Sustainable campus access: evaluating the environmental impacts of a university transit subsidy program

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the WayneRides program, a transit subsidy program for Wayne State students and employees. Design/methodology/approach This study uses life cycle assessment methodology to compare transportation modes used by Wayne State students and employees to access campus. Of the many bus routes serving the Detroit area, three routes that directly connect to campus were selected. A single-occupancy vehicle is compared with a city bus in terms of fuel usage and emissions into the environment. Impact analyses are performed using this data to determine which vehicle uses fewer resources and emits fewer greenhouse and other gases. Findings Findings reveal that the environmental impacts spread across users of the WayneRides program and others riding the bus in the selected scenarios are less than those driving single-occupancy vehicles to campus in all metrics except for nitrogen oxide emissions. Practical implications Many universities, including Wayne State, have established sustainability divisions or offices to guide a variety of environmental initiatives. The results of this analysis support the goals and action items outlined in Wayne State’s 2023–2028 Sustainability Strategic Plan and may provide support for future funding investments for WayneRides and for similar programs at other universities. Originality/value Much of the dialogue about methods for reducing the environmental impacts of transportation revolve around either vehicle technology or infrastructure improvements, and little research has been conducted on the impact of transit subsidy programs. This research begins to fill this gap.