Acknowledgments

This report has been prepared with funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation to the Mountain-Plains Consortium and the Small Urban & Rural Transit Center (SURTC). MPC member universities include North Dakota State University, Colorado State University, University of Wyoming, and Utah State University. The SURTC receives its funds from the Federal Transit Administration, Office of Research, Demonstration, & Innovation, in Washington, D.C.

The authors would thank President Joseph Chapman, North Dakota State University, Les Bakke, Minnesota State University - Moorhead, and Mr. Thomas Iverson, director of Campus Security/Parking at Concordia College for their assistance with administering the survey. Thanks are also extended to Wade Kline, Fargo-Moorhead Council of Governments for his coordination efforts with the campuses, Matthew Murray, NDSU Student Government representative who took an active role in the transit program at NDSU; Mr. Tim Lee, NDSU and Mr. Michael Simonson, Metropolitan Area Transit for their helpful suggestions with survey drafts. Finally, thanks to David Lee for his review of the study and to Beverly Trittin for her assistance with assembling the final report.

Disclaimer

The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the information presented herein. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program, in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the contents or use thereof.

Abstract

University campuses have unique transportation requirements that may be characterized with a high concentration of trips during multiple peak periods (i.e., morning, lunch, and afternoon). These campuses are often the largest employers in small-to-medium size cities and it is therefore critical to coordinate campus mobility needs with the overall transportation system. Many colleges and universities recognize transit as an effective mode for meeting campus mobility and have developed transit systems to serve those needs. However, successful campus transit systems include factors such as careful planning, understanding user preferences, efficient design of system services, and coordination with existing city transit service. Universities are not homogenous (i.e., enrollment levels, campus location, size of community), so they will have different needs. This paper focuses on the mobility needs of Fargo-Moorhead's universities, students, faculty and staff. It is part of a larger study that examines student mobility needs. In this paper we will present the results of an on-line survey administered during the 2002-03 school year. The results of this study are based on the responses of students, faculty and staff.