Every day, tens of thousands of students, faculty, staff and visitors make their way to, from, through and around the University. 

UVA’s transportation infrastructure keeps the University humming. From bike paths to shuttles, UVA offers plenty of resources to help people and materials safely get where they need to be. UVA’s Parking and Transportation department operates the University Transit System’s fleet of about 40 buses and maintains over 19,000 parking spaces. Additional fleets are operated by the University’s Facilities Management, Health System, Police and Athletics departments, and others. 

While transportation infrastructure is a necessary component of modern life, it comes with financial and environmental costs. In Albemarle County, for example, transportation accounts for over half of the county's greenhouse gas emissions. Recognizing this significance, the University is pursuing multiple initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of its transportation system.
 

Sustainable Commuting

Managing transportation requires strategies aimed at reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips and promoting sustainable, alternative transportation options, such as carpooling, transit, biking and walking. The goal is reducing traffic congestion, improving air quality and promoting sustainability, while still providing people with convenient and accessible transportation options. UVA Parking & Transportation launched Wahoo Commute in Fall 2024 to reward faculty and staff commuters that use alternative transportation, including walking, bicycling, public transportation, carpools and vanpools to get to Grounds. Members who participate receive financial compensation, rideshare matching, and trip planning assistance with the region’s public transit providers, such as the Jaunt CONNECT shuttles and the Afton Express commuter bus.

EV Charging:  EV charging stations are currently located in the Emmet/Ivy Garage, Central Grounds Garage, and the Fontaine Research Garage. The new North Grounds Parking Garage will include over 20 EV charging stations, with future capacity for 20 more, as well as covered bicycle storage and e-bike charging stations.

 

Electric Vehicles: Fleet

UVA Parking & Transportation (P&T) has been planning for transit fleet electrification for several years. Transitioning the University’s fleet to electric and hybrid models is an important strategy in achieving UVA’s carbon neutral, fossil fuel-free, and nitrogen goals. P&T has deployed five electric Karsan e-JEST electric minibuses, and has four full-size electric Gillig transit buses. Two additional e-JESTs and two additional full-size electric transit buses are expected to be delivered in fall 2026 and summer 2027.

In 2016, the University began electrifying its vehicle fleet when Facilities Management purchased its first 100% battery-electric vehicle. UVA Facilities Management’s award-winning fleet currently includes 45 alternatively fueled vehicles (battery electric, plug-in hybrid and fully hybrid, which is 13% of the FM fleet) and 20 charging stations.

Where larger all-electric vehicles are unavailable, the University has continued to pursue hybrid electric and low-emissions alternatives, including Hybrid SUV's, fully hybrid and plug-in hybrid vans and box trucks, as well as battery electric mini-cargo and full-size electric vans. Read more at this UVA Today article: University Embarks on its Plug-In Future.

Fleet Optimization

In addition, UVA has deployed a number of novel strategies to reduce the impact and enhance the efficiency of its vehicle fleet. In 2021, the Facilities Management fleet began a multi-year partnership with engineering professor Brian Park and his students to develop a first-of-its-kind Mindful Driving Program.

This initiative emphasizes driver training techniques such as idling reduction and route optimization that improve safety and reduce air pollution – impacts that were validated by the research team. Better insight into vehicle usage and performance through a fleet-wide telemetrics roll-out further supports driver safety and sustainability through more efficient vehicle operation.

“The collaboration between the Engineering School and the Facilities Management has offered a unique opportunity for our students to tackle a real-world problem by applying systems engineering and big data analytics.” --Professor Park