Vanderbilt University
OP-15: Campus Fleet

MoveVU, Vanderbilt’s new mobility strategy, has been a unique collaboration with faculty, administrators, staff and students. MoveVU aims to give commuters more options to choose from when making their daily decision on how they will travel to and from campus. MoveVU’s programs aim to provide Vanderbilt commuters with more choices beyond driving alone to campus and using a traditional annual parking permit. Greater flexibility in their commuters will better match their dynamic lifestyles. The MoveVU plan outlines ways the university can shift its mode share and reduce the drive alone rate to campus. Vanderbilt University’s current drive alone rate is around 76.5%, and the MoveVU goal is to reduce the drive alone rate to 55% by 2025. In order to achieve this goal, the percentage of individuals taking sustainable commute modes, such as walking, biking, taking transit, carpooling, vanpooling, and more, will need to increase. Learn more about the mode share goals identified in MoveVU. MoveVU has received a $4.5 million, three-year federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) grant, which the university will match. The $9 million total will launch a variety of new initiatives, including expanding shuttle operations using vehicles that rely on alternative fuels (either electricity or biofuels), instructing new shelter stops, and establishing bike and scooter share stations, shelters and repair sheds.

Vanderbilt University has a guideline prohibiting Facilities vehicles from idling. Facilities vehicles make up the majority of the “on campus fleet” and therefore are the most likely candidates to idle while on campus. Vanderbilt’s campus is not driver friendly, has few roads that go through campus, and allows very few vehicles to drive on the campus aside from the Facilities vehicles. All Facilities vehicles were outfitted with Geotab GPS tracking systems which report idling time and route performance and optimization back to VU management. The majority of Facilities’ fleet has changed to electric powered golf carts over the past few years, significantly improving outdoor air quality.