Developing Green Mobility Strategies

Hi Scott,

Could you describe the project and the buy-in issues you are having? We are also a rural campus, and are in the very early stages of trying to increase rideshare among faculty and students.

Mit Allenby
Special Assistant to the President
Goddard College
United States

From what my knowledge, and some experience tells me, the biggest disincentive for rideshare and green mobility strategies in a rural set up is plenty of parking spaces available and inefficiency of transit services. I assume this is the case for the Goddard College and parts of Nova Scotia as well.

I would suggest a tie-in between the financial benefits and environmental benefits of rideshare and green mobility. Showcase the environmental achievements alongwith the financial benefits. Give your program a regional outlook that requires local influence.

Initiate atleast a couple carpool/vanpools that can set and example for others. Sometimes giving out incentives for the pilot programs may also inspire others to follow.

Good luck.

Jay Thakkar
Green Commute Coordinator
Greater Mercer TMA
United States

I agree with Jay. Parking at rural locations is generally readily available, inexpensive and sometimes even free of charge. However, there are still some strategies that can be implemented to encourage sustainable practices.

First of all, eliminate any free parking. Then reserve prime parking spaces for carpools. These would be spaces closest to entrances. Insure signage identifying these spaces as carpool parking is clearly visible as this will provide additional carpool advertising in these high traffic areas. Spaces need only be reserved until mid-morning.. they can then be used as visitor or general parking.

Make paying for parking less convenient. For example, rather than allowing students to purchase long term parking passes (and therefore committing to driving each day) switch to daily pay parking. If students are forced to exit their vehicle and buy a parking pass each morning it becomes less convenient. Allowing carpools to purchase longer term parking passes from parking services can become another incentive.

Good luck,

Anne Marie Thornton
Carpool.ca
Canada
www.carpool.ca

Also, with the student communities, bike exchange programs or co-ops-in most cases-see high rate of subscription. If the students commuting live within bikeable areas, encouraging biking by recognition or incentives may induce increased subscription to bike and automatically reduce car commute.

With faculty and staff community, carpool and vanpool incentives or recognition may serve as motivators.

Thanks.

Jay Thakkar
Green Commute Coordinator
Greater Mercer TMA
United States