Go Green and Save with Alternative Transport

By Jonathan Tomczak

Santa Clara is deeply connected to a vast public transportation network. We need to use it more.

Last year, the Office of Sustainability found that more than 48 percent of Santa Clara students use a solo car ride as their primary method of transportation in their lives. Less than six percent of students primarily used public transportation, and less than three percent carpooled. 

This is astounding, seeing as our campus is across the street from a massive transportation hub, including Caltrain and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority bus network. 

From here, it is easy to get anywhere from San Francisco to Gilroy, and for a reasonable price. Even though buses and trains are not perfect, they get students to most places easily. Sure, it's not as fast as a car, but if you're not in a rush, then what does that matter?

 Maybe students enjoy the brief solitude before being bogged down in classes. Whatever the reason, those carpool numbers need to increase, and significantly. If that 48 percent of solo drivers started using carpools and public transportation, then emissions would go down. The burden is not the students alone.

There is hope for Santa Clara students. The Office of Sustainability also found that 43 percent got around primarily through nonmotorized means: bikes, walking, etc. 

A significant portion of these students are freshmen who aren't allowed to have a car, but that's not the point. The point is that there are students who don't rely on cars to get around. My question is: If they can do it, why can't we all?

Santa Clara prides itself on its environmental bona fides. Fuel use is down, composting is up and solar panels line the roofs. Yet here is a major place where we can improve. 

Having Zipcar on campus is a great benefit, but what about making use of our carpool-matching program? There are alternatives to driving alone; all we have to do is find them.