Transportation
Download the Transportation section of the 2007 UCSC Campus Sustainability Assessment here.
The UC Santa Cruz campus occupies over 2,000 acres of grasslands, oak woodlands, and redwood forests on the southern slope of the Ben Lomond Mountains overlooking Monterey Bay. Surrounded on three sides by undeveloped parklands, the campus is accessed by only two roads passing through residential neighborhoods on the northwest side of the city of Santa Cruz—one of which features a seven percent grade between the Westside flats and the campus entrance. Its geographic size, topographic relief, and limited roadways create access challenges for UCSC students, staff, faculty, and visitors on a daily basis. The institution must provide access and mobility while addressing the resulting impacts on land use, traffic congestion, noise, air pollution, storm water quality, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite these challenges, nearly 59% of all person-trips made to and from campus use alternative transportation modes such as carpools, buses, vanpools, and bicycles. Despite a 17% increase in campus population between 2000 and 2007, UCSC’s 2006-2007 traffic counts show a reduction in traffic to 2000 levels. UCSC Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) has been actively promoting sustainable transportation for decades, and its efforts have been successful in minimizing single-occupancy vehicle use.
Still, old challenges remain and new ones are emerging. The campus is overwhelmingly reliant on fossil-fuel-powered transportation. The maximum growth accommodated by the 2005 LRDP would significantly expand the campus footprint, including new building groups considerably uphill from current development. The institution needs more secure funding models for both commuter access programs and the Campus Transit shuttle service. Finally, transportation accounts for 41% of all greenhouse gas emissions in California, and effective solutions – made on a local and national level – will require large-scale planning, public and private investments, and changes in individual behavior.
Summary of Activities and Performance
Policy and Planning:
• The UC Policy on Sustainable Practices (UC Policy) includes guidelines for sustainable transportation. Many, but not all, of these have been enacted at UCSC, including implementing a carshare program, collecting information about average vehicle ridership, and providing low-cost bus passes for staff.
• UCSC’s campus is large and spread out. A four-mile loop road runs through and around campus, and a core road allows limited vehicle access to the academic heart of the University. Campus shuttles traverse both, and regional buses from the Santa Cruz Metro Transit District (SCMTD) serve the loop road.
• Decisions made concerning transportation on campus are informed by the Transportation Advisory Committee, an administrative committee that includes seats for six voting student representatives.
• Since 2007, all campus transit and fleet diesel vehicles have run on B-20, a diesel fuel that is at least 20% biodiesel.
Alternative Transportation Programs:
• Transportation services providing access to, from, and on campus are diverse, and include SCMTD buses, Campus Transit shuttles, bike shuttles, disability vans, and commuter vanpools.
• TAPS coordinates with the SCMTD to meet the changing needs of the UCSC commuter population. However, buses can fill quickly and may not have
capacity for commuters waiting during peak travel times.
• TAPS launched a partnership in the fall of 2007 with Zipcar, a carsharing program that allows students, campus employees, and community members to rent cars by the hour, giving them access to a vehicle without the need to own one.
• UCSC supports bicycle transportation in many ways. For example, TAPS offers a bike shuttle for all campus users and a zero-interest bike loan for faculty and staff.
For more information about Transportation at UCSC: