Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 50.72
Liaison Philip Mansfield
Submission Date Feb. 17, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Carleton University
OP-21: Support for Sustainable Transportation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.75 / 2.00 Philip Mansfield
Sustainability Manager
Facilities Management and Planning
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution provide secure bicycle storage (not including office space), shower facilities, and lockers for bicycle commuters?:
Yes

A brief description of the facilities for bicycle commuters:

There is no charge to use any of the open racks for bicycle storage on campus and it only costs $10 per annum to register/use the secure bicycle facility at Athletics. Users are given an access card that grants access into the compound. The area has space to accommodate over 200 bikes and is located beneath the athletics building.

There are shower facilities in athletics.


Does the institution provide short-term bicycle parking (e.g. racks) within 50 ft (15 m) of all occupied, non-residential buildings and make long-term bicycle storage available within 330 ft (100 m) of all residence halls (if applicable)?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle parking and storage facilities:

Yes there are metal bike racks placed throughout residence and also available beside non-residential buildings. There are enclosed bike park areas in residence commons and athletics.


Does the institution have a “complete streets” or bicycle accommodation policy (or adhere to a local community policy) and/or have a continuous network of dedicated bicycle and pedestrian paths and lanes?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle/pedestrian policy and/or network:

Carleton has outlined the need to give pedestrians pride of place on the campus. The pedestrian environment is intended to provide a sense of comfort for users throughout the day and evening hours with well-lit walkways, shade trees and outdoor recreational and study seating areas in sheltered locations where appropriate.

The City of Ottawa and the National Capital Commission (NCC) have provided good infrastructure for those persons walking along city streets and the alongside the canal to get to Carleton University. Once on the campus, there is a well maintained designated “Safe Path” walkway to follow as you navigate your way across the campus.


Does the institution have a bicycle-sharing program or participate in a local bicycle-sharing program?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle sharing program:

We participate in a bike sharing program called Right Bike. Right Bike is a social business that provides jobs and training for individuals in the community who are working to overcome barriers to employment. They deliver a community-based bike share service in Ottawa, Canada. We have 5 bicycles available on campus. Right Bike bicycles can also be found through out Ottawa.


Is the institution certified as a Bicycle Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists (U.S.) or under a similar third party certification covering non-motorized transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the certification, including date certified and level:

Share the Road Cycling Coalition recognized Carleton University with a Bronze level rating for their ability as a university to make a great workplace for people who bike. (The League of American Bicyclists has welcomed the Share the Road Cycling Coalition to their National Bike Summits, with Summit Presentations from Eleanor McMahon, Share the Road Coalition representative from Ontario Canada, discussing Bicycling Advocacy in Ontario. With this information in mind, it is assumed that the Share the Road Cycling Coalition could classify as a “similar third party certification covering non-motorized transportation”).


Does the institution offer free or reduced price transit passes and/or operate a free campus shuttle for commuters?:
Yes

A brief description of the mass transit program(s), including availability, participation levels, and specifics about discounts or subsidies offered (including pre-tax options):

The role of public transportation within Transportation Demand Management (TDM) is twofold: to provide an attractive and competitive alternative to longer-distance driving trips and to connect the campus to downtown and shared facilities.

Transit routes
Getting to the Carleton University campus by bus or O-Train is a convenient option for many students, staff, and faculty. The transit way is a big part of the OC Transpo public transit system. It provides rapid transit service across the entire city on bus-only roadways and intersects with the O-Train. Users can even combine cycling with journey rides on public transit – the Rack & Roll program allows cyclists to bring their bicycles with them. Racks are installed on over 200 buses, including all articulated buses on several City of Ottawa transit routes. Bike racks are available on a first-come, first-served basis and some trips may not have a bike rack — if this is the case, you may need to wait for the next bus. There is no cost to use the rack.

Inter-campus shuttle
Carleton University and uOttawa provide a shuttle service between the two campus facilities. The shuttle service is free however it is restricted to students, faculty and staff members of the University of Ottawa and Carleton University. The shuttle operators are authorized to request boarding passengers to provide a valid University of Ottawa or Carleton University student or employee identification card. The shuttle service does not operate during the summer months

UPass
In 2010, student associations at both Carleton University and the University of Ottawa jointly negotiated with the City of Ottawa to implement a Universal Transit Pass for full-time students at both universities. The result of the negotiations and the subsequent student referenda is the U-Pass: A bus pass offered through Carleton University at a discounted rate. The pass will cost $373.10 for the eight-month 2013-2014 school year and is a mandatory cost for all full-time (1.5 credits or more) students. The pass is valid on all OC Transpo vehicles providing regular, express, rural express or Para Transpo services, as well as the O-Train. Only Para Transpo service to rural zones requires a supplemental fare.

Key strategies
The use of pre-paid transit services (UPass) is seen as a key element of the overall TDM plan at Carleton. To further encourage transit use, by the Carleton Community, it is thought that parking must first be priced at an equivalent level to transit passes. This will then provide an incentive for further take up and subsequent pursuit of additional strategies and programs can follow.
• Ongoing advocacy and support for improved routes.
• Summer pass pilot program


Does the institution offer a guaranteed return trip (GRT) program to regular users of alternative modes of transportation?:
No

A brief description of the GRT program:

A formal GRT program is not in place on campus. Throughout the duration of our current TDM program, which includes car share programming with have had no demand or request for GRT. Should this change we will review.


Does the institution participate in a car/vanpool or ride sharing program and/or offer reduced parking fees or preferential parking for car/vanpoolers?:
Yes

A brief description of the carpool/vanpool program:

There are two ride-share programs available to the Carleton community. These are eRideShare and OttawaRideMatch, both of which are a free online service that helps match commuters for ride-sharing opportunities within the Ottawa region. Matches are based on origin and destination points and commuting hours. Carleton also provides flexibility in parking permit options for those persons wishing to organize/declare themselves as a carpool group. This allows parking permits to be shared among several vehicles so long as all vehicles are registered under the permit holder’s profile. Only one vehicle may be parked on campus at any given time and the same permit must be shared between vehicles.


Does the institution participate in a car sharing program, such as a commercial car-sharing program, one administered by the institution, or one administered by a regional organization?:
Yes

A brief description of the car sharing program:

Carleton university has also partnered with Vrtucar and studentcarshare to make car-sharing available for staff, faculty and students right here on campus. This venture allows Parking Services to offer yet another transportation alternative to our campus community.

Vrtucar car sharing was established in Ottawa in 2000 and serves over 2,300 members from Ottawa to Kingston. There is a vehicle located on the Carleton campus and if that vehicle is reserved there is also a pod of vehicles available within Ottawa.

Vrtucar cars can be reserved by phone or Internet, 24-hours-a-day, and then can be used for a few hours, or a week. You only pay per trip, and never have to worry about gas, insurance, repairs or monthly parking. Membership agreements are between the users and Vrtucar and costs vary dependant on the plan offered and usage.

Studentcarshare is an additional car-sharing service available at Carleton, and to date 15 other locations in Ontario and Quebec. To be eligible to become a Student CarShare member you must be at least 18 years or older, have a valid credit card, a valid G2 driver’s license (minimum) and have had no more than one minor violation within 3 years. Membership is $50 per year, with an additional $25 application fee, rated vary based on the time of day and week: $5-8 per hour, $56-70 per day. Insurance is included in your membership fees.


Does the institution have one or more Level 2 or Level 3 electric vehicle recharging stations that are accessible to student and employee commuters?:
Yes

A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:

Located in the one of the largest parking garages on campus, the university has one Level 2 electric vehicle charging station (208-240 VAC).


Does the institution offer a telecommuting program for employees as a matter of policy or as standard practice?:
No

A brief description of the telecommuting program:
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Does the institution offer a condensed work week option for employees as a matter of policy or as standard practice?:
No

A brief description of the condensed work week program:
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Does the institution have incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus?:
No

A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:
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Does the institution have other incentives or programs to encourage more sustainable modes of transportation and reduce the impact of student and employee commuting?:
Yes

A brief description of other sustainable transportation initiatives and programs:

We offer free EV charging on campus.


The website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable transportation program(s) is available:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.