College Campuses as Multi-Modal Models for Cities

A new report argues that city governments have some of the same incentives for de-emphasizing single-occupant commuters as colleges—such as attracting younger workers and freeing up land used for parking.

1 minute read

February 14, 2014, 9:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


A new report by Frontier Group and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund gathers numerous case studies of universities around the country that have increased multi-modal ride share on and around campus.

The premise of the study is that colleges and cities have many of the same reasons for reducing single-occupant car trips, according to an article by J.B. Wogan describing the report.

Wogan cites the case of Palo Alto, which is trying to reduce single-occupant car trips by at least 30 percent: “the city is likely to borrow ideas from nearby Stanford University, which successfully reduced solo driving by offering ‘a fleet of about 60 shuttle buses, free Caltrain passes, and cash incentives through the Commute Club, whose 8,000 members shun solo driving.’”

The report also cites examples from the University of Madison-Wisconsin, the University of Dayton, the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the University of California, Davis.

Friday, February 7, 2014 in Governing

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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