Vanderbilt University
OP-17: Support for Sustainable Transportation
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
Reporter |
Chelsea
Hamilton Sustainability Outreach Program Manager Environmental Health, Safety, and 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:
VanderBikes is a Vanderbilt student run organization offering bicycle rentals. The program gives the students the ease of bicycle transportation without having to worry about storage and maintenance and encourages students to explore Nashville beyond Vanderbilt’s borders. http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vanderbikes/
Two bike-sharing programs are available near the Vanderbilt campus: a fee-based, automated kiosk system called Nashville B-Cycle, and Nashville GreenBikes, an easy-to-use bike-share program that gives residents and visitors a healthy, and decidedly different way to experience Nashville.
http://nashville.bcycle.com/
Vanderbilt piloted ofo dockless bike sharing system in March 2018 for the VU community and looks to add additional bike share options in the future.https://www.ofo.com/us/en
Does the institution participate in a car sharing program?:
A brief description of the car sharing program:
Vanderbilt offers a membership-based car sharing program with Zipcar. All Vanderbilt faculty, staff, students, alumni and departments may apply for the Zipcar program and take advantage of reduced rates on rentals.
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/movevu/commuter-options/
Vanderbilt also partners with ridehail companies and has designated pick-up and drop-off locations around campus.
Does the institution offer preferential parking or other incentives for fuel efficient vehicles?:
A brief description of the incentives for fuel efficient vehicles:
Many parking areas have preferred parking for fuel-efficient vehicles.
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:
Vanderbilt is committed to electrifying its fleet and encouraging students, faculty and staff to use an electric vehicle (EV), if they choose to drive to campus.
Vanderbilt currently maintains 16 electric vehicle charging stations for individuals to use while on campus. Charging stations are located in the 25th Avenue, Wesley Place and Terrace Place garages and in Lot 5B.
Ten of the EV chargers are part of a Smart Modal Area Recharge Terminal, or SMART station. The SMART station is a joint project of Vanderbilt, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Electric Power Research Institute to collect data on the operation of a charging station as well as the integration of the station into the operation of a “smart” power grid and includes solar panels on top of the charging area. This data will inform the further development of Tennessee’s electric vehicle infrastructure.
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/movevu/electric-vehicles/
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:
The Transportation and Mobility Office has launched the MoveVU Commute Hub as a one-stop commuter information resource for the Vanderbilt community. The Commute Hub, which includes a new app and website that tracks users’ commuting behavior, allows Vanderbilt staff, faculty and students to better understand their commute options beyond driving alone—including WeGo public transit, bicycles, scooters, walking, carpooling and vanpooling.
The tool is an effort of MoveVU, Vanderbilt’s strategic transportation and mobility plan. MoveVU aims to give commuters more options to choose from when making the daily decision on how to travel to campus and provides greater flexibility to match their dynamic lifestyles.
Vanderbilt offers a daily parking program for staff, faculty, postdocs, and graduate and professional students. The program currently serves approximately 2150 individuals during the 2021-22 academic year. Participants will pay to park only on days they drive a vehicle to campus and will earn a $0.50 daily incentive each time they choose a sustainable commute up to a total of $10 per month, assuming a 20-day work month.
The MoveVU Commute Hub allows commuters to:
• Understand their commute options beyond driving alone
• Connect with other Vanderbilt commuters interested in carpooling or vanpooling
• Track the mode in which they choose to commute to campus each day using the Commute Calendar feature
• See the impact they’re making by choosing sustainable commutes through their monthly commute statement
• Earn financial incentives and rewards that will roll out over time for their sustainable commutes
• Access to the Guaranteed Ride Home program in the event of an emergency or unforeseen circumstance when they have used a sustainable commute option that day
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 Transportation and Mobility Office has launched the MoveVU Commute Hub as a one-stop commuter information resource for the Vanderbilt community. The Commute Hub, which includes a new app and website that tracks users’ commuting behavior, allows Vanderbilt staff, faculty and students to better understand their commute options beyond driving alone—including WeGo public transit, bicycles, scooters, walking, carpooling and vanpooling.
The tool is an effort of MoveVU, Vanderbilt’s strategic transportation and mobility plan. MoveVU aims to give commuters more options to choose from when making the daily decision on how to travel to campus and provides greater flexibility to match their dynamic lifestyles.
The MoveVU Commute Hub allows commuters to:
• Understand their commute options beyond driving alone
• Connect with other Vanderbilt commuters interested in carpooling or vanpooling
• Track the mode in which they choose to commute to campus each day using the Commute Calendar feature
• See the impact they’re making by choosing sustainable commutes through their monthly commute statement
• Earn incentives and rewards that will roll out over time for their sustainable commutes
• Access to the Guaranteed Ride Home program in the event of an emergency or unforeseen circumstance when they have used a sustainable commute option that day
Additionally, Vanderbilt offers Commute Concierge services, including:
• Learn how to ride WeGo public transit to, from and across campus
• Plan out sustainable commutes, including tips on where to park and ride the bus
• Identify bicycle amenities around campus like showers and repair stations
• Receive guidance on sustainable options to travel downtown, to the airport, grocery stores, etc.
• Receive assistance planning group excursions
• View presentations on information about the daily parking program and sustainable commute options
Vanderbilt offers a daily parking program for staff, faculty, postdocs, and graduate and professional students. The program currently serves approximately 2150 individuals during the 2021-22 academic year. Participants will pay to park only on days they drive a vehicle to campus and will earn a $0.50 daily incentive each time they choose a sustainable commute up to a total of $10 per month, assuming a 20-day work month.
Vanderbilt offers a variety of shuttles made available to students to reduce the need for students to bring their vehicles to campus. These shuttles run on routes to the airport and local stores during various times of the year.
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.