| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.61 |
| Liaison | Tina Woolston |
| Submission Date | Nov. 2, 2022 |
Tufts University
OP-17: Support for Sustainable Transportation
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Tina
Woolston Director Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution have a bicycle-sharing program or participate in a local bicycle-sharing program?:
A brief description of the bicycle sharing program:
Tufts Bikes, a student-run organization on the Medford/Somerville campus, provides 24 bikes plus locks, helmets, and lights that can be checked out by anyone with a Tufts ID through the Tisch library. Bikes can be kept for up to 24 hours and then returned to the same location on the Medford/Somerville campus. Rental is free, but late fees are charged. Tufts Bikes also has a bike repair shop where they repair bikes for free. It has professional tools for anyone to use and open shop hours where members of the group offer classes on safety and maintenance and help people with their own bike repairs. When the bike shop is closed cyclists can use an outdoor Fixit station at the campus center. Bike share bikes are kept in sheltered bike racks in front of the library and the campus center. https://tuftsbikes.com/
Bluebikes stations are located on the Somerville edge of the Medford/Somerville campus and within about a 10 minute walk of the Boston campus. Blue Bikes is the bike sharing program for Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville. Any employee or student at Tufts University is eligible for a nearly 50% discount on an annual Bluebikes membership through the Tufts Corporate Bluebikes Program. As of 4/12/22, a normally $119 annual membership is just $67.50/year. With this membership, all rides under 45 minutes are free. https://sustainability.tufts.edu/resources/transportation/discounted-bluebikes-memberships/
Does the institution participate in a car sharing program?:
A brief description of the car sharing program:
Discounted Zipcar Memberships are available to everyone 18 or older, including staff, faculty and students (including international students) from all Tufts University schools and programs.
Employees can register through their office for direct billing of discounted Mon-Fri driving rates. There is no application fee, monthly minimum, or membership deposit. Daily and overnight rates are also available. Gas, insurance, and 180 miles are included.
Medford Zipcar locations (33):
Zipcar -- Tisch Fitness Center
Zipcar -- Aidekman Parking Lot
Zipcar -- Lower Campus Road
Zipcar -- Jackson Gym
Zipcar -- West Hall
Zipcar -- Miller Hall
Zipcar -- Blakeley Hall
Zipcar -- CLIC/574 Boston Ave
Zipcar -- Arlington St
Zipcar -- Columbus Ave
Zipcar -- Stuart St
Zipcar -- Lagrange St
Zipcar -- Washington St
Zipcar -- Nassau St
Zipcar -- Avery St
Zipcar -- Tufts St
Zipcar--Essex St
Zipcar--Beach St
Zipcar--South St
Zipcar--Atlantic Ave
Zipcar--High St
Zipcar - Museum Rd
Zipcar - Emmanuel College
Zipcar - Boston Children's Hospital
Zipcar - St Albans Rd
Zipcar - Huntington Ave
Zipcar - Alphonsus St
Zipcar - Vancouver St
Zipcar - Park Dr
Zipcar - Queensberry St
Zipcar - Gainsborough St
Zipcar - Leon St
Zipcar - Columbus Ave
For more information or to sign-up, go to www.zipcar.com/tufts.
Turo
Turo (formerly RelayRides) is a neighbor-to-neighbor car sharing company connecting people who need a car with vehicle owners whose rides would otherwise just be sitting unused. Rent one for as little as $10/day. Borrowers as young as 21 can use this service. Learn more at www.Turo.com.
Does the institution offer preferential parking or other incentives for fuel efficient vehicles?:
A brief description of the incentives for fuel efficient vehicles:
Electric vehicle charging is free for people who drive to campus.
Does the institution have one or more Level 2 or Level 3 electric vehicle recharging stations that are accessible to student and employee commuters?:
A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:
2 Level 2 EV charging ports are installed in the Dowling Hall Garage in Medford. 2 additional Level 2 EV charging ports are available at Cohen Parking Lot. The Grafton campus has 12 EV charging ports. These stations are provided free of charge.
Does the institution have incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus?:
A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:
Walnut Hill Properties, a non-profit company owned by Tufts University, manages several rental apartments on and near the Medford/Somerville campus. Two programs assist Tufts faculty and staff with housing: Transitional Housing and Wood-frame Houses.
Transitional Housing
This program helps full-time faculty in Arts & Sciences and Engineering find a place to live until they become familiar with the area and can make more informed decisions about where to live. Incoming full-time faculty may rent for up to three years one of nine units in the renovated Hillside School Apartments, if units are available. The units are one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.
Wood-frame Houses
Other rental apartments managed by Walnut Hill Properties consist of two- or three-bedroom units in wood-frame houses. These houses typically contain two or three apartments, which Walnut Hill rents to Tufts faculty, staff, and graduate students. All are within walking distance of campus.
Does the institution have other programs or initiatives to encourage more sustainable modes of transportation and/or reduce the impact of student and employee commuting?:
A brief description of other programs or initiatives to encourage more sustainable modes of transportation and/or reduce the impact of student and employee commuting:
The Tufts Office of Sustainability publishes a number of green commuting publications to both students and employees, including commuting brochures, a bike map, and an Eco-Map that outlines programs available to students and employees. The public safety and parking website also includes information on alternative modes of transportation. Tufts has preferred parking spaces for carpools.
Besides the programs outlined elsewhere in this credit, the following programs exist to support alternative modes of transportation:
Tufts Emergency Ride Home (ERH) program supports Tufts employees who use low-carbon transportation with a free ride if an unexpected emergency arises. It is “commuter insurance” for those who carpool, take transit, bicycle, walk or vanpool to work. Participants simply take a taxi (through Lyft) in the event of an emergency, submit a reimbursement request afterwards (within 30 days), and Tufts will reimburse the individual for the cost of getting home. An individual must first be enrolled in ERH and regularly commute via carpool, vanpool, public transit, bicycle, or walk at least twice per week.
Tufts Boston and SMFA campuses are a member of A Better City Transportation Management Association (ABC TMA), a private, nonprofit organization made up of employers, institutions, and building owners working together to advance employee transportation options, improve air quality, and reduce traffic congestion. ABC TMA provides numerous incentives and programs that encourage employees to take public transit, carpool, vanpool, bike and/or walk to work. More information about specific programs can be found on their website here: https://www.abctma.com/
Website URL where information about the institution’s support for sustainable transportation is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.