Virginia Tech again receives national recognition for alternative transportation programs
Virginia Tech is among 23 employers nationwide to receive a "Race to Excellence" gold award in 2013 from the Best Workplaces for Commuters program.
The Best Workplaces for Commuters program encourages sustainable transportation and recognizes organizations who have taken exemplary steps to offer transportation options such as vanpool and transit benefits for their employees.
To be eligible for a Race for Excellence award, an organization must first be recognized as a Best Workplace for Commuters by meeting the National Standard of Excellence in commuter benefits, a standard established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and maintained by the National Center for Transit Research.
“This latest award again shows Virginia Tech's and ongoing support of alternative modes of transportation,” said Debby Freed, alternative transportation manager.
Alternative transportation programs offered at Virginia Tech recognized through this competition include:
- Virginia Tech’s partnership with Blacksburg Transit which allows faculty, staff, and students the option to ride buses fare-free
- Bike, Bus, and Walk
- Carpool
- Vanpool
- Smart Way Commuter Bus
In the past year, 144 faculty and staff members and 816 students participated in the Bike, Bus, and Walk program, and the car pool program led to 107 faculty and staff and 488 student carpool permits assigned. With minimum requirement of two participants in each carpool, at least 1,190 people carpool to campus.
“We are pleased to receive recognition in this program for the fourth consecutive year," said Richard McCoy, director of parking and transportation. "We are seeing Virginia Tech employees change their commuting habits.”
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
