Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 69.69
Liaison Stephanie MacPhee
Submission Date April 6, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Dalhousie University
OP-18: Support for Sustainable Transportation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Support for Cyclists and Pedestrians 

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

None
A brief description of the facilities for bicycle commuters:
There are over 1050 bike spots located throughout Studley, Carleton, Sexton, and the Agricultural Campus. Some buildings at Dalhousie have bike facilities, such as indoors/outdoors racks, shower and locker rooms, and indoor storage. New buildings adhere to the university active transportation standards that require end of trip facilities such as showers and indoor and outdoor bike parking. http://www.dal.ca/dept/sustainability/smart-trip/active-transport/bike-rack-program.html https://www.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/dept/sustainability/Transportation/Dalhousie%20Office%20of%20Sustainability-%20End-of-trip%20Guide%20%20-%20Final%20March%202017.pdf

Does the institution provide short-term bicycle parking for all occupied buildings and makes long-term bicycle storage available for students who live on-site (if applicable)?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the bicycle parking and storage facilities:
Bike racks are located in various locations on campus. See below for more description of bike facilities. http://www.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/sustainability/Transportation/Bike%2520Rack%2520Report%2520Nov%25202013.pdf New buildings adhere to the university active transportation standards that require end of trip facilities such as showers and indoor and outdoor bike parking.

Does the institution have a bicycle and pedestrian plan or policy (or adhere to a local community plan/policy) that sets standards and practices for campus streets to enable safe access for all users?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle and pedestrian plan or policy:
The Urban Halifax Institutional District Bikeways Plan is intended to establish a cycling-supportive environment that will attract new riders of different ages and abilities and demonstrate a new priority for cycling within Halifax’s Urban Institutional District. The District, encompassing the lands controlled by Dalhousie University, Saint Mary’s University, Capital Health and the IWK Health Centre on the Halifax peninsula, is a major regional destination for staff, students and visitors. See more of the policy below http://www.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/sustainability/BikewaysPlan_20July2012.pdf

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:
Dalhousie University through the Bike Centre offers a bike loan program to all students and employees. Bicycles on the Halifax campuses can be borrowed for up to a week and up to three days at the Agricultural campus. http://www.dal.ca/dept/sustainability/smart-trip/active-transport/BikeLoan.html

Mass Transit Programs 

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 programs:
Dalhousie offers two types of transit passes: student U-Pass and employee transit pass(EPass). Student U-Pass: The student U-Pass allows students to use the HALIFAX Transit system every day, all year long. The U-Pass costs $137.70 for the eight-month academic year and is part of student fees paid in September. A regular student Pass costs, $64 a month / or $512.00 for eight months – Dal students see a savings of $394. All Dalhousie students studying full time in the summer months (May - September) will pay for their U-Pass in student fees. The U-pass is $72.50 for the four-month period (compared to $280 for a regular Pass).The U-Pass is available to all full-time students EPass: Dalhousie has partnered with HALIFAX SmartTrip to launch a reduced-cost HALIFAX Transit bus pass program available to all permanent full-time and part-time employees, as well as associate employees.

 The program was piloted in 2013 and was renewed permanently in the years ongoing it is now entering it's 6th year. The cost of the EPass is deducted from an employee's monthly payroll. The discounted rates represent a 25% savings. Dalhousie supplements part of the cost of each bus pass, in partnership with HALIFAX. There are over 300 employees taking part in the program. See more information here http://www.dal.ca/dept/sustainability/smart-trip/transit/transit-passes.html https://www.dal.ca/campus_life/UPass.html

Guaranteed Return Trip Program 

Does the institution offer a guaranteed return trip program to regular users of alternative modes of transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the guaranteed return trip program:
Dalhousie in partnership with Halifax Transit offers the Guaranteed Ride Home Program (GRH). GRH is a program offered to employees who commute to work at least three times a week by carpool, vanpool, transit, bike, or walking. It provides those commuters with up to 5 free taxi rides (per year), in the event of a personal emergency or unexpected overtime. http://www.dal.ca/dept/sustainability/smart-trip/guaranteed-ride-home.html

Carpool/Vanpool Programs 

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:
RideShare: Dalhousie publishes an online RideShare board for all Dalhousie employees and students. Dalhousie students, faculty, and staff who are interested in carpooling may find someone to share a ride with by using the HRM Transportation Demand Management Ride-matching System, available through HRMRidematch.ca. This system allows commuters to quickly and safely find carpool partners. Dalhousie offers reserved parking spaces on all four campuses. On the Truro Agriculture Campus, preferential reserved spaces are offered for free to groups that qualify for the RideShare parking permit.On the Halifax Campuses, preferential reserved spaces are offered at a shared rate to those who RideShare. See more here: http://www.dal.ca/dept/sustainability/smart-trip/ride-sharing/rideshare.html

Car Sharing Program 

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

None
A brief description of the car sharing program:
CarShare: Dalhousie has signed a workplace agreement with CarShare Atlantic. CarShare Atlantic provides access to cars that can be used for workplace travel and ride sharing to the Agricultural Campus or locations in HRM. Dalhousie departments and faculties can access all of CarShare Atlantic's fleet of cars around Halifax. Of this fleet, there are five cars on Dalhousies campuses. See more here: http://www.dal.ca/dept/sustainability/smart-trip/ride-sharing/carshare.html

EV Recharging Stations 

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

None
A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:
The first Dalhousie electric charge car station is located at the Oceans Science Building. The charge station uses 6 kilowatt-hours of power to charge a vehicle providing a full charge in four to six hours. Another station has been added to the Sexton campus that includes solar pv to offset the electricity used at a new car change station. Both consumption and production will be monitored to calculate an offset rate. http://www.dal.ca/dept/sustainability/programs/Built_Environment/New_Construction/oceans-science-building.html

Telecommuting and Condensed Work Week Programs 

Does the institution offer a telecommuting program for employees as a matter of policy or as standard practice?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the telecommuting program:
Dalhousie has a telework policy to support leaders and employees who are interested in exploring working-from-home arrangements during some or all of their work week. See more here: http://www.dal.ca/dept/sustainability/smart-trip/travel-avoidance/telework.html

Does the institution offer a condensed work week option that reduces employee commuting (as a matter of policy or standard practice)?:
Yes

A brief description of the condensed work week option:
Dalhousie has a compressed work program where work hours are arranged to reduce or streamline travel time. "Compressed work week" refers to a work week which is condensed to fewer than the usual five days. A typical example is the compression of 10 days' work to 9 days, and the employee taking the 10th day off from work. Advantages of the compressed work week include additional daily hours of service available to clients, and employees having fewer work days. See more here: http://www.dal.ca/dept/sustainability/smart-trip/travel-avoidance/compressed-work-week.html

Other Strategies to Reduce the Impacts of Commuting 

Does the institution have incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus?:
No

None
A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:
---

Does the institution employ other strategies to reduce the impact of commuting (e.g. preferred parking for fuel-efficient vehicles, cash-out of parking programs)?:
Yes

A brief description of other strategies to reduce the impact of commuting:
Campus Bike Center: The Dalhousie Bike Center is based out of the Studley Gym. It offers cycling maintenance and safety education programs, as well as a free bike loan program that also runs out of the residence buildings. Also the Dalhousie Office of Sustainability offers sustainable transportation events such as smart cycle lunch and learn, hosts bike week events and sponsors Dalhousie participation in the commuter challenge. http://www.dal.ca/dept/sustainability/smart-trip/active-transport/campus-bike-centre.html

Optional Fields 

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
http://www.dal.ca/dept/sustainability/smart-trip/active-transport.html

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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