Campus Mobility
The University of Texas Campus environment creates the potential for a very sustainable, micormobility-focused campus.
The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System created a study to assess the sustainability of UT students regarding their mode of choice to school. The study was done in 2018 and found that most student walk or ride bikes to school. With fewer commuters to the Austin campus, there is an opportunity to make the student population thrive on multiple transit options that are more sustainable and accessible for all.
Growing Demand for Micromobility
UT Shuttles help to service the UT Campus and areas with high amounts of students living including:
Far West (661, 681)
Lake Austin (663)
North Riverside (680, 670, 671)
West Campus (642)
East Campus (672)
North Campus (681, 656)
But as student housing becomes increasingly dense around campus, there is more demand for last-mile trips either to bus stops, campus, or homes.
There has been a noticeable decrease in ridership due to student housing density near campus becoming increasingly popular. There has also been an impact on students; use of public transit due to COVID. With 82% of students living off campus, there is an opportunity to give multiple modal options to students that need more accessible, affordable options.
Micromobility has an important role in students having a form of reliable and safe transit to campus. This could help to increase accessibility to UT shuttles as well as give more options for students to traverse campus.
Opportunity for Mobility as a Service at UT
Sharing the Road with Micromobility
There are many popular streets on and off campus for micromobility. These include:
Guadalupe St
Martin Luther King
Rio Grande St
W 24th St
Inner Campus Drive
Speedway
Dean Keeton
San Jacinto
As micromobility becomes a staple way of mobility around campus, it is important to ensure the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and scooterists around these high-traffic areas by creating the proper infrastructure to support a multi-modal street.
Regulations
The campus is able to use geofencing to help regulate rules around scooters.
Speed zoning
Parking zones
Riding curfews
Education on these rules is necessary for students to be aware. The GoBevo app hopes to ensure that these rules are followed and enforced for everyone's safety.
With GoBevo, UT will be able to hold students more accountable to following the rules. Data from trips can also be used for research and to understanding UT's mobility.
Project Connect
MLK Jr Station currently serves Red Line and is 1.5 miles from the eastern edge of campus
Proposed station at the Drag will serve the west side of campus but not the east side
Multimodal options at stations will be vital to high student ridership rates
The light rail proximity to campus will bring more people who have to deal with the last mile problem from the stop location to their final location. GoBevo will work to help everyone have access to micromobility to easily access all parts of campus and use light rail with ease.
Beneficiaries at UT with the Implementation of GoBevo
The University Campus
Help with scooter regulation and education
Supports more sustainable transit options
Master Plan Goals:
Expand their smartphone app
“Harmonize the modes of travel to, within, and across the campus.”
Investing in alternative transportation to reduce demand for parking\
Students
Students have easier and more affordable options to traverse campus and the city
Encourages support for better infrastructure
As parking is reduced around campus, there will be other ways to facilitate efficient mobility without needing a car