University of New Hampshire
OP-17: Support for Sustainable Transportation

In 2018 UNH Facilities launched a departmental bike share program specifically geared toward staff and faculty for travel around campus, with the goals of expanding staff mobility and efficiency; improving health and morale; reducing motor vehicle reliance; and enhancing our community bike culture. Bikes are purchased, owned and maintained by the sponsoring department, who are eligible for negotiated discounted rates through the chosen university vendor. Bikes are serviced by a local bike shop. Staff in participating departments get safety training. Three departments are participating with a current bike fleet count of eight, and efforts are underway to expand this program. https://www.unh.edu/facilities/unh-departmental-bike-program

UNH has had several iterations of a campus-wide student-facing bike share program, with the first launched in 2005. In spring 2021, Campus Planning and the Sustainability Institute undertook and outreach campaign and survey to get community input on a new partnership with a local bike shop to offer an expansive new iteration of a community bike share program to serve the campus and community of Durham, The UNH Transportation Policy Committee approved moving forward in further developing this initiative, and though delayed due to COVID, a working group is planning for an exciting re-launch of the UNH community-wide bike share in spring 2022.

ZipCar launched at UNH on October 22, 2009. ZipCar is a membership-based car-sharing service available to students, faculty, staff and community members for $35/year. Hourly fees for use depend on car model and peak demand. There is a mix of six hybrid and fuel-efficient cars available 24 hours a day at three convenient locations around campus (adjacent to the train station, Garrison Avenue and Madbury Rd. ZipCar is but another way in which community members can be car-free.

One public Level 2 EV charging station is accessible to students and employee commuters.. It was installed in summer 2015; the University and its host community, the town of Durham, both contributed to the cost of the charging station, and it is located in a municipal lot adjacent to the heart of the UNH campus . In addition, UNH has Level 1 and Level 2 charging infrastructure for UNH fleet (only), and the University has plans to expand electrification of its vehicle fleet and charging infrastructure in the coming years. The University has been actively exploring options and funding for installing more EV charging station. In 2018 the Energy Task Force formally adopted an electric vehicle (EV) charging policy, which was subsequently adopted by the Transportation Policy Committee as well, to help guide the University’s future efforts in this realm. The policy lays out EV infrastructure prioritization to accommodate UNH fleet and shared public access EVSE for commuters and visitors; it will direct future grant and direct investment plans.
See https://www.fosters.com/article/20150920/NEWS/150929929

While it does not qualify as a direct incentive based on STARS precedent, UNH DOES have such a program: We run a regional bus and shuttle service that is intentionally designed and operated to incentivize employees and students to live close to campus. The design and scheduling of its routes make it possible for those who live in or very near Durham (UNH's host community) to enjoy convenient, free transportation service within Durham and to desirable community and commercial destinations in five adjacent communities next door to Durham (Dover, Newmarket, Madbury, Newington and Portsmouth); a “guaranteed ride home” for riders; real time bus information through Umo and UNH Mobile app (formerly NextBus); and connection to regional transportation like Amtrak and to the car-sharing resources like ZipCar which provide convenient access to destinations far beyond campus without the expense or hassle of owning and operating one's own vehicle. In this way, UNH has provided an effective inducement for significant numbers of staff and faculty to elect to live in those communities closest to campus served by this WildCat transit system.

UNH’s commitment to sustainable transportation includes the way we manage our own fleet and support sustainable transportation options for our entire community. Under a framework of Transportation Demand Management (TDM), which seeks to reduce our use of single-occupancy vehicle private vehicles, UNH's Transportation Policy Committee (TPC) takes a holistic approach that includes expanded free transit services, increased on- or near-campus housing, development of improved transit and bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure, partnerships with Amtrak, ZipCar, and others, and ongoing informational programs aimed at providing expanded mobility without private vehicle use. The partnership with Amtrak, within which UNH invests approximately $30k/year to host a station stop, right on campus, for the Amtrak Downeaster route, making us one of only a handful of universities to have an Amtrak station on campus. Under normal circumstances (i.e. pre-COVID), the stations accommodates over 60k passenger trips to/from Durham every year.
See https://www.unh.edu/transportation/about/transportation-policy-committee
Our goal is maximizing mobility and accessibility in a climate protection framework that emphasizes health and safety, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, equity, accessibility and sustainability. UNH actively works with the state Department of Transportation and regional MPO to coordinate transit and intermodal transportation activities and is a critical player in the regional transit system which connects eight communities to Durham, providing over 1.2 million passenger trips per year.
UNH also collects data on its transportation systems (transit, vehicle fuel consumption, mileage) and community transportation needs and behaviors as a way of benchmarking and tracking progress in its sustainable transportation system goals. This data collection allows us to measure effectiveness versus peer institutions. Reports and publications can be found on the TPC website. https://www.unh.edu/transportation/about/transportation-policy-committee
Carpool and ride-share programs: UNH supports ride-sharing and carpooling and carpooling through provision of a dedicated carpool lot centrally located on campus. See https://www.unh.edu/transportation/other-services/carpooling. There is a UNH Wildcat Rides Facebook Page promoted by the campus transportation office through which potential riders can connect. https://www.facebook.com/groups/UNHWildcatRides/ UNH employees and students are also encouraged to participate in the CommuteSmart Challenge offered through a local nonprofit CommuteSmart Seacoast. https://commutesmartseacoast.org/ .
UNH saw success with a transition toward remote work during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and is continuing to provide this option for employees whose work is able to be successfully completed remotely. To facilitate this process, the University offers Flexible Work Arrangement Policies. Employees interested in some version of a hybrid and/or remote work arrangement complete a form and then work with their managers to assess and, if appropriate, implement flexible remote work arrangements. See https://www.usnh.edu/policy/usy/v-personnel-policies/c-employment#usyvc21flex

Spring 2018 marked fifteen years since adoption of a transportation demand management (TDM) based approach to transportation and mobility issues on the campus of the University of New Hampshire in Durham. The period has seen significant growth and change in UNH-Durham demographics, housing and transportation patterns as well as two updates of the Campus Master Plan (2004 and 2012). The fundamental principles adopted in 2003 informed those Master Plans, preserved the walking campus, and ensured campus growth in a sustainable, environmentally principled manner. Beginning in 2018, the Transportation Policy Committee (TPC) facilitated a yearlong thoughtful, data driven, iterative dialog which included cross-campus focus groups to explore and evaluate refreshed strategies as the University moves forward into a new decade under new leadership. This resulting report tells the UNH TDM story in the context of the trends/impacts of the last 15 years and suggests proactive changes. For this TPC15: 2003-2018 Transportation Policy Review & Update
See https://unh.app.box.com/s/oo8prre596vs50kmsmokadz03k69uj7z.