RideSharingatStockton

ProjectProposal

JaclynKondrk
ENVL4300EnvironmentalIssues TheRichardStocktonCollegeofNewJersey Spring2013
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 TableofContents I.MissionStatement II.Abstract 3 3 3 5 5 5 6 7 8 9

III.StatementofNeed

IV.ProjectRationaleandLiteratureReview V.ProjectNarratives

A.CollegeWideGoalsandObjectives B.ProposedActivities

C.OutreachandExpenditures D.ProjectTimeline

VI.ExpectedResults

 I.MissionStatement Mymissionistoprovidestudents,faculty,andstaffoftheRichardStockton

Collegewithausefulwebtooltofacilitateridesharing,withtheultimategoalof improvingsustainabilitythroughincreasingtransportationefficiency,reducingour carbonfootprint,andalsoreducingthenumberofcarsoncampus. II.Abstract ThegoalofthisprojectistoimprovesustainabilityattheRichardStockton

CollegeofNewJerseybyfacilitatingcarpoolingamongstudents,faculty,andstaff. ManystudentsatStocktonCollegearecommuters,andtheyridealone(Personal communication,DonWoolslayerApril19,2013).Byofferinganonlinenetworking tooltohelppeoplefindeachotherandsetupcarpools,wecandecreasethenumber ofpeopledrivingtocampusalone,thusdecreasingthenumberofcarsoncampus. Decreasingthenumberofcarsdrivingtoandfromthecampuswillimprove sustainabilityatStocktonbyincreasingtransportationefficiencyandreducingour greenhousegasemissionsandcarbonfootprint. III.StatementofNeed TheRichardStocktonCollegeofNewJerseyistheGreenCollegeofNew

Jersey,andwehavebeenrecognizedforenvironmentalexcellenceforourLEEDS infrastructureandenvironmentalprogram.Stocktonrecentlyaddedanew sustainabilityprogramtotheirlistofmajors,andsustainabilityisalsoatheme includedinthe2020StrategicPlan.Itisapparentthatwestrivetoachieve sustainabilitynowandinthefuture,andimplementingaridesharingprogram wouldensurethatwepromotesustainability. 3

Infall2010,thetotalnumberofstudentsatStocktonwas7,879.Infall2011,

thetotalnumberofstudentsatStocktonwas8,108.Thatisanincreaseof229,or 2.9%from2010.Infall2012,thetotalnumberofstudentswas8,400.Thatisan increaseof292students,ora3.6%increasefrom2011.Notonlyisthenumberof studentsatStocktonincreasing,itisincreasingatahigherrateeachyear.This presentsaproblemforStocktonbecauseasstudentpopulationincreases,theneed forparkingforstudentsandfacultyincreases.Itisapparentthatexpandingparking areasisdifficultforStocktonbecauseoftheguidelinesputinplacebythePinelands Commission.Theonlywaytoincreaseparkingwouldbetobuildaparkinggarage, whichwouldcostupto$11,750,000fora5storygarage,accordingtoREED ConstructionData(Construction,2013).Thiswouldproveverycostly,andshould notbenecessaryatthistime. Thereareotheroptionsforincreasingparkingoncampus,suchaspublic

transportation,butstudentsexpressthatpublictransportationisntavailable everywhereanditwouldlengthentheircommutetothepointwhereitbecomes impractical.Amongthepossiblewaysofreducingtheneedforadditionalparking, implementingaridesharingprogramisafeasibleoptionthatalsocomplements Stocktonsstrategicplantoimprovesustainability. Aridesharingprogramwouldbeappealingtoincomingstudentsbecauseit

showsthatStocktonCollegeisenvironmentallyconsciousandcommittedto sustainabilityandreducingourcarbonfootprint.Aridesharingprogramwillalsobe appealingtoincomingstudentsandcurrentstudentsbecauseitwillreducetheir needtobringacaroncampus.Thiswouldhelpstudentssavemoneyongasoline

andmaintenancecostsofhavingacar.Studentswhodonothavecarswillgainthe opportunityofobtainingridestheymightnothaveotherwise.Allofthesefeatures mayhaveapositiveinfluenceastudentsdecisiontoattendtheRichardStockton CollegeofNewJersey. V.ProjectRationaleandLiteratureReview Manycollegesanduniversitiesaroundthecountryareimplementingride

sharingprograms.Forexample,130collegeshavesignedupforaridesharing programcalledZimride,asocialnetworkingplatformforridesharearrangements (Pablo,2012).ManyothercollegeshavesignedupwithRideBuzz,includingthe UniversityofMassachusetts,AmherstCollege,WestfieldStateCollege,andmany others.RideBuzzismoresimilartowhatIamproposing,whichissigninguponthe websitewithyoucollegeemail,andpostingridesofferedorneededthatcanbeseen onlybyfellowcollegemembers(List,2012).Ridesharingprogramsatcollegeshave becomeverypopularandareverysuccessful. V.ProjectNarratives A.CollegeWideGoalsandObjectives Themaingoalsandobjectivesofthisprojectaretopromoteridesharing

amongStocktonCollegestudents,facultyandstaff.Ridesharingwillpromote sustainabilityoncampusthroughreducingourcarbonfootprintthroughdecreasing greenhousegasemissions.Itwillalsopromotesustainabilitybyimproving transportationefficiencyandreducingthenumberofcarsoncampus.Reducingthe numberofcarsoncampuswillhelpalleviateparkingproblemsatStockton.Long

termgoalsincludededicatingaportionofamainparkinglottoStocktoncarpoolers iftheinitialprojectissuccessful. B.ProposedActivities IamproposingthatStocktonCollegeusewww.GoVeho.comtoimplementa

ridesharingprogram.IhavemetwiththiscompanyalongwithDr.PatrickHossay, thesustainabilityprofessoratStocktonCollegewhoIamworkingwithonthis project.GoVehoisanewcompany,andtheyareofferingtheirserviceswithouta costincurredtotheCollege.Www.GoVeho.comistheirwebpagethatwillbeusedto helpStocktonstudents,faculty,andstafffindeachothertosharerides.Membersof theStocktonCommunitywillsignupusingtheirschoolemailaddress,whichwill enterthemintoaprivategrouponlyaccessiblebytheStocktonCommunity.Go Vehoassumestheresponsibilityofcreatingthisprivategroupandmaintainingthe website. TheGoVehowebsiteallowsstudentstopostaridetheyareofferingandhow

manyseatsareavailable,orcreateapostforaridetheyarelookingtoreceive.The postscanbereoccurring,orcanceledonceanagreementhasbeenarranged betweenparties.Thereisalsoamessagingfeaturewhereuserscansendmessages tootheranonymoususernamesinordertocommunicateridesharingagreements. ThewebsitealsooffersaMyWalletfeaturewhichusesPayPaltoaddmoneytoan accountthatcanbeusedtopaydriversaskingforafeetocovergascostsinthecase oflongertrips.Transactionsdonottakeplaceuntiltheusershavegoneonlineand confirmedthattheysharedaride,whichensuresthatdriversorpassengersarenot beingtakenadvantageof.

Thewebsitealsooffersdealstopeoplewhopartakeinridesharing.Thisisan

upandcomingfeatureanditcanbecustomizedbyStocktonCollegetoincludeany localbusinessesofinterestaswellasnationalbusinesses.Thisisagreatfeaturethat willbeappealingtostudentsandlocalbusinessesthatdependonStocktonCollege. AfreeapplicationforsmartphoneswillbeofferedbyGoVehointhefallof

2013.TheappwillprovidetheStocktoncommunitywithaneasyandaccessible waytopostridesandfindridesbyconnectingwithothersthroughtheapp.Users willhavetosignupthroughtheoriginalwebpage,butalloftheotherfeatures offeredonthewebsitewillbeavailablethroughtheapp.Theappiscustomizableby StocktonCollege,soanyadditionalfeatureswewanttoaddmaybeincludedaswell. GoVehoisveryflexibleasanewcompany,andcangrowwithourspecificneeds. C.Outreach SinceGoVehoisanonprofitorganization,promotingGoVehoonthecollege

websiteorsendinganemailblastmightnotbepossible.Thecollegewouldhave todiscusswhetherthiswouldbeacceptable.Allowingpromotiononthecollege websitewouldbeextremelyhelpfulinensuringthatthisprogramissuccessful.The collegewouldalsohavetodecideifitwouldbeacceptabletosendemails introducingthewebsiteandgivingdirectionshowtouseit,whichwouldalsobe veryhelpful.Inordertoadvertise,GoVehowouldhavetogothroughstudent servicestocreateflyersandsetuptables.Theywouldalsobeabletobuyadsinthe Argoandpossibleadvertiseontheradio.GoVehowouldalsobeadvertisedby studentclubssuchasStudentActionVolunteersfortheEnvironment(S.A.V.E.),who isopentothisidea.MembersofS.A.V.E.wouldalsosignupforthewebsiteright

awaysothatwecangenerateauserbasethatwillmakeitmorelikelyforother peopletojoin. D.ExpendituresandProjectManagement StocktonCollegedoesnothavetopayforthesite,andsoitwouldnotbe

necessaryforthecollegetoenteracontractwithGoVeho.Also,itwouldnotbe necessaryforanydepartmenttomanagetheprogramsincethewebsiteismanaged byGoVeho.Theonlynecessaryexpenditurefromthecollegewouldbeprovidinga ridesharespotforpeopletobepickedupanddroppedoff.Thiswillprovideasafe placeforenteringandexitingrides,anditwillensurethatpeoplearenotrevealing thelocationoftheirhousingoncampus.TheGoVehowebsitealsoadvicesthat peopledonotgivetheexactlocationoftheirhomes,andtheyshouldbepickedupat alocationnearbyinstead.Provingaridesharespotwouldmakesurethatpeople haveasafelocationtobepickedupanddroppedoffoncampus.Iamproposingthat theA&Scirclebedesignatedasaridesharespotbecauseitsbasicallythemidpoint ofthedorms,apartments,andtheacademiccampus.Therearealsocamerasinfront ofA&S,whichwouldheightensecurityinthearea.Signagewouldbenecessaryto designatethisarea,anditmaybeavailablethroughGoVeho.Otherwise,Stockton Collegewouldhavetopayforasign,whichwouldcostaround$80.00withthe necessaryaccessories(Custom,2013).Thiswouldbetheonlycosttothecollegefor thisprojectatthistime.Stocktonwouldjusthavetodosomepromotingofthis ridesharingspotsothatpeopleknowitsthere.

D.ProjectTimeline Oncetheprojectproposalisaccepted,GoVehowillbeacceptingany

recommendationsforadditionalfeaturesaswellasrecommendationsforanylocal businessesthatthecollegewouldliketobeincludedwithinthedealsfeature. www.GoVeho.comwillthenbepromotedbythecompanythroughstudentservices andS.A.V.E..S.A.V.E.memberswillsignupandencourageotherstudentstosignup inordertocreateauserbase,whichwillmotivatemoreuserstojoin.Thisismost likelytooccurinthefallof2013,andtheappwillalsobecomeavailableatthattime. StocktonCollegewouldalsodesignatearidesharespotinfall2013andinstallthe correspondingsignage.Bytheendofthefallsemester2013,theridesharing programwillbefullyunderwayandtherewillbeanactiveuserbase. VI.ExpectedResults IexpectthisridesharingprogramtoimprovesustainabilityatStockton

CollegebygivingtheStocktoncommunityaneasyandaccessibletooltohelp improvetransportationefficiencyandreducingthenumberofcarsoncampusas wellasourcarbonfootprint.Oncetheridesharingprogramisfullyunderwayinfall 2013,Iexpectatleast40studentstobecarpoolingwithatleastoneotherpersonat leasttwiceaweek.Ifthisexpectationismet,itwillprovidemorethan20parking spotsthatarenotusuallyavailableotherwise. Inordertoevaluatethesuccessofthisprogram,thenumberofpeople

sharingridesthroughthewebsitewouldbemadeavailablebyGoVeho.Thereisalso asectionontheGoVehowebsitewherepeoplecansubmitfeedbackincludingany suggestionsorcomplaints.Itwouldalsobeadvantageousforthecollegetogive

surveysabouthowmanypeoplearesharingridesandtheiroverallfeedbackabout theridesharingprogram.Thesuccessoftheprogramwouldalsobeevidentthrough howmanycarsarebeingparkedinthelotscomparedtobeforetheridesharing programwasimplemented.Ifenoughpeopleareusingtheservice,Ihopetobeable todiscussthepossibilityofdesignatingacertainnumberofparkingspotsfor carpoolersinthenearfuture.

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 References CustomTraffic&ParkingSigns.(2012).BrimarIndustries.Retrievedfromwebsite: http://www.safetysign.com/Traffic+Signs/Custom+Traffic+Signs/X1253/28 404.html

ListofCollege&UniversityRidesharePrograms.(2012).RideBuzzRidesharingand Carpooling.Retrievedfromwebsite: http://www.ridebuzz.org/list_best_college_university_rideshare_program

REEDConstructionData.(2013).ConstructionCostEstimatesforParkingGaragein National,US.Retrievedfromwebsite: http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/rsmeans/models/garage/

Pablo,H.(2012).Ridesharinghelpsstudentscopewithsluggisheconomy,risinggas prices.USAToday.Retrievedfromwebsite: http://www.usatodayeducate.com/staging/index.php/ccp/ridesharing helpsstudentscopewithsluggisheconomyrisinggasprices

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