Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 66.40
Liaison Parker Long
Submission Date Aug. 27, 2021

STARS v2.2

Virginia Commonwealth University
OP-17: Support for Sustainable Transportation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Parker Long
Sustainability Reporting and Outreach Coordinator
Facilities Management - Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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:

The bike loan program at RamBikes consists of 16 loanable commuter TREK hybrids that are free to rent for any student, faculty or staff member with a valid VCU ID. The bikes can be checked out at RamBikes during normal business hours. Patrons will need to sign a liability waiver and will be issued a helmet and lights if desired and u-lock to be returned with the bike. Patrons are responsible for the bicycle while it is in their possession.

The bikes have a 48-hour check-out period to encourage a high turnover rate and allow anyone to get the chance to try them. One renewal is allowed, but after that the bicycle must be returned


Does the institution participate in a car sharing program?:
Yes

A brief description of the car sharing program:

The VCU Zipcar program consists of 6 total vehicles; 4 cars 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 $25 faculty, staff, students and administrators are able to participate in VCU’s car sharing program.


Does the institution offer preferential parking or other incentives for fuel efficient vehicles?:
No

A brief description of the incentives for fuel efficient vehicles:
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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 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:

VCU has partnered with the Greater Richmond Transit Service (GRTC) to cover the cost of GRTC ridership for VCU, VCU Health System and Virginia Premier students and employees. GRTC provides fast, frequent and reliable bus service to many locations.

This incentivizes living close to campus for faculty and staff to be able to utilize this free resource to commute to campus.GRTC bus service is only available in the city, and not the outlying suburbs, therefore this incentive is only useful to employees living closer to campus.


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?:
Yes

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:

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.

VCU and VCU Health System employee parking subscribers who turn in their VCU parking permit and create or join a carpool will on an annual basis receive an incentive of 12 free daily parking passes to use at any VCU "pay as you go" parking decks: West Broad Street Deck, West Cary Street Deck, West Main Street Deck, or 8th Street Deck.

Carpoolers and vanpoolers receive one parking permit per group, but all members of the carpool or vanpool who redeem VCU parking permits may be eligible for the incentive and each receives 12 free daily parking passes. At least two members of your carpool or vanpool must be VCU or VCU Health System employee parking subscribers to be eligible for the incentives.

UCommute URL: https://commute.vcu.edu/current-incentives/


Website URL where information about the institution’s support for sustainable transportation is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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