An evaluation of the carpool program at the University of Florida

Abstract

The University of Florida reactivated its carpool program in May 1997. The purpose of this project is to evaluate how successful the project has been using various performance indicators within three main perspectives - the University, the surrounding communities, and the participants of the program. This project also determines whether the participants are abusing the carpool program, how the administration of the program and university policy may be contributing to the performance of the program, and provides recommendations about how the program could be modified to improve its performance. Some analysis, discussion and recommendations are also provided regarding university policies, especially parking, because of the close relationship they have with the performance of the carpool program. The research for this project primarily included monitoring carpool spaces for occupancy, a preparing a survey of demographic and travel behavior sent to all program members' campus mailing addresses, collecting additional demographic and transportation data from UF and the local community, analyzing the spatial distribution of members' home addresses for distance and compatibility, and researching carpooling and transportation data and policies from other universities nationwide. The results of the evaluation were that the carpool program was marginally to moderately successful in eliminating vehicles and reducing parking demand from the perspective of the University, and marginally to moderately successful in eliminating vehicle-trips and miles of travel from the perspective of the surrounding community although somewhat less successful than from the perspective of the University, when only considering the before and after travel behavior of the participants of the carpool program. When considering the entire University community, the program has provided an almost negligible amount of savings.