Purdue continues to provide alternative transportation options as part of sustainability master plan

Several initiatives on the West Lafayette campus promote alternative transportation. As electric scooters continue to be a viable option and students can catch buses to get to and around campus, there are several sustainable options available for the campus community.

Veo electric scooters and bicycles have recently returned to campus. With their return comes new user and parking requirements. While they provide a great option for alternative transportation, users are still responsible for making sure the devices are parked in designated areas. Since Veo first deployed on the West Lafayette campus in March 2023, there have been more than 350,000 trips totaling nearly 2.6 million minutes by approximately 26,500 unique individuals. Along with the new requirements, users should wear a helmet and follow all state, county, city and Purdue rules and regulations. The Veo devices are considered electric or motor powered vehicles (EMPVs), which are covered in section 5 of Purdue’s Traffic and Parking Regulations.

For more than a decade, the university has partnered with CityBus on an “unlimited access” agreement. The agreement provides free access to all bus routes for anyone with a Purdue ID. Additionally, many of the buses within the CityBus fleet are hybrid diesel-electric buses or compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, which provide the campus community with a sustainable public transportation option.

In addition to these various partnerships, which provide alternate transportation options, Purdue also has made campus improvements as part of the 2020 Physical Facilities Sustainability Master Plan. The plan includes a goal to increase bicycle infrastructure by 100% by fiscal year 2025 from a FY14 baseline, which is equivalent to an additional 6.75 miles of bicycle infrastructure. The university has surpassed this goal by 1.63 miles. Some examples include the addition of a multiuse path along Cherry Lane and new bike lanes along South Martin Jischke Drive.

“We understand that surpassing this goal was a huge accomplishment,” said Tony Gillund, director of sustainability. “The intention behind increasing bicycle infrastructure is to enhance safety across campus, which is always top priority.”

Sustainability is one of the three departments that make up Campus Planning, Architecture and Sustainability, which is a part of the Administrative Operations organization. Administrative Operations supports the university through safe, reliable and transformative services. Providing safe alternative transportation options to help promote sustainability is just one way the organization continues to power Purdue.