University of New Hampshire
OP-21: Support for Sustainable Transportation

UNH has formal and informal indoor bike storage in several buildings (though few lockers) and shower facilities are also available (primarily Hamel Rec Center) in or adjacent to several buildings used by bike commuters (Ritzman, James, Gregg, Whittemore Center, Memorial Union Building, Nesmith, Iddles, Horton). Most office spaces permit riders to bring bikes indoors. Bicycle theft and vandalism is not a huge issue in Durham and many riders are comfortable using outdoor racks near their building location. UNH has consistently been increasing the number of bike racks on campus with an average $20,000-plus investment each year. In Spring 2008 the total capacity of bike racks on campus was 1,770. In Spring 2010, capacity was increased to accommodate approximately 1,825 bikes.

Racks are located outside of entrances of all buildings, and covered racks/indoor storage is available at residence halls.

UNH has bicycle lanes on most of its high traffic streets, as well as non-automotive pedestrian/bicycle walkways to and from all buildings.

Managed by UNH Transportation Services, the Cat Cycles program allows any member of the university community to sign out one of 20 bikes at the UNH Visitor Service Center at the entrance to the "A-lot" parking lot and have sole use of the bike for up to a week. All the bikes are durable, single-speed "cruisers" equipped with a lock, fenders, and a cargo basket. Cat Cycles provides a fuel-free mode of transportation to get to any campus and downtown location in a convenient manner, all while increasing the visibility of bicycles on campus and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. Most students on campus own a bike, and the highest usage of Cat Cycles are in the summer.

The University offers free transit service to faculty, staff and students. Two systems are operating offering transit opportunities in Durham and to the surrounding communities. University Transportation Services offers a number of on-campus shuttles as well as six off-campus transit routes (two Dover routes, two Portsmouth/Newington routes, one Rochester route, and one Newmarket route). The University’s transportation system is the largest in the state of New Hampshire. Campus Connector: Free, on-campus shuttle system is open to all in UNH Durham community (including community members). More than half of this fleet runs on compressed natural gas (CNG). Wildcat Transit: Off campus transit system that is free to UNH ID holders and 1.50$ for general public access throughout the week and weekends. Handicap accessible with bike racks for use on all buses, Wildcat Transit connects the UNH community with surrounding communities and other transit hubs such as the Dover Transportation Center. Wildcat Transit also offers a guaranteed ride home program for transit riders during the academic year. UNH continues to grow its transit offerings, especially into the densest travel routes and off-campus housing areas used by UNH faculty, staff, and students. The service is operated without federal operating assistance. Amtrak Downeaster rail service: Since 2001, The Amtrak Downeaster has provided five daily round trips between Boston and Portland with intermediate stops in Old Orchard Beach, Saco, and Wells in Maine; Dover, Durham and Exeter in New Hampshire; and Haverhill and Woburn in Massachusetts. Amtrak Downeaster ridership exceeded 60,000 trips to/from Durham in 2009. For the Durham station alone, this represents 318,000 trips over the eight years which equates to approximately 11 million reduced VMT. Intercity Bus Service: Starting in fall 2010, UNH also hosted an additional fixed route intercity bus service , C&J. The service connects Durham with Boston and Logan Airports. This service compliments the existing Amtrak service.

Faculty/Staff and student commuters who have taken Wildcat Transit, a carpool, or vanpool can call for a guaranteed ride home if needed. Participants may schedule up to two emergency rides per semester. There is a 40 mile limit. http://www.unh.edu/transportation/programs/guaranteed.htm

Commuters with a parking pass that choose to carpool can register with Transportation Services for a carpool pass (no additional charge) to have special access to a convenient, reserved parking area within Lot C. The carpool section of Lot C offers 50 of the closest parking spaces to the student union (Memorial Union Building). Thus, the incentive is that carpoolers have a dedicated reserved section in the heart of campus, close to Campus Connector stops, at a free or reduced cost. Otherwise, Lot C is available for short-term parking, at an hourly rate of $1, up to three hours maximum from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. Carpoolers are free of these limitations.

ZipCar launched at UNH on October 22, 2009. ZipCar is a membership-based car-sharing service available to students, faculty and staff for $35/year. Members can drive a car for $8 per hour during weekdays and $9 per hour on the weekends. There is a mix of six hybrid and fuel-efficient cars available 24 hours a day at three convenient locations around campus (adjacent to the train station, at Thompson Hall in the heart of campus, and Upper Quad on the east side of campus). ZipCar is but another way in which community members can be car-free.

Certain employees may work with their supervisors to allow telecommuting or other work from home techniques, usually for up to one day a week. See http://www.unh.edu/hr/workplace-flexibility.

See http://www.unh.edu/hr/workplace-flexibility.

UNH lesser cost Amtrak Downeaster tickets between Exeter, Durham and Dover stops and has free transit service to communities next door to Durham (Dover, Newmarket, Rochester and Portsmouth).

Free transit for faculty staff/students living in Durham and eight surrounding communities. The system carries 1.2 million riders/year www.unh.edu/wildcattransit or www.unh.edu/transportation.