| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 73.17 |
| Liaison | Emily Vollmer |
| Submission Date | May 16, 2024 |
Virginia Tech
OP-17: Support for Sustainable Transportation
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.80 / 1.00 |
Nick
Quint Transportation Network Manager Alternative Transportation |
"---"
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:
Virginia Tech partnered with area localities on the Roam New River Valley regional bike share system. The system had 75 e-bikes spread across 16 stations before closing unexpectedly in June 2022. Efforts are underway to issue a new RFP for bike share service.
Does the institution participate in a car sharing program?:
Yes
A brief description of the car sharing program:
Virginia Tech partnered with Zipcar to bring self-service, on-demand car sharing to the area.
Does the institution offer preferential parking or other incentives for fuel efficient vehicles?:
No
A brief description of the incentives 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?:
Yes
A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:
Virginia Tech has three publicly-available level 2 EV charging stations. Each charging station has two ports for a total capacity of six vehicles. One of the parking spaces is ADA accessible. To allow access to as many users as possible, an additional hourly fee is assessed to fully-charged vehicles that have not been relocated within 15 minutes.
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:
---
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:
The Bike, Bus, and Walk (BBW) permit is available to Virginia Tech faculty, staff, and students who use alternative transportation as their primary means of commuting to campus. It provides 16 reduced-price daily parking permits per semester, to allow for flexibility when commuting via sustainable transportation is not preferred.
The Employee Vanpool Program allows participants to rent a van from Fleet Services, reserve a parking space near the driver's office, and share the monthly costs which are payroll deducted using pretax dollars. Maintenance is included and participants are able to fuel inexpensively at Fleet Services' fuel pump.
The Hokie Bike Hub serves as a bicycle maintenance and commuter education center. Virginia Tech affiliates have free access to tools and resources for self-service bike repair. Cyclists can also attend bike-themed workshops or learn how to maintain and repair bikes through one-on-one sessions with Sustainable Transportation staff.
The carpool permit is available to two or more students/employees who register together. The permit has a reduced cost when compared to the cost of two typical permits. It allows people to park in designated, preferred spaces on campus.
Smart Way Express is a free bus service for Virginia Tech affiliates travelling between the Blacksburg campus and Roanoke. Aside from the Blacksburg area, the Roanoke region is where the majority of Virginia Tech employees live. While this service primarily provides a connection to Virginia Tech's medical campus in Roanoke, some employees use it to commute.
Fares for Blacksburg Transit, the local transit system that services campus and Blacksburg, are prepaid for students and employees.
The Employee Vanpool Program allows participants to rent a van from Fleet Services, reserve a parking space near the driver's office, and share the monthly costs which are payroll deducted using pretax dollars. Maintenance is included and participants are able to fuel inexpensively at Fleet Services' fuel pump.
The Hokie Bike Hub serves as a bicycle maintenance and commuter education center. Virginia Tech affiliates have free access to tools and resources for self-service bike repair. Cyclists can also attend bike-themed workshops or learn how to maintain and repair bikes through one-on-one sessions with Sustainable Transportation staff.
The carpool permit is available to two or more students/employees who register together. The permit has a reduced cost when compared to the cost of two typical permits. It allows people to park in designated, preferred spaces on campus.
Smart Way Express is a free bus service for Virginia Tech affiliates travelling between the Blacksburg campus and Roanoke. Aside from the Blacksburg area, the Roanoke region is where the majority of Virginia Tech employees live. While this service primarily provides a connection to Virginia Tech's medical campus in Roanoke, some employees use it to commute.
Fares for Blacksburg Transit, the local transit system that services campus and Blacksburg, are prepaid for students and employees.
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:
https://parking.vt.edu/alternative/Walk/bbw.html
https://parking.vt.edu/alternative/Bike/hokie-bike-hub.html
https://parking.vt.edu/alternative/ride-share/vanpooling.html
https://parking.vt.edu/permits/commuter-alternatives-program.html
https://smartwaybus.com/swx.html
https://parking.vt.edu/parking/evcharging.html
Virginia Tech has been cited as one of the 2023 Best Universities for Commuters in offering outstanding commuter programs and benefits to students and employees. The University is also a silver level Bicycle Friendly University. More information can be found here:
https://parking.vt.edu/about/recognition-awards.html
By the end of 2023, Virginia Tech will have three more level 2 EV charging stations installed. They will be spread across two locations at either end of campus, making it more convenient for EV owners to charge their vehicles. Virginia Tech has also applied for a federal grant to install 29 additional EV charging stations across campus.
https://parking.vt.edu/alternative/Bike/hokie-bike-hub.html
https://parking.vt.edu/alternative/ride-share/vanpooling.html
https://parking.vt.edu/permits/commuter-alternatives-program.html
https://smartwaybus.com/swx.html
https://parking.vt.edu/parking/evcharging.html
Virginia Tech has been cited as one of the 2023 Best Universities for Commuters in offering outstanding commuter programs and benefits to students and employees. The University is also a silver level Bicycle Friendly University. More information can be found here:
https://parking.vt.edu/about/recognition-awards.html
By the end of 2023, Virginia Tech will have three more level 2 EV charging stations installed. They will be spread across two locations at either end of campus, making it more convenient for EV owners to charge their vehicles. Virginia Tech has also applied for a federal grant to install 29 additional EV charging stations across campus.
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