Southwestern University
OP-19: Student Commute Modal Split

Institution's students commute to and from campus using more sustainable commuting options such as walking, bicycling, vanpooling or carpooling, taking public transportation, riding motorcycles or scooters, riding a campus shuttle, or a combination of these options. 

Students who live on campus should be included in the calculation based on how they get to and from their classes. 

This credit applies to all institutions where students attend the physical campus. 

Institutions earn the maximum of 2 points available for this credit by having all students use alternative modes of transportation for getting to and from campus. Incremental points are awarded based on the percentage of students that use alternative modes. For example, an institution for which 50 percent of students use alternative modes and the other 50 percent drive alone would earn 1 point (half of the available points for this credit). 

See a scoring table in the STARS Technical Manual.

Timeframe

Report the most recent data available during the three years prior to the anticipated date of submission. 

Sampling and Data Standards

Institutions may use a representative sample to gather data about student commuting behavior. The South Coast Air Quality Management District in California provides guidelines on how to measure commuting behavior (pdf). 

This credit is scored based on the percentage of students (graduate and undergraduate) using alternatives to single-occupancy vehicle commuting (i.e. more sustainable commuting options). Students who do not regularly attend the physical campus (i.e. distance education students) may be excluded. It is not required that the various transportation modes reported in the optional reporting fields total 100.