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Transportation Demand Management for Colleges,

Universities and Municipalities

Mid-South Transportation and Parking Association

March 20, 2007

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Overview

• Introduction to ACT

• Introduction to TDM

• University Applications

• Parking & TDM

• Building a Dialogue

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Introduction to ACT

• Association for Commuter Transportation

• ACT supports individual transportation demand management professionals and organizational members in their efforts to reduce traffic congestion, enhance mobility, improve air quality, and conserve energy.

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ACT Resources

• ACT International Conference

• Chapter/Regional Events

• TDM Review (quarterly journal)

• TDM eReview (biweekly e-mail)

• Online members-only directory

• NetConferences

• Professional development seminars

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ACT Chapters

• Cascades• Chesapeake• Great Lakes• Lone Star• Mid-Atlantic• Midwest• Northern California

• Northern California – Inland

• Patriot• Rocky Mountain• South East (SEACT)• Southern California• Valley of the Sun

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ACT Councils

• 511 Council • Employer Council - Coming Soon! • HOV/HOT Council • Public Policy Council • Telework Council • TMA Council • University Council • Vanpool Council

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ACT University Council Members

• California Poly State University - San Luis Obispo

• California State University - Dominguez Hills

• California State University - Eastbay

• California State University - Northridge

• California State University - San Marcos

• Center for Urban Transportation Research (USF)

• Clayton State University• Cornell University• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical

University

• George Mason University• Georgia Institute of Technology• UCLA• UNC Asheville• University of California - Riverside• University of Chicago• University of New Mexico• University of Southern California• Vanderbilt University• Virginia Tech

(25 campuses)

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Public Policy

• ACT was instrumental in educating Congress about need for tax-free commute benefit (transit/vanpool).

• Parking parity issue• Engaged in 2005 passage of SAFETEA-

LU: Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users. (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/index.htm)

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Introduction to TDM

• Transportation demand management

• History: “What if…?”– Gas lines/prices > air quality > congestion

• Transportation: Less or more?– More mobility…few problems– Multi-modal focus– Redefine ‘supply’…not just highways

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Demand vs. Choice

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What Kind of Choice?

• More choice

• Easy choice

• Convenient choice

• Affordable choice

• Positive experience

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“Ahhh…”

• Oasis experience

• Refreshed…rejuvenated…or just relieved

• Operational choices affect experience– Starbucks barista vs computer tech support– Bus always on-time?– Vanpool driver competent & pleasant?– Parking attendant welcoming & helpful?

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Mobility Options

• Public transportation– bus (local, express, BRT)– rail (heavy, light, mono)

• Private buses(coaches)

• Vanpools(15-passenger or mini-vans)

• Circulators(rail, bus, shuttle, tram, van)

• Carpools– formal or informal

• Bicycles– rider-owned– loaner/donor

• Walking• Car sharing

– Flexcar– Zipcar

• Telework– home-based– remote work center

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Supportive Strategies

• Infrastructure– HOV lanes– HOV off-ramps– HOT lanes– Preferential parking– Broadband– Transit-oriented

development

• Policies– Flextime & flexplace– Commute benefits

• Transit/vanpool fare media ($110/mo)

• Pre-tax purchase

– Parking• Charge for parking• Equal treatment

– GRH/ERH– Land use

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Shifting Role

“Instead of justselling parking,

we have toget into mobility.”

Brian ShawDirector of Campus Transportation & Parking Services

University of Chicago

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Comparing Costs

Storing Vehicles...

Debt service + operating costs~ $30,000/space?

Plus…opportunity cost of land

…more expensive thanfacilitating movement of people.

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Can We Deliver Choices?

• Many employers do it everyday:– Stanford– Harvard– University of Michigan

• See more examples via U.S. EPA’s Best Workplaces for Commuters (www.bwc.com)– Colleges/Universities– Municipalities– Companies

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BWC Campus Highlights

• U.S. EPA recognized 72 institutions of higher education in 26 states via its 2006 list of Best Workplaces for Commuters from colleges and universities.

• 568,000+ employees receive an excellent package of commuter benefits from these innovative colleges and universities. Annually, these employees:

– Save 30 million gallons of gasoline – Reduce 616 million miles of driving – Save $86 million spent on gasoline (based on average of $2.92/gal for week of

May 2006; Source: Energy Information Administration)

– Reduce 260,000 metric tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent to:

• Over 50,000 passenger cars not driven for one year • Over 700,000 barrels of oil

• Providing 33,000 households with electricity for one year

– Reduce 370 short tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) precursors to ozone commonly referred to as smog

– Reduce 700 short tons of NOX and reduce 7,750 short tons of CO

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Campus Example: Stanford

2006

• Drive-alone: 55%

• Train: 15%

2002

• Drive alone: 72%

• Train: 4%

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Stanford - continued

• Free train fare for eligible employees• SU buys for all 9000+ eligible faculty/staff. Costs

$100/person, but real cost closer to $600/person since train ridership averages about 1,500.

• ‘We’d rather spend that than $1500-$2000/employee per year in debt service on a parking structure space. We’re spending to get them out of their cars vs spending on keeping them in their cars.’ - Brodie Hamilton, Director

• Has about 8 or 9 vanpools.

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• Growth plan between Stanford and Santa Clara County (started Jan. 2001)– No net commute trips during peak hour

– Limited number of net parking spaces

• 23,000 parking spaces on campus: “We don’t fill up everyday, but we want to be good custodians of that space. We don’t want to build unnecessarily. Eventually available space will become more of an issue.” -Brodie Hamilton

• Approx. 26,500 people (11,500 students + 8,000 hospital employees + 11,000 faculty/staff)

• Implemented incentive programs so people won’t leave campus during peak commute times.

• Shuttles take them to shopping areas, etc., for errands.

Stanford - continued

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• Parking and TDM operation “under same umbrella” so staff not working at odds.

• Staff understands joint mission and goals, so usually no conflict over goals or revenue.

• As our TDM program expands it reduces the number of people buying parking permits. Have seen a drop in parking revenue. We have to adjust our rates to deal with that.

• “The fact that we charge for parking is very helpful, because free parking makes sale of TDM options even more difficult.”

• Contact: Brodie Hamilton, Director for Parking Transportation Services (650-723-5815)

Stanford - continued

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Sustainable funding:

• New building projects on campus taxed to help pay for the impact.

• 4.6% fee assessed on total cost of project to support total campus infrastructure.

• If project creating net new square footage, there’s an $75/square foot additional assessment.

• “A lot of campuses approach TDM half-heartedly, but if they have to accomplish certain things then they have to get more serious in how they establish and pay for these programs on an ongoing basis.”

• Stanford doesn’t pay debt service out of its parking permit fees, so the permit fee typically goes toward operations.

Stanford - continued

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• Support: “Need understanding, appreciation and support at highest levels for what you want to accomplish.”

• Funding: “Identify what could be sustainable funding sources. Stanford’s is rare but effective. You don’t want to worry year to year how you’re going to pull this off. You need a funding mechanism that allows you to be creative and offer the resources and programs to meet your goals.”

• Leverage: “Don’t recreate the wheel. Analyze the resources available in your area. Try to avoid competing with providers. We relied on existing transit and train services.”

• Promote: “Marketing and outreach can’t be emphasized enough.” Has a 2-year comprehensive marketing plan that’s developed and refined on an ongoing basis, reviewed annually.

Stanford’s Success Tips

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• Comprehensive ‘Commuter Choice’ Program

• Century-long transit culture– Only 17% drive alone– About 1/3 use public transportation– Almost half the employees live within 3 miles,

which helps bicycling & walking.

Campus Example: Harvard

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Harvard - continued

• Subsidize transit passes by 50%

• A rapid transit line comes right to the heart of campus.

• Little parking available at campus core.

• No vanpools (schedule challenges and relatively short commutes)

• Emergency ride home

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Harvard - continued

• Intra-campus mobility:– Zipcar– Free shuttles– Bicycle program (Departments can order a

free bike, which gets labeled with dept’s name…comes with helmet, lock, etc.)

• One-day permit– Can pay and download online– Good back up when car really needed

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• Carpooling Challenges– Shift worker best candidate– Rigid rules: Must carpool w/another Harvard

employee 5 days/week to qualify for discount.– Parking enforcement is awkward

• Attendant looks for ‘carpool’ hang tag• Driver might have dropped off partner…

…or might be untruthful about carpool status.• Not every lot/garage is staffed.

Harvard - continued

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Harvard - continued

• Parking staff about 50 people– Most are parking monitors– Two dedicated to Commuter Choice program

since it started in 2000.• Contact: Holly Parker 617-496-5354• http://www.commuterchoice.harvard.edu/

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• Know the culture of your employees and students to understand what kinds of incentives will work...what will really encourage them.

• Know where your employees live.

Harvard’s Success Tips

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Campus Example: U-Michigan

• Public transportation via Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA)

• University-operated extensive shuttle system

• Vanpooling

• Zipcar (6 cars on campus)

• Bicycling

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U-Michigan - continued

• AATA– All students/faculty/staff can show campus ID and ride

for free. 5-year, $1.8 million/yr deal began Aug 2004.– U-M riders make up 40 percent of AATA’s ridership.– Ridership has increased 33% in last 3 years.

• U-M Transit/Shuttles– 6 regular routes Mon-Fri– 4 medical center routes

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• WAVE Community Connector– Chelsea Area Transportation System bus

discounts $1.50 per ride for faculty, staff, students between Chelsea/Dexter/Ann Arbor.

• Special Services– AATA after-hours shared-ride taxi service– Free emergency ride home via taxi– Scheduled para-transit, plus S.A.F.E.WALK

/Night Van campus accompaniment service

U-Michigan - continued

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• Late 1970s: U-M starts vanpool program with 16 university-owned vans. Eligible faculty and staff paid monthly fee. Vanpools got free, reserved parking near workplace entrance, plus GRH eligibility.

• 2001: U-M made vanpooling free.

• 2003: U-M partners with MichiVan (operated by VPSI), providing mini-vans owned, maintained, insured and managed by VPSI.

• Participation tripled.

• Vanpoolers buy own gas; driver must gain MichiVan approval.

• Currently saves 370 parking spaces/day.• “U-M looks at it as saving $30,000 per parking space, because if we

had to park that many vehicles we would need a new structure.”-Keith Johnson, Assistant Director, Parking & Transportation

U-Michigan - continued

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• Result = Big Savings– “By offering a comprehensive commuter benefits

program, including exemplary transit benefits, the University has avoided building more than 1,300 parking spaces alone, saving nearly $17 million in new parking construction expenses.”

• Contacts– Keith Johnson (734-764-3427; rkj@bf.umich.edu)

and Brian Pawlowski (734-764-1100)

U-Michigan - continued

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Launching TDM Programs

• Know your culture and appropriate options

• Determine cost/benefit for your facility

• Educate your audiences

• Get support of top decision makers

• Set realistic, measurable goals

• Plan & implement strong marketing

• Track, evaluate, refine

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TDM in Transition?

• Vital niche

• Competing for funds

• USDOT commission

• Challenge of climate change

• New thinking…new partnerships

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Separated at Birth?

• Old: parking versus TDM

• New: parking and TDM together

• Explore opportunities to collaborate

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Building a Dialogue

• Participate via membership

• Participate via ACT International Conference

• Mark Wrightmark@actweb.org202-712-9050www.actweb.org