plans Bike Share Pilot Program
The University of Connecticut has announced plans to launch a bike sharing pilot program. Students, faculty and staff with current university identification will be able to check out one of 20 bicycles. The Undergraduate Student Government purchased the bikes and, if the pilot program is successful, more bicycles will be purchased.
U Notre Dame Utility Workers Replace Trucks with Trikes
Utility workers at the University of Notre Dame (IN) have started using tricycles in replacement of trucks as an alternative way of getting around campus. The Trike Team is a voluntary group that makes service calls on tricycles to reduce the university’s carbon footprint. The tricycles can go up to 20 miles per hour and are equipped with disk brakes, a speedometer and a large toolbox.
U Oregon Renovates Abandoned Bikes for Student Loan
"Every day I dream of a bike-filled campus," said University of Oregon student Alexander Hongo during recent local television coverage of the university's new bike loan project. Hongo is one of the staff members at the university's Outdoor Program that rebuild abandoned bikes donated by local authorities. For $12 with a $65 deposit, students can borrow the bikes for the academic school year. The bikes are also available to students and community members for learning routine bike maintenance.
California State U Fresno to Build Bike Barn
After 17 bikes were reported stolen during August and September, California State University, Fresno has announced plans to construct a bike barn to provide a safe place for students to park. The bike barn will be a designated area to park a large number of bicycles in a secure location. The project will be paid for by the Alternative Transportation Fund, which is funded through campus parking violations.
Florida Ag and Mechanical U Students Study Biodiesel Production
Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University has received a $50,000 grant from Ford Motor Company to allow students to grow and harvest oil seed crops for the production of biofuel. Students will have an opportunity to learn all of the components that go into making biodiesel fuel.
U Albany to Research How to Reduce Traffic Light Idling Time
An associate professor at the University at Albany School of Business (NY) has been awarded a $378,375 grant from the James S. McDonnell Foundation to study how traffic lights may be more efficiently organized for drivers to save time and gas. The goal of the research is to improve traffic light synchronization through a self-organizing system, avoiding the idling time for drivers that hit six red lights in a row, for example, and helping to reduce carbon emissions.
U Arizona Expands Bike Program
The University of Arizona has extended the free trial period for its bicycle valet program and expanded its bike share fleet. The valet will be free to students and faculty until Jan. 30, 2011, to allow more people to test the system. Due to the success of the bike sharing program, the university will add 15 additional bikes to its existing fleet of 10.
U Calgary Prohibits Idling
The University of Calgary (AB) has announced a new policy that prohibits vehicles on campus to be left idling unattended for more than three minutes when the temperature is warmer than 14 degrees Fahrenheit. Violators will be subject to fines that will be reinvested in sustainable transportation initiatives including the construction of secure bike parking facilities. Students, staff, faculty and visitors make more than 40,000 vehicle trips to and from campus, according to the university. The school hopes that the new policy will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions on campus and improve regional air quality.
SUNY Empire State College Launches Faculty Bike Share
SUNY Empire State College (NY) has launched a bike share program that allows faculty to take bikes out to commute between the main campus and distance learning facility. The bikes will be split between the two locations and also available for lunch or recreational rides.
U Pennsylvania Starts Sustainable Transportation Initiative
The University of Pennsylvania has debuted green buses as part of its Sustainable Transportation Initiative. The university purchased eight new low-emission vehicles: four buses capable of running on both ultra-low sulfur diesel, and four propane-powered shuttle vans. The new vehicles transport faculty, students and staff around campus. The initiative also includes expanded car-sharing options through a contract with Zipcar, parking benefits for low emission vehicles and a redesigned transportation website.
Guilford College Expands Sustainability Efforts with Bike Shop
Recycles, a new bicycle shop, has opened on the Guilford College (NC) campus. The shop hopes to promote sustainability on campus with work study opportunities for students to work in the shop and educate the community about bike safety and maintenance. An idea that originated from the college's environmental sustainability coordinator, the bike shop opening is part of the “Green and Beyond” theme year that is expanding efforts toward carbon neutrality for the college.
U Denver Celebrates Bike and Walk to School Day
The University of Denver (CO) celebrated Bike and Walk to School Day with a free lunch for the first 150 students, faculty and staff who rode to campus and showed the key to their U-Lock. Additional riders received a lunch coupon good at local establishments. The university’s transportation center used the event to celebrate cyclists who help decrease the campus’s carbon footprint. Cyclists were offered many free services from participating community members and businesses.
Michigan State U Partners with Fuji for Affordable Bikes
Michigan State University has partnered with Fuji Bicycles to introduce a program that allows students, faculty and staff to purchase new Fuji bikes on campus at reduced prices. Fuji sells colleges new bikes at reduced prices and in turn, bike shops extend lower prices to customers to make cycling more appealing. The university has sold more than 60 Fuji bikes since the program launched.
San Diego State U Opens Bike/Skate Lane
San Diego State University (CA) has opened a new bike and skate lane on campus. The lane is the result of a campaign by the Associated Students group, who commissioned a landscape architecture firm to study the possibility of bike lanes on campus. After the lane's one-year trial period, the university will consider a more extensive, permanent inner-campus route of several lanes in spring/summer 2011. The installation of campus-wide bike lanes will help mitigate traffic and increase accessibility to alternate transportation.
Susquehanna U Launches Bike Share Program
Susquehanna University (PA) has launched a bike share program that enables students to borrow university-owned bicycles. The university has purchased 30 bikes including vintage-inspired cruisers, multi-speeds and scooters. The fee for a year-long membership is $20 and students will receive a universal key for all the bike locks. Participants will receive $10 back when they return the bike lock key at the end of the year. The university plans to hold a contest where students will have the opportunity to name the bikes.
U Albany Partners with Hertz for Student Car Rentals
The University at Albany (NY) has partnered with Hertz to offer students 18 years and older the use of a rental car. Four cars are available to students and faculty at an eight dollar per hour charge that includes a gas card and liability insurance. Also new this year is an extended number of buses that students are able to ride for free with a student ID, a carpooling service, a ride share program and a bike share program.
U Colorado at Boulder Starts Car Share Program
The University of Colorado at Boulder has launched the eGo CarShare program. Sponsored by Parking and Transportation Services, the program provides a new way for students, faculty and Boulder residents to be a part of alternative transportation. The program allows a car rental for use in the Boulder-Denver area as an alternative for those who generally commute by bike or bus. Members must be at least 18 years of age to participate and a credit card is located inside the vehicle to pay for gas.
U Massachusetts Medical School Purchases Electric Bicycles
The University of Massachusetts Medical School has purchased two Pietzo electric bicycles and one 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid car as sustainable alternatives for the parking and campus police departments. Prior to the electric bikes, police officers used at least one and a half tanks of gas a week driving a pick-up truck around campus on their daily rounds. Now, driven mostly during severe weather, the truck goes nearly two and a half weeks on a tank of gas.The hybrid, which replaced one of the department’s seven gasoline-fueled vehicles, gets an average of 41 miles per gallon in city driving.
U Oklahoma Adds Electric Vehicles to Fleet
The University of Oklahoma has purchased electric vehicles to add to its transportation fleet in an effort to conserve fuel and lessen the amount of pollution released. The university hopes to eventually convert its entire fleet to electric vehicles.
U South Florida Retrofits Golf Cart to Solar
The University of South Florida has retrofitted a golf cart with solar panels as a test run. As the test cart’s panels cost about $800 including installation, the university has determined that retrofitting existing campus carts will be cheaper than buying solar-powered carts brand new at $9,000 or more each. Once the first cart has used solar energy for an entire year, the Physical Plant department will decide when to convert the rest of the fleet. The university also purchased two electric trucks with solar rooftops. Staff will use one truck to deliver mail and another to deliver custodial supplies across campus.
Georgetown U Receives Two Electric Cars for Research
Georgetown University (DC) has received two Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid electric vehicles as part of an international electric vehicle research initiative with the Toyota Motor Corporation. The university will install two vehicle charging stations and several university employees will have the opportunity to test drive a vehicle for three months. The new Prius can run on electricity for about 13 miles, after which it operates as a conventional Prius.
Kent State U Launches New Bike Share Program
Kent State University (OH) has launched a new bike sharing program. The university’s Flashfleet provides bicycles, helmets and locks daily at six locations on campus. The service is free to students, faculty and staff who use their campus ID to sign out a bike. Guests, with a valid driver’s license, can participate if a student or staff member assumes liability. The 50 bikes in the program will be maintained by the Department of Recreational Services.
Temple U Bike Program Offers Safety and Skills Classes
Temple University’s (PA) Bike Temple has partnered with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia to offer safety and skills classes on the campus. The 90-minute class covers riding in an urban environment, signaling, anticipating traffic movements, observing traffic rules and bike maintenance. Bike Temple was launched last year to promote a bike culture among students, faculty and staff.
Washington State U Expands Bike Program
Washington State University’s Green Bike program has expanded its fleet from 40 to 72 bikes, including the addition of 32 BIXI bicycles. BIXI is a bicycle system being used in locations worldwide and is derived from the combination of bicycle and taxi. Students, faculty and staff can check out a BIXI bike by swiping their university ID card. The bikes can be returned any time in the next 24 hours to any station. The check out stands are solar powered and use wireless communication.
Appalachian State U Orders Hybrid Bus
Appalachian State University (NC) has ordered a hybrid electric/diesel bus to add to its AppalCart transportation fleet. The university is waiting on a federal grant to order a second $575,000 bus and expects both to arrive for use next year. AppalCart hopes to eventually double its 16-bus fleet, which currently includes eight buses that run on biodiesel.
Drury U Loans Bikes to Students
Drury University (KS) is now offering bikes on loan to students. Bicycles are available for check-out during the debut semester free of charge pending the return of the bikes in good condition. The university used money generated from a student green fee to purchase the bikes and create a new bike path. Remaining funds will be spent for a storage structure to protect the bicycles from the elements.
Harvard U Offers Car Sharing Program to Drivers Under 21
Harvard University's (MA) Transportation Services recently announced the expansion of its 10-year partnership with Zipcar, Inc. to include a campus car sharing program for drivers under 21 years old. Zipcar will double its on-campus fleet to up to 20 cars that will be available to area residents and university affiliated members including those under 21. The university has also partnered with Zimride, an online rideshare interface where Harvard students, faculty and staff can find one-time rides or others with similar commuting times.
Lehigh U Debuts Car Sharing Program
Lehigh University (PA) has partnered with WeCar, a car sharing program run by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, to offer on-campus access to car rentals for personal use. WeCar rentals are available to students, faculty and staff on an hourly, overnight and full-day basis with an initial enrollment fee of $25. The university hopes to take cars off the road and increase student mobility.
U Buffalo, Boise State U Partner with Zipcar Car Sharing Service
In separate deals, the University at Buffalo (NY) and Boise State University (ID) are the latest of more than 200 universities to partner with Zipcar, Inc. to provide faculty, staff and students with a car sharing service. Three vehicles will be made available to the University of Buffalo campus community and four vehicles to the Boise State University community. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will cost members at both universities $35 annually. Goals at both universities include reduced greenhouse gas emissions, ease of traffic congestion and lowered barriers to alternative transportation.
U Florida Brings Back One Less Car Challenge
The University of Florida has brought back the One Less Car Challenge this fall for the third year. The campus community is challenged to use alternative transportation on One Less Car Day and throughout the semester. Participants can earn points for each trip traveled by alternative transportation. The Office of Sustainability will provide information about the various transportation options available. The challenge ends November 19.
U Northern Iowa Opens Green Transportation Center
The University of Northern Iowa has unveiled a solar-powered transportation center. Solar panels installed on the building's top deck and a geothermal heating system supply almost all electricity for the net-zero center. A collaboration between the Metropolitan Transit Authority and the cities of Waterloo and Cedar Rapids, the university building features 587 parking spaces, an elevator, vending machines, a waiting area and 10 lockers for bicycles. The center is designed to provide students, faculty, staff and visitors easier access to and within the campus and surrounding communities.
Richard Stockton College Creates Green Parking Lot
The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey is foregoing the traditional asphalt used for parking lots in favor of a porous surface of plastic grids. The 1.86-acre parking lot will feature recycled polyethylene grid sections that lock together to form a surface that supports cars and light trucks. A mixture of top soil and EcoSoil—a composted blend of yard waste collected by the Atlantic County Utilities Authority—will fill the open spaces in the grids, allowing for grass to germinate. Rainfall will soak through the parking lot without the need for storm drains.
SUNY College Enviro Science and Forestry Turns Butter into Fuel
The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) will turn an 800-pound sculpture made entirely of butter into biodiesel. The sculpture, which debuted at the New York State Fair, presents the future of dairy farming as an environmentally friendly endeavor and will end up as fuel for the ESF vehicle fleet. This is the third year that the college will turn butter into fuel as an extension of ESF's ongoing initiative that turns frying oil from campus dining services into biodiesel.
