Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 60.83
Liaison Parker Long
Submission Date March 2, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Virginia Commonwealth University
OP-18: Support for Sustainable Transportation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Erin Stanforth
Director of Sustainability
Facilities
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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 Cary St. Gym Facility, the Jonah L. Larrick Student Center as well as RamBikes are all located near covered, secure bike storage. All three have lockers and showers for students that bike to campus.


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:

VCU has dedicated bicycle parking at all large buildings, while smaller buildings have shared bicycle parking. All students who live on-site have long-term storage.


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?:
No

A brief description of the bicycle and pedestrian plan or policy:
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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:

VCU has a bike-loan program for students to use bicycles daily at no charge. There are 16 bikes available at the university bike program location.


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:

Full-time undergraduate and graduate students pay $100 per semester. Part-time undergraduate and graduate students pay $50 per semester. Full time employees pay an annual fee of $500. Part time employees pay an annual fee of $300. Participation in the program allows participants to pay $20.84 per 24 pay periods through pre-tax payroll deductions. Part-time and hourly employees must pay a minimum of 6 months at the time of purchase. The program also consists of the following accommodations: The VCU Campus Connector provides transportation service between the Monroe Park campus and the MCV Campus for all students, faculty, and staff.


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 RamSafe program provides free transportation to on-campus locations and nearby residences and buildings within defined boundaries on the Monroe Park and MCV campuses. VCU students, faculty and staff are encouraged to submit their requests at ramsafe.vcu.edu or 828-SAFE (7233) between the hours of 5pm and 8am to schedule a ride. RamSafe operates 365 days a year.


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:

ZimRide is a private car sharing network for VCU students, faculty, and staff. It is an easy way to share your ride or find a ride. ZimRide can be used for any type of trip from daily commutes to road trips.


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:

This program consists of 6 total vehicles; 4 ZipCars on MPC and 2 cars on MCV campuses-of multiple models. The usage fee is $7.50 per hour or $69 per day on weekdays and a usage fee of $8.50 per hour and $77 per day on weekends. The annual membership fee of $15 faculty, staff, students and administrators are able to participate in VCU’s car sharing program. ZipCar expects 50 to 100 new members per month and will add more cars to the program as utilization warrants.


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:

Two 240 volts, L2 EV charging stations are located in the West Broad Street Deck on the Monroe Park Campus and in the N Deck on the MCV Campus. These charging stations can charge a vehicle in one to four hours


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:

A work arrangement in which the employee is approved to perform his/her job duties away from the usual place of work. Although many University positions do not lend themselves to telecommuting, some positions may be suitable for offsite hours on a long-term or short-term basis. The manager must evaluate individual jobs for telecommuting suitability and employees for performance and reliability before approving the arrangement.


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:

Management reserves the right to establish and adjust the work schedules of employees in the agency, being mindful of the hours of public need. Alternative work schedules may include, but are not limited to, four 10-hour days, rotational shifts, flexible hours, and job sharing.


Does the institution have incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus?:
No

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

VCU offers free parking to carpools of 3 or more riders, a discounted city-wide bus pass, a free private ridesharing social network, and a discounted car sharing program with 6 cars located on both campuses.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.