The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and Ventura and Orange counties’ transportation agencies awarded the Corporate Blue Diamond Award to UCLA Transportation, noting that half of UCLA employees and 70 percent of commuting students arrive on campus through alternative transportation.

“Illuminating a stellar effort in unraveling the region's huge traffic knot … [UCLA’s] alternative mode programs reduce commuting greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 10,000 metric tons per year, and result in more than 2,000,000 vehicle trips not taken,” said a Metro news release.

Calling UCLA Transportation “an industry leader for more than 25 years,” the 13th annual Rideshare Diamond Awards highlighted 30 Southern California employers’ alternative transportation programs and their long-term efforts to reduce traffic and emissions through alt-transit.

“Thank you, Metro,” blogged Sirinya Tritipeskul, UCLA Transportation’s social media analyst. “The agency better known as Metro recognized our department for its efforts to incentivize people to use sustainable modes of transportation through recent programs such as our Antelope Valley Transit Authority promotion last summer and the launch of Bruin Commuter Park in February.”

Car trips are down 2 percent from last year at UCLA, Metro noted in a news release. Also from the release:

“UCLA’s extensive transportation program includes a 100-percent CNG-powered campus shuttle system with 1.2 million annual ridership; a subsidized transit pass program with six transit service providers coming to campus; 160 commuter vanpools serving 85 communities; carsharing, online carpool matching; and a strong bicycling program, which includes a bike ‘library,’ departmental bikes, and cyclist amenities.”

Published: Wednesday, June 01, 2011

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