SOU, RVTD Win Award for Transportation Options Outreach

(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University and Rogue Valley Transportation District’s Drive Less Connect: SOU program was recently awarded the 2015 Oregon Transportation Options Program of the Year Award by the Transportation Options Group of Oregon. The award was announced at the Oregon Public Transportation Conference in October. Drive Less Connect: SOU received the award for developing and implementing a first-of-its-kind, innovative and successful transportation options outreach program for a college campus.
The program was implemented through a partnership between Southern Oregon University, Rogue Valley Transportation District, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Drive Less Connect: SOU was designed to help and encourage students to reduce drive-alone trips and explore biking, walking, carpooling, and public transit opportunities to get to campus, work, or beyond. SOU student ambassadors administered the program on campus through events and challenges, presentations, and partnerships with other campus groups to connect students to resources to help them find alternatives to driving. More than 14 percent of SOU Students participated in the program, a participation rate that exceeded traditional programs of this kind. Results show that students reduced their drive alone trips and that the program helped them increase trips taken by transit, carpooling, walking and biking.
While the program officially ended last year, RVTD and ODOT are providing funds to SOU for a student transportation options coordinator to build off of the momentum Drive Less Connect: SOU created and continue helping students connect to their transportation options. The program is now housed at SOU’s Commuter Resource Center.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University is a medium-sized campus that provides comprehensive educational opportunities with a strong focus on student success and intellectual creativity. Located in vibrant Ashland, Oregon, SOU remains committed to diversity and inclusion for all students on its environmentally sustainable campus. Connected learning programs taught by a host of exceptional faculty provide quality, innovative experiences for students. Visit sou.edu.