Student Sustainability Spotlight: EV Shuttles

Written by Office of Sustainability student associate, Faith Phillips, Class of 2024. This is the Student Sustainability Spotlight, a series where we shine a light on important student-led initiatives on WashU’s campus and their positive, widespread impact on the university’s sustainable operations. There are a number of student-initiated and student-led projects that significantly contribute to […]

Newstead Garage Seeking Parksmart Bronze Rating 

The newly constructed Neuroscience Research Building has been an exciting new addition to the WashU School of Medicine campus, with many sustainable features that make it likely to receive a Gold LEED rating. The associated Newstead Garage has also been built with sustainability in mind and is seeking Bronze Parksmart certification in early 2024.   While […]

October is Active Transportation Month

October is the first of two Active Transportation Months (ATM) at Washington University hosted by Parking & Transportation, Office of Sustainability, and WUSM Operations & Facilities Management. The goal of ATM is to motivate staff, faculty and students to kick the car habit and try active, low-carbon means of transportation.  If you cannot imagine going […]

WashU Debuts Electric Shuttles

Washington University in St. Louis has acquired three electric shuttles as part of its Danforth Campus fleet. The shuttles will be on display at the Earth Day Festival in Forest Park April 22-23. Attendees can park in WashU’s East End garage and ride a university shuttle to the event on the Muny grounds. The electric […]

Sustainable Transportation Updates

Written by Parking & Transportation’s Sustainable Transportation Coordinator, Becca Gilberg New Danforth Shuttle Operations and Shuttle App WeDriveU, one of the country’s leading shuttle providers, is now managing the Danforth shuttle operations, resulting in enhanced reliability and efficiency. The current vehicles are temporary while Parking & Transportation works to launch the new fleet.   Along with […]

April is Active Transportation Month

April is the first of two Active Transportation Months (ATM) at Washington University. The goal of ATM is to motivate staff, faculty and students to kick the car habit and try active, low-carbon means of transportation. If you cannot imagine going car-free, consider carpooling or budgeting time to try transit one or two days during the […]

What a Pandemic Taught Us about Commuting

Written by student associate, Kyla Fung, Class of 2026 For many, one of the most drastic changes brought upon day-to-day life by the COVID-19 pandemic has been the shift to working (or schooling!) from home. For busy students and workers, this shift has also been accompanied by the loss of their daily commute, which has […]

WashU Tune-Ups Support Local Youth Biking Program 

Written by Communications Associate, Jarea Fang If there is one thing Danforth Campus students and staff are familiar with, it’s the sight of bicycles and skateboards either parked or gliding on our sidewalks. Shuttles and buses are also quite a big thing around here, as well as the occasional electric scooter. Even those that drive […]

October is Active Transportation Month

October is the first of two Active Transportation Months (ATM) at Washington University hosted by Parking & Transportation, Office of Sustainability, and WUSM Operations & Facilities Management. The goal of ATM is to motivate staff, faculty and students to kick the car habit and try active, low-carbon means of transportation.  If you cannot imagine going […]

New Electric Vehicles Zip around Medical Campus

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly more common on the road. You can now even find them on the School of Medicine campus! In 2022, the School of Medicine has taken big steps in transitioning to a more fuel-efficient fleet. Two Ford E-transits, which are fully electric vehicles, were added to the Operations and Facilities […]

April is Active Transportation Month

April is the first of two Active Transportation Months (ATM) at Washington University. The goal of ATM is to motivate staff, faculty and students to kick the car habit and try active, low-carbon means of transportation. If you cannot imagine going car-free, consider carpooling or budgeting time to try transit one or two days during the […]

Medical Campus Recognized as Silver-level Bicycle Friendly Business

Transportation, including our daily commutes, is one of the largest global emitters of greenhouse gases. It’s also the emitter that can feel most personal. Many value their morning commute as a rare moment of peace and quiet, others enjoy the ability to hop on a plane to visit relatives, and nothing beats the freedom of taking a spontaneous road trip.   Due […]

The Return of CarShare

Written by Becca Gilberg, Sustainable Transportation Coordinator, Washington University Parking & Transportation Enterprise CarShare is back with hourly car rental on campus! Enroll now to enjoy self-service, hourly car rentals available 24/7 from dedicated spaces on and around campus (reservations required). How does it work? Reserve online or via the app, unlock the car with […]

Bike. Run. Drive: My Active WashU Commute

Written by Rachel Twedt, Multimedia Content Management Specialist, University Marketing & Communications There are many great reasons to actively commute to WashU by foot or bicycle – not having to search – or pay – for a parking spot; no sitting in traffic; saving money on fuel; a reduced carbon footprint – but the reason […]

Winter Break Carpools

Written by Parking & Transportation’s Alternative Transportation Coordinator, Becca Gilberg. Driving home for winter break or just heading to the airport? Need a ride, interested in helping a student who doesn’t have a car or looking for someone to split the cost of gas? Check out WashU’s commuter platform – WashU Rides – to search Rideboard listings, post your own, and contact potential carpool matches.  Getting […]

Active Commuter Hub Re-opens!

Active Commuter Hub

The Active Commuter Hub is a campus amenity available to WashU community members. The Hub had been opened initially for only a few short months before being closed due to COVID. The Hub is located in the basement level of Schnuck Pavilion and features daily cubbies that are openly available and four shower rooms and […]

October is Active Transportation Month!

October is Active Transportation Month (ATM) at Washington University. The goal of ATM is to motivate staff, faculty, and students to kick the car habit and try active, low-carbon means of transportation. If you cannot imagine going car-free, consider carpooling or budgeting time to try transit one or two days during the month. If you are […]

Rethink Your Commute

The absence of a daily commute has been an unexpected perk of the COVID-19 pandemic, but as WashU staff and faculty are slowly transitioning back to campus offices, daily commutes are once again becoming a widespread reality. This transitional time is a perfect opportunity to upgrade your commuter habits into a more sustainable, social, and […]

WashU Named a Gold Bicycle Friendly University

The League of American Bicyclists, the premier grassroots advocacy organization encouraging better bicycling and protecting the rights of people who bike, has honored the WashU Danforth campus with a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly University award in recognition of the institution’s achievements in promoting and enabling safe, accessible bicycling on campus. WashU was first designated a Bicycle […]

The Ins and Outs of Dockless E-Scooters

It has been nearly three years since dockless shared mobility programs have taken up the streets of cities in the U.S. and around the world. In St. Louis, what started as a bike share program quickly transitioned to an exclusively e-scooter share program. Since 2019, three private companies (Lime, Bird, and Spin) have been operating […]

Vanpooling: An Inspiring Commuter Story

Donna Krekel, Senior Research Administrator in the department of Otolaryngology, and Gary De Wet, Technical Support Specialist at the Office of WUSM Chief Information Officer, have been vanpooling to and from the WashU School of Medicine campus every day of the week for over 20 years. Their vanpool party, which has been running since 1999, […]

Help the League of American Bicyclists Judge WashU’s Bikeability

Do you ride a bike on the Danforth campus? Help WashU earn designation as a Bicycle Friendly University by filling out this survey! WashU is currently certified as a Bicycle Friendly University at the Silver Level by the League of American Bicyclists. This designation recognizes colleges and universities for achievement in the 5 E’s of […]

Consider Public Health When Choosing your Commute

When COVID-19 became a worldwide pandemic in mid-March, putting a stop on long-distance travel and reducing dramatically vehicular traffic, we witnessed a direct and significant improvement of our air quality. Photos of unusual blue and clear skies over large metropolitan areas were one of a few things that cheered us up in these dark times. […]

Climate Solutions: St. Louis Encourages Climate and Energy Action with Policy Toolkit

In recent months, St. Louis has made headlines for the adoption of several climate-forward policies and initiatives. These include the City’s passage of a solar-ready ordinance and Building Energy Performance Standard, St. Louis County’s adoption of updated building energy codes, and the success of the first phase of the regional Grow Solar residential group-buy program […]

Green Carpet Awards Recognize Sustainability Leaders

On February 5th, liaisons representing offices from across WashU campuses gathered to celebrate participation in the Green Office Program and recognized sustainability leaders during the 4th annual Green Carpet Awards. The Green Office Program encourages the adoption of policies and practices that reduce the environmental impacts of office operations. This highly anticipated event recognized offices […]

This Spring, Active Transportation is the Way to Go

After a long and cold winter, what better feeling than offering your body some physical activity in fresh air? Join the Office of Sustainability, Parking & Transportation Services and friends for a season of exciting events and programs centered around active transportation. In support of WashU active commuters, the recently-opened Active Commuter Hub provides a […]

Bike Repair Stations Upgraded on the Danforth Campus

Every day, hundreds if not thousands of bikes are ridden to and around WashU campuses. Nearly 30% of the WashU student population commute by bike, benefitting from the health, financial, and environmental benefits offered by this active and fun mode of transportation. Over the past few years, WashU – a Bike Friendly University at a […]

Park(ing) Day Transforms Parking Spaces into Miniature Park

On Friday, September 20th, three student groups from the Sam Fox School co-hosted an event on the Delmar Loop to celebrate Park(ing) Day. Park(ing) Day is an annual, international event where parking spaces are converted into temporary parklets, or miniature parks, in order to creatively make new forms of public space. The event started in […]

Renewed Bus Service Comes to St. Louis with Metro Reimagined

With the start of the academic year comes renewed transportation options in St. Louis. Starting on September 30th, Metro Transit will implement Metro Reimagined, its reformed plan for bus service in Missouri.  This new plan focuses on increasing frequency of high-ridership routes, streamlining routes to increase trip speed, and improving weekend service. To decide on […]

College Transit Challenge: Compete for WashU!

Public transit is a safe, cost-effective transportation option for people of all ages, and in the St. Louis region, it’s proving to be particularly viable for students. High school, college and university students accounted for nearly 2 million MetroLink and 1.6 million MetroBus passenger trips during the last school year! To underscore the advantages of […]

WashU Now Offers Free Bike Registration through Project 529

Recognized as a Silver-level Bike Friendly University in 2017, WashU supports bicyclists and seeks to expand the use of bicycles in its community. One way WashU has recently reinforced its commitment to supporting bicycling is by rolling out a new bike registration program, through the 529 Garage, the industry’s first mobile-based bicycle registration system designed […]

Summer Bike Tune-Up Series

This summer, the Office of Sustainability, in partnership with Parking and Transportation Services (Danforth) and the Operations & Facilities Management Department (WUSM), is bringing back the free bike tune-up series. We will be hosting four free tune-up sessions, on both the Danforth and the Medical campuses: Medical Campus, Hope Plaza, 11a – 2p Thursday, June […]

Active Transportation Month Returns this April

Join the Office of Sustainability, Parking and Transportation Services and friends for a month of exciting events centered around Active Transportation! With many fun and educational events throughout the month of April, we aim to recognize and support our active commuters, encourage current drivers to utilize alternative transportation, educate about mobility and safety on campus […]

Jenny Fung, Software Engineer

Jenny Fung graduated from WashU in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Biology and International Area Studies with a focus in Sustainable Development. Today she works for Azavea as a Software Engineer, but has previously worked with the Missouri Coalition for the Environment as a Wetlands Coordinator and with WashU’s very own Office of Sustainability as an Alternative Transportation […]

Stories From the Carpool Launches

A carpool is an arrangement between two or more people to share a trip in a single vehicle. You can carpool on your commute to work or school, to events and errands, on your way to/from your hometown for school breaks, or anywhere else you need to go! For those who don’t have a car, […]

St. Louis Transit Moving Forward

The future is bright for transit in St. Louis! Three projects, one completed and two upcoming, aim to enhance Metro’s current offerings and bring exciting new transit options to the region. Cortex Metrolink Station Grand Opening About a month ago, the long-awaited Metrolink station opened in the Cortex Innovation Community, just east of WashU’s medical […]

Free Bike Tune-Up Series Returns on the Danforth and Medical Campuses

Free Bike Tune-Ups

This fall, the Office of Sustainability, in partnership with Parking and Transportation Services (Danforth) and the Operations & Facilities Management Department (WUSM), is bringing back the free bike tune-up series. After construction in the East End and parking changes, alternative transportation has become increasingly significant at WashU, leading many car commuters to drop the car […]

WashU Earns National Recognition for Sustainability Efforts

Washington University in St. Louis is being recognized nationally for its institution-wide sustainability efforts: the school recently earned a gold STARS rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. The university also landed in […]

Electric Vehicle Charging Arrives at WUSM

The Clayton Parking Garage at the Washington University School of Medicine is getting a sustainability upgrade! The Operations and Facilities Management department, which oversees parking and transportation on the medical campus, recently installed 20 electric vehicle (EV) chargers throughout the garage, bringing the total EV charging capacity to 21 spots. Most levels of the garage […]

Expanded Incentives Make Living Near Work Even More Attractive

  Live Near Your Work, WashU’s employee housing assistance program, is growing! The program, established 10 years ago, provides forgivable loans to WashU and BJC Healthcare employees who buy homes in certain neighborhoods near campus. Recently, the Washington University Medical Center Redevelopment Corporation announced the addition of new eligible neighborhoods, including Visitation Park, Academy, Fountain […]

Summer Commuter Resource Fair Series Returns, on the Danforth and Medical Campuses

This summer, the Office of Sustainability, in partnership with Parking and Transportation Services (Danforth) and the Operations & Facilities Management Department (WUSM), is bringing back the Summer Commuter Resource Fair series, featuring services and service providers that support employees and graduate students in their transportation choices. Alternative transportation – which includes biking, walking, public transit, […]

A Program to Enhance Transportation Safety

“Walk Smart. Bike Smart. Drive Smart.” – The Pedestrian and Vehicular Safety and Education Program has the straightforward goal of making the WashU School of Medicine campus a safe place for all types of commuters. The WUSM community had the chance to see this program represented at the recent Earth Day festival in Hope Plaza. […]

Dockless Bike Share Programs Launch in St. Louis

As of Monday morning, Mayor Lyda Krewson has officially announced the launch of Bike Sharing in the City of St. Louis. Ofo and LimeBike, two private companies who have been granted permits to operate within the city, have deployed hundreds of colorful bikes around various St. Louis neighborhoods, available for anyone and everyone. This milestone […]

A Grant for Equity in the St. Louis Public Transit

Mobility For All By All (MFABA) is a collaborative project exploring equitable mobility in St. Louis, initiated about a year ago by three faculty members at the Sam Fox School, Assistant Professor of Communication Design Penina C. Laker, Associate Professor of Urban Design Linda Samuels, and Senior Urban Designer and Lecturer Matt Bernstine. Receiving funds […]

Active Transportation Challenge: April 9 – April 30

As part of this spring’s Active Transportation Month, the Office of Sustainability and Parking and Transportation Services are bringing back an old favorite offering, the Active Transportation Challenge! The Challenge galvanizes teams of faculty, staff, and students to drop the car habit and to use alternative forms of transportation when commuting to WashU: walking, biking, […]

April is Active Transportation Month

Join the Office of Sustainability, Parking and Transportation Services and friends for a month of exciting events centered around Active Transportation! With many fun and educational events throughout the month of April, we aim to recognize and support our active commuters, encourage current drivers to utilize alternative transportation, educate about mobility and safety on campus […]

Stories of Campus Sustainability Month

October was Campus Sustainability Month at WashU and in many other universities and colleges across the US. During October, the WashU community was offered a wide variety of events, ranging from festivals to conferences, movie screenings, tours, panel discussions, and more. With sustainability as a driver, the topics covered by these events were also very […]

WashU named a Silver Bicycle Friendly University

Today, we are proud to announce that the League of American Bicyclists has officially recognized Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) with a Silver Bicycle Friendly University (BFU) award, joining 54 other visionary colleges and universities from across the country. This designation is a significant accomplishment for the University and recognition of the commitment to […]

Active Transportation Month Returns!

Join the Office of Sustainability, Parking and Transportation Services and friends for a month of exciting events centered around Active Transportation! Transportation makes up the largest percentage of the average American’s carbon footprint, making active transportation programming a crucial component of Campus Sustainability Month. But going car-free, by biking, walking, and using public transit, is […]

Help the League of American Bicyclists Judge WashU’s Bikeability

Do you ride a bike at any of the WashU campuses? Help WashU earn designation as a Bicycle Friendly University by filling out this survey! WashU is currently certified as a Bicycle Friendly University at the Bronze Level by the League of American Bicyclists. This designation recognizes colleges and universities for achievement in the 5 […]