Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.35
Liaison Suchi Daniels
Submission Date Feb. 19, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of South Florida (Tampa)
OP-18: Support for Sustainable Transportation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Sara J. Hendricks, AICP
Senior Research Associate
Center for Urban Transportation Research
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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

A brief description of the facilities for bicycle commuters:

The USF Campus Recreation Center (as well as many other buildings around campus) have covered bicycle racks where bike commuters may park their bicycles for the day. Campus Recreation also houses showers and lockers which are accessible by all members of the university. Storage, shower facilities and lockers are co-located in a single facility.


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

A brief description of the bicycle parking and storage facilities:

The campus provides bicycle parking for 3,374 bicycles by bicycle racks, covered bike racks, bike lockers and indoor bike rooms located throughout the campus, including at dormitories, libraries, classroom buildings, dining halls, athletic fields, recreation centers, administrative buildings, transit stations and research labs.


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:

2015 – 2025 CAMPUS MASTER PLAN UPDATE
Objective 4.5: Preserve and amend existing street and major utility corridors to ensure adequate utility access compatible with implementation of planned development, open space framework, and non‐vehicular circulation.

Policy 4.5.2: The University shall preserve existing street corridors for circulation and open space use. In support of sustainable planning principles a more pedestrian dominated core, improved campus wayfinding, and increased pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular safety, roadway modifications are recommended, as follows:

The campus loop road system shall be modified to establish stronger visual and physical connections, with greater pedestrian safety, between housing areas…and campus areas south…by closing the section of USF East Holly…to regular vehicular traffic and limiting this section of the corridor to pedestrian, bicycle, Bull Runner, emergency, and service access…Leroy Collins [Blvd.] shall be modified to reduce vehicular-pedestrian conflict and become primarily ceremonial drive… Primary modifications include: termination of roadway just south of Sessums Mall to allow free pedestrian flow east to west on Sessums; and reduction in traffic accessing parking areas including surface lots and rerouting Collins Garage traffic to USF Willow…USF Apple Drive on the north side of the Library will be discontinued for vehicular access to complete the east-west Sessums pedestrian mall…

Policy 4.8.8: The University shall coordinate through the Office of Facilities Planning and Construction with the City of Tampa, City of Temple Terrace, Hillsborough County, and FDOT to construct pedestrian/bicycle linkages between USF and adjacent neighborhoods and edge conditions.

p. 5-2: The proposed strategy for designated bicycle circulation remains one that a) provides bicycle lanes along the loop road and the radial campus roads that connect with the bicycle lanes on surrounding arterial highways, and b) designates selected major pathway corridors on the campus for joint pedestrian/bicycle use.


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:

Share-a-Bull Bikes began in 2016, from a Student Green Energy Fund project, providing 100 free bikes around campus available 24/7. The program was so popular that a rental fee was instituted to provide the bikes with much needed repair. Formerly managed by the USF Recreation Center, the project is currently in management transition to be operated by Coast Bikes. Coast Bikes will lease the USF bikeshare fleet and operate and maintain them until the end of their useful life. Coast Bikes also plans to replace these bikes and provide an additional 200 bikes to the campus, and establish a hub system outside the campus boundaries, with the assistance of business sponsorships http://coastbikeshare.com/usf-home/.


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:

All USF students, faculty and staff have fare free access to the USF Tampa Campus Bull Runner with their USFCard. The Bull Runner also provides USF faculty, staff and students with access to the HART regional transit hub, the University Mall, and to several residential complexes immediately to the west, north and south of the campus. http://www.usf.edu/administrative-services/parking/documents/bull-runnermap.pdf The BullTracker provides real time information on bus locations and arrival predictions. Other features include an option to set up text alerts for arrivals, detours and other information. https://usfbullrunner.com/

While students pay a transportation access fee of $3.00 per credit hour, USF also provides a subsidy called the UPass, allowing students to ride HART fare free and faculty/staff to ride for $0.50 with USF ID card, please see: http://www.gohart.org/Pages/fares-usfu-pass.aspx During August and September, 2017, a campaign to encourage faculty and staff to try transit provided fare-free bus service to ride HART.


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:

The USF Tampa Campus has partnered with the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority (TBARTA) to provide the Emergency Ride Home (ERH) program. That is four free taxi rides home in case of emergency for workers or students who commute in ways other than driving alone two or more days a week. http://tbarta.com/images/commuters/Fact%20Sheet_ERH_2.2.15.pdf


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:

USF provides the Zimride program. This is a ridematching program using the trusted social network of the university community. Zimride helps students, staff and faculty offer or request rides for commutes, road trips, and popular events. If you have a car, split costs by offering rides. If you don’t have a car, find rides where you need to go. USF Zimride requires a USF Net ID to gain access. This is a program sponsored by the USF Center for Urban Transportation Research. https://zimride.com/usf In addition, USF offers a Preferential Carpool Parking program, the goals of which are listed here.
• To reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in and around the campus
• To reduce demand for parking on the USF Tampa campus
• To increase the number of Carpool, Emergency Ride Home (ERH) and Enterprise Carshare participants
• To provide a benefit for USF faculty, staff and students through reduced commuting costs
http://www.usf.edu/administrative-services/parking/parking/carpool.aspx


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

A brief description of the car sharing program:

USF offers Enterprise CarShare, which is a member program open to USF students, staff, and faculty to rent vehicles for very short periods of less than a day. Presently, three vehicles are available for reservation and use by members of USF Enterprise CarShare. There is an annual member fee and rental is available for a modest hourly rate that includes fuel and insurance. https://www.enterprisecarshare.com/us/en/home.html


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

A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:

USF Tampa Campus currently has 5 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations as part of the ChargePoint Network. ChargePoint is the world's largest and most open electric vehicle charging network with over 25,300 locations. Last spring, the Student Green Energy Fund Council approved the funding of an additional 10 electric vehicle charging stations on the campus.
http://www.usf.edu/administrative-services/parking/parking/ev-charging-stations.aspx


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

A brief description of the telecommuting program:

Telecommuting is a work arrangement, either full-time or part-time, whereby eligible university employees are authorized by appropriate management to regularly perform the normal duties and responsibilities of their positions, through the use of computers and other telecommunications, at sites other than their usual place of work. http://www.usf.edu/hr/employment-resources/employee-labor-relations/flexible-work-arrangements.aspx The USF Division of Human Resources provides detailed procedures for implementing telecommuting.


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:

USF employees may request a non-standard work week through the Human Resources Website. The USF Center for Urban Transportation Research, as one example, offers three options to their employees:

1) 4.5/40 - during a 1-week period, work 9 hours each on 4 days, work 4 hours on one specified day per week (that day must be the same every week; Tuesdays are not allowed).

2) 9/80 - during a 2-week period, work 9 hours on 8 days, work 8 hours on 1 day, take off one specified day every two weeks (that day must be the same every two weeks; Tuesdays are not allowed).

3) 4/40 - work 10 hours on 4 days, take off one specified day every week (that day must be the same every week; Tuesdays are not allowed).


Does the institution have incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus?:
Yes

A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:

The USF Tampa Campus Bull Runner includes over 10 miles through neighborhoods off-campus where dozens of apartment buildings are located catering to students and faculty: http://www.usf.edu/administrative-services/parking/documents/bull-runnermap.pdf


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:

The USF Tampa Campus Outdoor Resource Center bike shop provides a free and low cost repair and maintenance service for personal bicycles. If the bicycle is in need of replacement parts, the ORC sells some of the parts that are usually required at low prices. Students can also bring parts in from the store and have the ORC staff install them. The ORC employees are more than willing to help students with their bike repair needs, as well as teach a thing or two about bike repairs. For students who already know how to make the repairs, but do not have the correct tools, the ORC allows students to come in with their bike and use the tools to make repairs and adjustments on their own. Items Available for Purchase in the ORC include Brake Pads, Foot Pedals, Shifter Cables, Brake Cables, Headlights, Rear Lights, U-Locks, Tire Tubes, Tube Patches, and more. In addition to the Share-A-Bull program, USF also offers a separate low-cost bicycle rental program called Borrow Our Bikes, in which students can rent a bicycle for longer periods, including over the weekend, for a week, and for a semester. http://www.usf.edu/student-affairs/campus-rec/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-resource-center-equipment-rentals.aspx The USF Tampa Campus also provides a pick-up location for Red Coach intercity bus service. USF Tampa Campus also is one of 231 designated Best Workplaces for Commuters in the United States, an innovative membership program that provides qualified employers with national recognition and an elite designation for offering outstanding commuter benefits to its employees. https://www.bestworkplaces.org USF Tampa Campus also is a member of the New North Transportation Alliance, a transportation management association that promotes transportation demand management strategies and alternative transportation options in the USF area. https://www.newnorthalliance.com/


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:
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