Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.21
Liaison Gary Cocke
Submission Date Sept. 11, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

The University of Texas at Dallas
OP-18: Support for Sustainable Transportation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Gary Cocke
Sustainability Director
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Support for Cyclists and Pedestrians 

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

None
A brief description of the facilities for bicycle commuters:
UT Dallas has bike racks located throughout campus. Showers and locker rooms for bicycle commuters are located in the Activity Center, Recreational Center West, and the Synergy Park North buildings. Campus Map http://www.utdallas.edu/maps/

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

None
A brief description of the bicycle parking and storage facilities:
Short and long-term bicycle storage racks are located near every building on-campus. This also includes the residence halls and the University Village apartments.

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:
Bike Safety information from https://www.utdallas.edu/services/transit/bike/#safety In Texas, bicycles are considered vehicles. When you ride a bike, you are liable for any injuries you cause to pedestrians, and for property damage. You are required to follow the same rules of the road as cars, with some exceptions. When you ride your bike, you should: Alert pedestrians as you approach them from behind by calling out “Passing on left!” Yield to pedestrians. Ride at safe speeds. Ride as close as practicable to the right curb. Use hand and arm signals. Keep at least one hand on your handle bars at all times. Never ride against the flow of traffic. Give an audible warning when passing pedestrians or other cyclists. Wear a helmet. Have a mirror. Have a white light in front and red reflector or light in the rear of the bike for night riding. Ride two abreast, but form a single line in congested traffic conditions.

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:
UT Dallas has partnered with VBikes to bring an expanded bike-sharing program to campus. While VBikes can be rented and returned to any bike rack on campus, our main bike-sharing stations are marked with signs and located – By the basketball courts near Residence Hall North (RHN) By the Center for Students in Recovery near the Phase 1 Apartments By the northwest corner of the Naveen Jindal School of Management (JSOM) By the west doors of Cecil H. Green Hall (GR) By Floyd Rd on the walkway between Lot A and Lot B VBikes are available for renting at $1 per hour.

Mass Transit Programs 

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:
-Free DART Transit Pass for Students -Discounted DART Transit Pass for Staff and Faculty -Comet Cab (Free on-campus transportation service for students, staff, and faculty) -Comet Cruiser (Free shuttle bus that serves UT Dallas and the surrounding community. This shuttle does not require a pass or identification from passengers)

Guaranteed Return Trip Program 

Does the institution offer a guaranteed return trip program to regular users of alternative modes of transportation?:
No

A brief description of the guaranteed return trip program:
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Carpool/Vanpool Programs 

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:
UT Dallas is served by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), which offers vanpool service at UTD. Vanpool participants can also utilize the emergency ride home service if needed. More info at https://www.dart.org/about/rideshare.asp

Car Sharing Program 

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

None
A brief description of the car sharing program:
UT Dallas has partnered with Zipcar to bring self-service, on-demand car sharing to the campus. The university Zipcar fleet includes a variety of vehicles which have reserved parking spaces at several locations on-campus. Special membership rates are provided to students, staff, faculty, alumni, and members of the community. More info at https://www.utdallas.edu/services/transit/zip/ https://www.utdallas.edu/services/transit/zip/

EV Recharging Stations 

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

None
A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:
UT Dallas has eight Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations located on-campus. The stations are open to campus users and the general public. In partnership with Blink, UT Dallas is identified on a map that illustrates all locations where there is a charging station. http://www.blinknetwork.com/blinkMap.html

Telecommuting and Condensed Work Week Programs 

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

None
A brief description of the telecommuting program:
It is the policy of The University of Texas at Dallas to permit telecommuting as provided by this policy when, in the sole discretion of the University, it will enhance the productivity of the employee and the work unit. http://policy.utdallas.edu/utdbp3048

Does the institution offer a condensed work week option that reduces employee commuting (as a matter of policy or standard practice)?:
No

A brief description of the condensed work week option:
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Other Strategies to Reduce the Impacts of Commuting 

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

None
A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:
UT Dallas Comet Discounts includes local apartment housing. Many apartments located near UT Dallas offer discounts on rent, fees, and/or deposits. http://www.utdallas.edu/hr/benefits/discount/#housing

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:
UT Dallas has five bicycle repair stations located on-campus that are free and open for public use. These stations are equipped with QR codes for smartphone users, which link to videos about basic bike repairs.

Optional Fields 

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:
UT Dallas Bike Information https://www.utdallas.edu/services/transit/bike/ Safeplace Dart https://www.dart.org/riding/safeplace.asp

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.