Alternative Transportation
Georgia Tech actively promotes the use of alternative transportation to and from campus and while on campus. Since Georgia Tech is located in the major metropolitan city, it is imperative we each do our part to reduce the air pollution associated with vehicle use. Whenever possible; share a ride, ride mass transit, ride a bicycle or walk. Additionally, having fewer cars on the roads reduces the use of fossil fuels and saves lives. We want each of our students, faculty, students, visitors and future generations to have the benefits of a good, healthy, rich life.
Living on Campus promotes healthy lifestyles including walking and bike use
Tech's campus has the largest percent of students living on campus (9700 students, 54% of our student population). Freshmen are not allowed to have cars on campus. Our 400 acre campus is a pedestrian campus in downtown Atlanta, a large international city. Having students live on campus, reduces their need for vehicles, saving fuel and improves air quality, as well as quality of life.
All eight Tech Trolleys are fueled by natural gas. . The Trolley connects to Atlanta's public transit system, MARTA and other regional transportatin systems. MARTA bus routes include campus.
The Tech Trolleys and our Stinger buses provide over 2,400,000 rides a year to students, faculty, staff and visitors around campus
All forms of Alternative Transportation are used on and promoted around campus. Our Alternative Transportation program has won awards from for being pedestrian friendly from PEDS and as the Best Places for Commuters from the US EPA which indicates over 14% of our commuters use alternative transportation to come to campus.
The local neighborhoods include many thousands of students, faculty, and staff who also enjoy the healthy lifestyles associated with living on and near campus. Local amenities also foster the ability to not own or operate a car because of the extensive network of alternative transportation options associated with Georgia Tech. (see Land Use)
Tech Trolley
All of the Tech Trolley vehicles use clean natural gas. The Trolley system connects to MARTA, Atlanta's rapid transit system. hicles and The Stinger provides continuous bus service throughout campus.
On-campus travel via the Tech Trolleys and Stingers, annually carries 2.4 million people. This system provides free
ridership in the Midtown area to Georgia Tech and non-Georgia Tech personnel.
The Stingerette provides free transportation for disabled personnel, as well as after hour’s transportation.
Georgia Tech currently subsidizes students, faculty and staff who utilize MARTA. Georgia Tech has seen increases in the discount MARTA pass program, up 75 percent in one year and it jumped again in 2006 to between 900-950 per month. MARTA is Atlanta’s public Rapid Transit system.
Carpool, Vanpool, and SmartPark are facilitated, encouraged, and subsideized.
There is a GT-Emory shuttle between our collaborating campuses.
On Saturdays and Sundays, Stinger offers scheduled transports to a local grocery, called the grocery shuttle.
Bicycle paths are incorporated in the Campus Master Plan and were expanded in the Tech Square project. Many faculty, staff, and students commute to campus by bicycle, but even those who live too far from campus to ride can now take their bicycle on Marta. Bike racks have been installed on the front of Marta buses tomake your environmentally friendly. Bike paths, racks, lockers, bike share programs, and bike repair are available on campus.
Scooters are used on campus and at least one Segway.
Faculty, staff, and students can take mass transit, carpool, vanpool, bike or walk to campus and still have the flexibility of running errands in a car during the day.. The ZipCar program allows members of the campus community to borrow a car as needed (membership and reservation required). Gas, insurance, and maintenance are included in a low hourly or daily rate. This is just one more reason not to sit in traffic.
SmartPark is a pay as you park discounted program designed for commuter students, part-time faculty/staff, and public transportation riders who occasionally need to drive to campus. With a SmartPark Permit, you can use your BuzzCard to access designated parking lots on the Georgia Tech Campus and the discounted daily parking fee is automatically debited from your BuzzCard Account.
Campus Vehicles use Alternative Fuels
The approximately 500 vehicles on campus for campus operations are 27% alternative fuel.
Georgia Tech’s Fleet
On campus, a number of departments and services have vehicles for occasional or daily use. These groups range from heavy users, such as Facilities and the Police Department, to lighter users. We are tracking vehicles monitored by Finance and Administration and the Motor Pool.
The number of vehicles used is indicated by a count of vehicles. The Motor Pool tracks about 500 vehicles today. This simple count provides a level of vehicle use across the university.
There are several different types of fuels currently used at Georgia Tech, including gasoline, diesel, electric, propane, natural gas, and biodiesel. All eight of the Trolleys that go across campus and connect to public transit run on natural gas. The Motor Pool vehicles running on propane are being phased out due to their high maintenance track record. The use and procurement of electric vehicles is encouraged. Georgia Tech has been gradually increasing its use of vehicles that run on electricity or natural gas, resulting in improved air quality and less direct reliance on gasoline. By the end of FY2007 over 14% of our fleet is electric and over 20% has been converted to electricity, natural gas, propane or is alternative fuel capable
.
Biodiesel
Georgia Tech converts its used cooking oil into biodiesel . This was a pilot in 2007 and is in operations today. All the dining halls and most of the food retailers on campus are donating thier used cooking oil. The primary users of this biofuel is landscaping.
Biofuel from Pine
Biofuel from pine has been a research program at Georgia Tech. It is has been actively promoted in the SE. It, along with biofuel from lumber industry waste, are projected to be the second generation of biofuel, as opposed to first generation biofuel which diverted food crops to fuel.
Companies and Georgia Research Alliance Support Biofuel Research at Georgia Tech
Feasibility for Southern Pine as Feedstock for Renewable Fuel Industry:
Solar Decathlon House
The 2007 Solar Decathlon House entry from Georgia Tech, which is currently back on campus, has a 6.5 kw solar system. A portion of the south wall contains 12 PV panels providing an additional 2.0 KW of electricity to help power the house and an electrical vehicle.
We are very proud of our students and thier supporters. Read more about them.
Environmentally Friendly Cars
Georgia Tech to Compete in EcoCar Challenge