U-PASS report shows significant drop in drivers to campus

Students and staff biggest users of pass; Many faculty still driving

Seattle’s traffic woes are well known. But, the UW has given employees and students options to sitting in traffic for several years, and recently released data from the Transportation Office reports that these efforts do ease congestion around campus.

Based on campus cordon counts and a biennial phone survey to faculty, staff and students, the U-PASS 1997-98 Annual Report shows an important trend—even though the campus population has grown 10 percent, vehicle trips to campus are down 5 percent since 1990. Data also shows that people are choosing many other transportation methods rather than driving alone (see graph). Overall, the rate of single occupancy vehicle (SOV) drivers has decreased from 33 percent in 1989 to 25 percent in autumn quarter of 1998, primarily due to increased transit use.

The survey, conducted by Gilmore Research of Seattle, shows that while more than half of faculty members still commute by driving alone, students and staff do a better job decreasing congestion. Only 40 percent of staff and 16 percent of students drive alone most days.

Given their proximity to campus, nearly 40 percent of surveyed students walk to classes, plus 28 percent use transit and 11 percent carpool/vanpool. Meanwhile, staff members lean toward using transit (35 percent) or carpool/vanpool (19 percent) for their commutes. Those faculty members choosing alternative commutes use transit (14 percent) or carpool/vanpool (14 percent). The rate of bicycling has not changed much from 1989 — overall, only 6 percent of the UW population bikes to campus.

Encouraging use of alternative transportation through the U-PASS program allows the University to meet its traffic management commitments to the city of Seattle and its employer commute trip reduction requirements established by the state Legislature, as well as save the cost of building new parking garages. The program’s flexibility also is a useful feature since 68 percent of U-PASS holders take advantage of two or more options.

The 1997-98 Annual Report is available online at www.washington.edu/upass/ or by contacting the Transportation Office at upass@u.washington.edu or 543-0450.

The U-PASS offers faculty and staff many benefits, including: free parking when two pass holders drive together; free bus trips; reduced vanpool rates; discounts on Individual Commuter Tickets; Reimbursed Ride Home during emergencies; discounts at local merchants; and free trips on the Night Ride. The program also funds bicycle improvements on campus.