Thompson Rivers University
OP-18: Support for Sustainable Transportation

The House of Learning building on campus has shower facilities located in the basement (four showers) accessible to all. In the basement of the same building, there are secure lockers for bicycle storage accessible to all. Lockers for personal belongings are available in this building as well, accessible to all. Therefore bicycle storage, shower facilities and lockers are co-located in the House of Learning building at Thompson Rivers University Kamloops campus. In addition, a covered bicycle shelter with bike locking stations and a repair stand (tools and air pump), is located just outside the House of Learning.

Long-term bicycle storage is available for students who live on campus. McGill St. Residence has indoor individual (per room) secure, long-term storage for bicycles. Old Main building has five secure indoor bike storage units. Arts and Education building has two secure indoor units; Trades building has two secure indoor units, and Open Learning building has one indoor secure unit. Each unit fits 4-6 bicycles.

The Campus Master Plan and Campus Strategic Sustainability Plan outline best practices for bicycle and pedestrian pathways/roads on campus, including plans for future development and new policy developments to shape our campus multi-use paths. The Campus Master Plan is referenced below, noting key points in the plan that relate to multi-use paths. Page 48: ‘Another key element that came of the extensive consultation and visioning for the new TRU master plan, is the focus on a pedestrian and bike-friendly campus. One of the major moves with the new campus is to get cars out of the centre of campus and to create a desirable pedestrian environment. We believe that many of these key elements of a safe and desirable pedestrian and bike-oriented environment should be adopted along McGill as well to create a cohesive feel and glue the campus to the surrounding communities. These principles would include wide sidewalks, with canopies for weather protection, well-designed landscaping and tree planting along the street, and designated bike lanes. Another aspect of a safe pedestrian environment is regulating vehicular speeds and traffic calming.’ Page 50: ‘Encourage cycling through designated bike lanes along McGill Corridor’ Page 55: ‘bike facilities such as a maintenance shop, bike rentals, bike parking, lockers and bikeways within campus is encouraged for use at TRU.’ Page 29: Implementation Strategy - designate areas for bicycles, pedestrians, and cars Page 42: Open Space and Landscape Guidelines – ‘Ease of access – pedestrians use networks that are well-connected and make day to day use easy; Very direct and pedestrian only access to key points and academic spaces on campus, especially those with greater prominence, to reduce the urge to drive; Bicycle facilities prominently located at entrances and en routes for cyclists; Pathway designs on slopes that work with the grade and provide benches for adequate resting and respite’ The Campus Strategic Sustainability Plan is referenced below, noting key points in the plan that relate to multi-use paths and development. Page 32: Strategy, Accommodate Bikes, develop and implement a “complete streets” or bicycle accommodation policy, develop guidelines for bicycle parking, storage and facilities, and/or participate in a bike-sharing program. Page 21: Desired Outcome – travelling to/from and around campus by bike is a safe and convenient option. Page 51: External Advocacy – TRU is also working with the City of Kamloops to help improve the public transit system and the bike paths in and around campus. The City of Kamloops has also completed its Bicycle Master Plan in 2010 and is currently undertaking its Pedestrian and Trails Master Plans; the City will explore connections with the TRU campus networks.

The TRU Sustainability Office has a Bike Sharing Program, whereby any TRU student, staff or faculty member can borrow an e-bike or mountain bike free of charge for one week (after signing a waiver). The mountain bikes are our way of contributing to the physical activity and well being of students, and to encourage them to explore Kamloops, which raises awareness about our local ecosystem. The availability of electric bikes is intended to encourage employees to participate in a payroll deduction initiative to purchase their own e-bike.

TRU Student Union UPASS functions as an unlimited transit pass for the City of Kamloops transit system, provided to every student enrolled at TRU in Kamloops. The UPASS allows riders to get to and from classes, work, school, and elsewhere at a low cost--both financially and environmentally. Employee ProPass is a permanent photo ID bus pass purchased through the TRU payroll deduction program, which is available to staff & faculty of TRU. The cost is $44.00 a month provides a savings of $108/year compared to purchasing regular monthly transit passes. Participants are required to sign up for a minimum of four months

Any TRU student or staff member that uses alternative modes of transportation and needs to get somewhere in Kamloops due to an unforeseen circumstance (emergency, drastic weather, etc.) will be reimbursed the taxi fare to get to their destination.

The Facilities office runs the TRU Rideshare program. Please see https://www.trurideshare.com/ to sign up or learn about the program.

The Sustainability Office runs its own car share program for staff and faculty. We currently have three Toyota hybrid vehicles. We also have two Zipcar vehicles on campus that are available for public use, and have a discounted membership rate for staff, faculty and students.

There are eight level 2 electric vehicle charging stations on campus that are free to use by anyone.

In accordance with the TRU/CUPE Collective Agreement, CUPE employees may, where feasible, work a compressed work week. The compressed work-week consists of working an additional half hour over a period of 14 days. The 15th day in a three week period is considered a rest day.

Partial Parking Stall Program: Drivers who only park their vehicle at TRU for a set amount of days (between 1-4) will only have to pay the commensurate amount of parking fees Bike Shelter and Repair Stand: TRU installed a covered bike shelter and a repair stand , that includes tools and an air pump. Bicycle Events: TRU is an active participant in events that promote bicycle commuting and riding (Kamloops Bike to Work Week and the Multiple Sclerosis Kamloops River Ride). TRU also extends Bike to Work Week to an entire month for staff and faculty During this time, TRU offers prizes, free bike-maintenance courses, and supplemental transit passes to those involved. Electric Vehicle Suitability Assessment program: TRU received financial assistance from the Fraser Basin Council to install 10 Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations at the 2 main campuses (Kamloops and Williams Lake). TRU was selected by the Fraser Basin Council as one of only four organizations across BC to participate in an Electric Vehicle Suitability Assessment pilot study. The EV suitability pilot studied the duty cycle of TRU fleet vehicles to determine if existing vehicles could be replaced with comparable EV or hybrid vehicles. The study identified significant financial savings and reduced GHG emissions associated with replacing existing fossil fuel powered vehicles with EV or hybrids. The study will act as a guide for TRU’s Facilities managers when they are replacing and updating TRU’s existing fleet vehicles in the coming years. TRU offers a reduced rate on reserved stalls for electric vehicles.