Overall Rating Platinum - expired
Overall Score 85.51
Liaison Jennifer Andrews
Submission Date July 27, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of New Hampshire
OP-16: Student Commute Modal Split

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.68 / 2.00 Steve Pesci
Special Projects Director
Campus Planning
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total percentage of students (graduate and undergraduate) that use more sustainable commuting options as their primary means of transportation:
84

A brief description of the method(s) used to gather data about student commuting, including the timeframe for when the analysis was conducted and how a representative sample was reached, if applicable:
A new comprehensive standardized UNH Transportation survey was completed by the UNH Survey Center in spring 2016. The surveys are done professionally, with a combination of phone surveys to a random sample of the university commuting populations (faculty, staff and students), and with a web-based component. This information was augmented and cross-checked with parking permit applications, and was used to make logical assumptions regarding commuting distances. Comprehensive transportation surveys are completed every five years, sponsored by UNH Facilities in partnership with the Transportation Policy Committee and the Energy Task Force.

Optional Fields 

The percentage of students that use each of the following modes as their primary means of transportation to get to and from campus::
Percentage (0-100)
Commute with only the driver in the vehicle (excluding motorcycles and scooters) 16
Walk, bicycle, or use other non-motorized means 49
Vanpool or carpool 5
Take a campus shuttle or public transportation 25
Use a motorcycle, scooter or moped 5

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Primary data from 2016 Transportation Survey was updated to reflect increase in Durham off-campus housing, and parking permit sales. In 2016: UNH undergrad student on-campus pop is approx. 55% (these students walk/bike or take UNH campus Connector) so we start at that for base level. Of the remaining 45%, which are ‘off-campus students,' a few realities: Students that live within a mile of campus (approximately 37% of the off-campus students) are not allowed to buy parking permits to park on campus. The town of Durham added hundreds of student housing units between 2014 and 2017, the vast majority of which are within walking distance of campus or right on the UNH WildCAT bus line. In 2016, UNH sold only 2,434 commuter parking permits (approx. 10% of combined grad and undergrad population) Approximately 40% of students living further than a mile from UNH come to campus by non SOV modes on a typical day…this is primarily Wildcat Transit, Campus Connector (off campus housing), walk, bike and carpool. Grad students (2,500) live predominantly off campus and likely split 50% SOV and 50% (walk, bike, transit, carpool) See also http://www.unh.edu/transportation/tpc/

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.