NECSC-Transportation Demand Management

Sustainable TransportationFuture Plans

Dalhousie UniversityOffice of Sustainability – October 2009

Discussion Document

Sustainable Transportation System

One that allows the basic access needs of individuals and societies to be met safely and in a manner consistent with human and ecosystem health, and with equity within and

between generations. Association for Commuter Transportation of Canada, 2008.

Importance

Green House Gas ReductionHealth and SafetyPrivate CostsEmployee BenefitInfrastructure CostsEnergy security

In 2002, transportation emissions accounted for

about 53% of NOX, 59% of carbon monoxide, 24% of

VOCs, 3% of sulphur oxides, and 5% of particulate matter

(PM2.5) – the major constituents of urban

smog.—Sustainable Development Strategy

2007-2009, Transport Canada

FCM, 2008

Sustainable Transport

includes: TDM, Transportation

Supply, and Land Use

Background

Received funding from Transport Canada to conduct sustainable transport planning in 2009Worked with staff and students conduct online survey - approx. 3000 employees and student filled outHeld five focus groups on campus on topic areasConducted literature receive and advice from sustainable transport expertAnalyzed commuting patterns through postal codes

Background

Through planning process established partnerships with Clean Nova Scotia (staff support for program pilots) and Halifax Regional Municipality (Safe Ride Home Pilot). Activity and awareness building, low cost.

Purpose

Solidify action and funding plans for Sustainable Transportation Programs at Dalhousie

Gather feedback from campus community on potential sustainable transport options based on data collected to date.

- Meetings (power point presentation and discussions) - Fall 2009- On-line survey – October 2009- Campus workshop – Nov 2009

Conduct additional research and pilot programs 2009-2011Formalize Sustainable Transportation position, committee, and programs 2011 - 2012

What We have Learned

28%

15%21%

21%

15%

Secondary

25%

3%14%39%

19%

Primary

WalkBikeTransitDrive AloneCarpoolSkate

Blended: Walk 26%, Bike 7%, Transit 16%, Drive Alone 34%, Carpool 17%

66% use Sustainable Transport (based on 3500 employees or 2310)

Faculty and Staff: Primary= 70-100%

Faculty and Staff: Secondary = 30-69%

What We have Learned

31%

13%36%

10%

10%

0%

Students Secondary

60%

4%

22%

11%3%

0%

Students Primary

Walk

Bike

Transit

Drive Alone

Carpool

Skate

Blended Rate: Walk 51%, Bike 7%, Transit – 26%, Drive alone 11 %, Carpool 5 %

89% use Sustainable Transport (based on 15,000 students 13,350)

Parking Rates

The median rate for unreserved yearly parking in Canada now averages $2460. Surface lots in Halifax average $1320 yearly.University yearly parking rates vary across the country.

University of Ottawa: $1051 surface; $1560 garageUniversity of Manitoba: $567 surfaceQueens: $876 surface main, $1200 parkadeDalhousie: $220 surface, $1000 - 1200 parkade, Bus Pass HRM - $850 a year

How should sustainable transportation programs be funded at Dalhousie (Survey Response)?

42%

26%

31%

2%

Percentage of parking feesExternal grantsBase budget allocation

41%

30%

27%2%

Percentage of parking feesExternal grantsBase budget allocation

Faculty/Staff Students

Key programs

2008Student U pass550 bike parking spots

Since survey• Launched campus bike centre• Bike infrastructure maps and plans• Researching employee bus program

Goals

Provide employee and student benefits through the provision of accessible and affordable sustainable transportation options. Enhance safety of sustainable transportation options.Shift more commuters to use sustainable transportation modes.Make sustainable transportation programs a factor in drawing students and employees to the university. Provide learning and skills opportunities that promote active transportation health, economic, and environmental benefits

Outcomes, Indicators, and Measures

Outcomes Indicators/Measures• Greenhouse Gas reduction.

• Criteria Air Contaminant reduction.

• Increased employee and student satisfaction and personal savings.

• Recognized leader in sustainable transport.

• Increased trips using sustainable transport.

• TDM mode - KM travelled

• Greenhouse Gases - tonnes of co2e reduced

• Kgs of Criteria air contaminants. (CACs) air pollutants reduced

• Awards, media coverage, requests for presentations. Number and Type.

• Satisfaction level increase. Level.

Total: Modal Shift Opportunities – approx 3000 people, 30,000 km, over 1000 tonnes, future targets: 200 tonnes Active transport; 400 car pool, 400 transit

Program Options – Travel AvoidanceProgram Costs Benefits

Teleworking Policy Human/Minimal Clear policyMore usersReduced GHGs/CAC

Scheduling changes Human/Significant Student increase?More travel optionsReduce peak

Online courses and meeting

Human/Med.-Sig More students?Reduced business travel -Reduced GHGs/CACWork-Life Balance

Program Options – Cycling/WalkingProgram Costs Benefits

Bike Share 1. Automated Racks- swipe cards and 30 bikes $160,000 capital. $20,000 operating 2. Swipe Shelters below plus bikes increases bike parking $20,000 cap.

Mode switch intercampus, build culture, leadership

Bike Centre/Loan $8000 start up$20,000 on going (staff/programs)$400 per bike for term loansOther program costs off set by camps

Student engagement, education, programs

Bike Racks/Covers $300 – 500 per new parking spot. Identified Support new bikers

Showers Create access to Atheletics and upgrade existing facilities, requirement in new blds

Support existing and new active transport

Intercampus Path 10,000 – 70,000+ (depends if part of active transport re-construction)

Mode switch intercampus, build culture, leadership

HRM Connectivity Staff time to meet with HRM, meeting with community groups, comment

Community Leadership,better access

Bike Shelters Three Shelters for loan and secure parking. 50-90 k All above

Program Options - Transit

Program Costs Benefits

Employee Bus Program Subsidized 20-40% . Part University 25% – Part Transit -15% ? $170,000 Dal. Human –set up and run. $12,000 annually

Trip change – Target 400 new riders and 400 existing riders to add 800. Benefit to all employees. Incentive has to be able to compete with parking.

Summer Student Pass Negotiated with Metro Transit and Students. Subsidized rate achieved by volume.

Trip change – Target 200 new riders .

Ongoing discussion about routes, service, and bike lanes

Staff time. Potentially improved service.

Program Options – Shared TransportProgram Costs Benefits

Car Pool & Educational Events like Commuter Challenge and Sustainable Transport Fair, greening fleet and Idle free campaign and signs

Educational Material and Staff time. Costs avoided from creating new parking; employee benefit –retention and recruitment tool; Dal would be a leaders, GHG and health impacts reduced; less strain on existing parking

Car Share Joining Fees: set up fee plus There will be a one time only $35 Drivers Application fee for each employeeUsage Fees: The Workplace Guaranteed Fleet base fee will be $1,000 a month, providing 180 hours a month of exclusive access for the Dal Drivers List use. This works out to $5.13 per hour.. General fleet is $9 an hour.

Employee benefit, $ savings for work with 20-30 km meetings vs. cab

Guaranteed Ride Home

Pilot for HRM – staff time, other program costs are covered by HRM

Support Commuter Options, employee benefit

Funding Strategy for discussion purposes(Parking Fee) % Grants &

SponsorshipBase Budget Revenue Other

Sustainable Transport Capital (Getting Started) with Option 1 Bike Share

$25,000 - $40,000 (bike path, racks) + other TBD projects

$ 23,000 (bike share, loan, hub, path)

$15,000 – 30,000 (Space renovations for Bike Hub and Loan areas. (Facilities Request A&R)

Sustainable Transport 2 Bike Share – automated stations

$50,000 – 65,000 (bike path, special painted bikes, racks) + other TBD projects

$163,000 (3 automated bike loan stations, bikes, hub, path)

$15,000 – 30,000 (Space renovations for Bike Hub and Loan areas. (Facilities Request A&R)

Annual Operating Costs of Programs

$168,400(This Budget will afford 1 FTE at $40,000 plus program funds for a TDM coordinator, money for an employee bus program , student summer pass, student staff to run bike programs, 2 spots for car share, carpooling discounts, and small maintenance budget for paths and showers, and %50 cost of racks, covers, storage)Currently parking rates do not pay for operations. 2010 projections suggest a deficit of $150,618.An increase of $160-$250 per annum would cover operating deficits and these new programs

TBD $49,200 - $60,000 – 50% cost of employee bus program

Bike Racks and covers –10,000 Facilities Budget?Money potentially from automated bike loan system or membership ($1000)Departmental Budgets for Car Share.

Organizational Structure Options

Transportation group added to Parking in FacilitiesCommuter Options group and TDM coordinator with Office of SustainabilityTransportation committee report to Vice-Pres FA in addition to parking and securityTDM committee under President’s Advisory Council

Learnings

Good data helps to creates an ability to set priorities, and work on cultural, funding and partnership strategiesThe Office has to “get into” parking and advocate for a parking strategyBuild partnerships at university and community in advance of issues like collective agreement discussions.Create something for everyone.

Dalhousie Future?

Increase enrollmentsIncreasing land value in urban centreSustainability leaderBenefits – Bike Centre, employee bus pass, student summer bus pass, guaranteed ride home, carpooling discounts….Parking – easier cheaper short term parking, more expensive longer-term parking …

Destination Green: It’s

Within Reach

NECSC PresentationOctober 27, 2009Mary Ellen MalliaUniversity at Albany

Destination Green: It’s Within ReachUniversity at Albany Transportation Study

Rationale for study Future trends, current opportunities

Incorporation with sustainability initiatives Description of project Lessons learned Keeping it relevant Factors beyond your control


What forces and trends will we have to live with? Increasing gas prices Search for alternatives by campus community Not as many opportunities for new transportation

technologies Reliance on cars as a main means of commuting Increased emphasis on cutting carbon

emissions


Which things can we influence? Availability of alternative transportation strategies

Carpooling, vanpooling, car sharing, mass transit, bike sharing, safe opportunities to bike/walk

Communicating options available in a successful manner Awareness and accessibility of information Pamphlets, fliers (electronic and yes, hard copy),

special event days, incorporation with established outreach such as orientation (both employeesand students)


Where do we want to take our sustainability efforts? Incorporate into the culture of the institution Garner a level of importance on par with other

established divisions at the senior staff level Increase awareness and accessibility Garner a large support base among campus

community Establish key partnerships Secure adequate funding


How do we want to do it? Gather data to support the need for sustainable

efforts Develop both internal and external partnerships Seek funding through multiple sources, i.e. grants

to conduct studies Get senior staff on board to be aware of needs

and support efforts Develop student and employee based

organizations around sustainability


Reasons for project Anticipating an increase in the need for mass

transit alternatives, in part spurred by the experience of $4 per gallon gas and the reaction of our employees, the need to analyze our alternative transportation strategies was identified

A sustainable transportation package was researched by the office of environmental sustainability and presented to the director of parking and mass transit and the university comptroller


Reasons for project One item identified was the need to document

commuting patterns of the campus community

Coincidently, the city transit authority and nearby state office buildings were conducting a transportation survey

Also a grant to fund transportation studies was issued by NYSERDA


Overview of project Funded through NYSERDA and DOT Partnership between

Planning & Geography department Parking & Mass Transit Office of Institutional Research Nearby state office buildings

Project began last spring and will continue through this summer


Overview of project GIS analysis on parking permits issued on

campus GPS analysis on bus schedules Analysis of current mass transit options Incorporation of data from other state agencies Campus transportation survey Focus groups to analyze use and marketing

opportunities Final report


Current status of project Preliminary GIS completed GPS protocol completed GPS data being gathered Survey created, waiting for IRB approval


GIS analysis GIS: geographic information systems Parking permit data from fall 2008 obtained from

Parking & Mass Transit Graduate student performed GIS analysis based

on zip codes to determine commuting density patterns

These patterns are being matched against mass transit routes



GIS analysis Data obtained from nearby state office buildings

from commuter survey issued last fall Graduate student performed GIS analysis based

on zip codes to determine commuting density patterns

These patterns are being matched against mass transit routes

These patterns are also being compared to University commuting patterns


GIS analysis Second level of analysis is being done based on

street level address Another wave of analysis on will be done on

university permit data from this fall in order to observe any changes in patterns



GPS analysis GPS – global positioning system A protocol on gathering GPS data was developed

by a graduate student Undergraduate students were hired to ride bus

routes (both university and city fleet) and gather GPS data

This data will be analyzed against stated bus schedules to determine on time reliability


Campus transportation survey Completed in conjunction with professor of

geography and planning, institutional research and advisory committee

Draft based on previous survey distributed at state offices and city transit authority

Survey to be issued on line and results analyzed to better determine commuting use, patterns and services desired


Focus groups Focus groups to be conducted this spring in

conjunction with professor of marketing Names will be generated in part through

interested parties identified by survey Focus groups will concentrate on reasons why

mass transit is not used, desired services and best practices to determine successfulmarketing strategies


Final Report Ideally the report will entail

Current commuting patterns Opportunities there are for collaborating with local

entities to create a larger base of commuter demand for services

Routes needed to better address commuting patterns Reliability of bus schedules Identify communication and marketing strategies

to encourage use of alternative transportation


Lessons learned Partnerships are key to success

In our case: the department of mass transit, the local transit authority, a regional transportation committee and office of general services for NYS all cooperated in this endeavor

This was aided by having alumni in key positions, being part of key groups (such as the Capital District Clean Cities Coalition) and networking


Lessons learned Lots of planning and setting a realistic timeline

Be sure to identify tasks need along the way: ex: IRB process, hiring of students, plan one semester ahead

Overestimate time needed: GIS Planning: GPS, protocol developed first,

implementation schedule developed


Lessons learned Having enough resources to complete task

Staff resources: professor in planning, director of environmental sustainability, parking and mass transit director, senior staff assistant from institutional research, senior staff assistant from IT, professor from marketing

2 graduate assistants, undergraduate help Technology: GPS units, GIS software,

ability to survey on line Cooperation from other departments

and outside entities


How we hope to keep efforts relevant Incorporate the gathering of permit data and

distribution of survey into graduate planning curriculum

Provide a continued analysis of commuting patterns and options available

Continue to develop options for alternative transportation and communicate those efforts

Revisit marketing strategies


Factors beyond your control (but some you can influence!!) Mass transit options available Schedule and location of current mass transit

opportunities Supporting infrastructure for biking and walking Behavior of your commuting population Price of gas, mass transit and price of parking

permits Availability of on campus parking


Contact information Mary Ellen Mallia Director of Environmental Sustainability University at Albany [email protected] University Hall 212 518-956-8120 www.albany.edu/gogreen

mailto:[email protected]

Commuter Behavior and Greenhouse Gas Emissions at the University of Rhode Island

Rachel Sholly Oct. 27, 2009

University of Rhode Island NECSC Conference, UVM

Why Sustainable Transport?

Background

•  55% of students commute

•  11,000 student, staff & faculty commuters

•  ~25% of URI’s total carbon footprint

Purpose •  Collect data, analyze

trends & identify key variables related to: –  Commuter behavior –  Vehicle and fuel use –  Greenhouse gas

emissions

•  To inform URI policy aimed at reducing emissions

•  Fulfill ACUPCC

What Did We Do?

Data Collection Methods •  Web-based surveys

•  Spring 2006 •  Summer 2006 •  Spring 2008 •  Summer 2008 •  Fall 2008 •  Spring 2009

•  Collected: •  Demographics •  Commuting characteristics •  Knowledge & attitudes

•  Visual surveys •  Spring 2006 •  Spring 2008 •  Fall 2008 •  Spring 2009

•  Collected: •  Vehicle type •  Occupancy

What Worked?

•  22,700 MTCO2e

•  62.5 M VMT

•  2.5 M gallons of fuel

Total Annual Commuting Emissions

Average of Spring 2008 and Spring 2009 data

76%

7%

17%

Students Faculty Staff

Commuter Profiles •  Students

– Take more trips per day – Carpool the most

•  Faculty – Have higher fuel efficiency – Live closer to campus – Bike the most

•  Staff – Travel more days per week & longer distances – Have lowest carpool & alt. trans. rates – Have highest emissions per capita

23

11

6

0

5

10

15

20

25

Drive Alone Carpool Bus

Pou

nds

CO

2 Per

Rou

ndtri

p

Assuming carpool = 2 people/car and bus = 22 people/bus

Emissions per Roundtrip by Mode

People Per Car (Reported)

People Per Car (Observed)

Spring 2006 Students 1.32 1.12

Faculty 1.24 1.15*

Staff 1.08 1.15*

Average 1.21 1.12

Spring 2008 Students 1.27 1.15**

Faculty 1.13 1.15**

Staff 1.06 1.15**

Average 1.15 1.15**

Spring 2009 Students 1.51 1.30**

Faculty 1.31 1.30**

Staff 1.20 1.30**

Average 1.34 1.30**

Vehicle Occupancy

62%

36% 37% 38%

64% 63%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Students (n=248) Faculty (n=75) Staff (n=123)

Will the price of gas affect how often you carpool, bus, bike or walk to campus?

(Spring 2009)

Yes No

0 50 100 150 200 250

Other

Higher parking prices

Nothing

Discount carpool parking pass

Online ride matching system

Reserved parking

What are the top 3 options that would most encourage you to carpool to campus more often?

Students Faculty Staff

2% Annual Reduction

28 carpool trips 19 bus trips 14 bike trips

If 25% of SOV commuters…

What Could Be Improved?

2006 2008 2009 SOV 16,654 22,135 20,321 Carpool 984 1,064 1,056 Bus 656 482 465 Total 18,293 23,682 21,842

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000 M

etric

Ton

s C

O2 E

quiv

alen

t Commuting Emissions by Mode

SOV Carpool

Bus Total

Lessons Learned

•  Surveys are complicated and have limitations

•  Know when to stop analyzing and start making policy

What forces and trends will we have to live with and which ones can we influence?

Cars are convenient

Where do we want to take our sustainability efforts in the future?

Change Behavior Change Culture

Contact

Rachel Sholly Energy Fellows Coordinator University of Rhode Island 401-874-5558 [email protected]

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