When the University of North Carolina was faced with rising congestion in nearby streets and overcrowded parking lots, it needed to take steps to increase student and employee use of alternative transportation. The result was the Commuter Alternatives Program (CAP), which provides users with incentives to use transit, walk and bike.
The free program, launched in 2002, provides multiple benefits to registered members, including free parking in park-and-ride lots, free bus services and discounts at local stores. Meanwhile, the university has begun to steadily increase the cost of on-campus parking permits; the increased revenue goes toward funding CAP and improving transit and trails for bicyclists and pedestrians.
The program has proven extremely successful, with first year enrollment more than doubling the stated goals. Additionally, the Chapel Hill Transit Authority has noted a 42% increase in volume of riders. To meet demand, two new park-and-ride lots with room for 1,000 cars were built.
Goal
Promoting Alternative Transportation