Last week, Nebraska Medicine and UNMC unveiled their new active transportation plan, TravelSmart. Its goal is to make commuting more cost-effective for colleagues, encourage active means of transportation, reduce pollution and ease congestion on the UNMC/Nebraska Medicine campus.
At the June 3 forum, one of the highlights included a demonstration of the TravelSmart Calculator, which colleagues enter their information into and receive an estimated cost savings by participating in the program, as well as a recommendation on if they should keep or return their existing parking pass.
In four quick steps, it analyzes your personal situation. Below are some examples:
- Jessica lives 13 miles away from work. She currently drives alone in a minivan five days a week and parks in Lot 50 for $32/month. She’d be willing to drive as part of a carpool, as she knows there must be other colleagues who live nearby. The calculator shows she’d save $2,175 annually, as her carpool would receive a parking pass for free and she would be able to cut her gas and vehicle maintenance fees by sharing the commute with a coworker. The calculator recommends she cancels her current parking pass.
- John lives within five miles of campus. He thinks he can realistically bike to campus three days a week, but may need to ride the bus an additional two. If he did, he’d be able to give up his current monthly parking fee of $25, which allows him to park at 42nd and Leavenworth streets. By participating in TravelSmart and turning in his parking pass, he would receive free bus fare and would save an estimated $927 a year.
To use the calculator or view other TravelSmart resources including how-to videos, information on emergency ride home service or finding a carpool partner, visit the TravelSmart website here.