Abstract:
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) provides parking at various locations on campus. However, this parking is not enough to meet demand and is increasingly becoming congested with single-occupant vehicles. Many students have to park upwards of about two miles from their campus destinations, either at periphery campus parking structures or off campus entirely, and then walk to the campus.
The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC)–in coordination with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)–conducted the study described in this report in order to determine the impact of improved bus service for students, staff, faculty, and others. The primary objective of this study was to identify the origins and destinations of UNLV students, staff, and faculty; their travel behaviors; their willingness to take buses to travel to the campus; and the cost associated with improved bus service. This study identified the services that should be improved in order to encourage students, staff, and faculty to take the bus, and found that if public transportation services were improved, most of them who never or rarely take public buses would be willing to ride buses to UNLV.
A cost analysis based on improved bus service showed that the students would have to pay $47.17 per semester to use it. In addition, the survey data showed that 50% of the student respondents were against including bus fees in semester fees. Therefore, to maintain existing farebox recovery, the cost of a 30-day pass and U-Pass should be increased 700%.
Authors:
PRAMEN P. SHRESTHA, PH.D., PE
Dr. Pramen P. Shrestha has been an associate professor at UNLV’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction since 2007. He has about 10 years of experience in constructing highways, bridges, and irrigation canals. He has conducted and prepared research reports related to highways, buildings, and infrastructure projects funded by state, federal, and private agencies. He has about 64 peer-reviewed publications related to his research work.
DANIEL GERRITY, PH.D.
Dr. Daniel Gerrity became an assistant professor at UNLV’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction in 2012. His research interests are related to water and wastewater treatment; biological, physical, and chemical treatment processes; indirect portable reuse; and direct potable reuse. He has about 30 peer-reviewed publications related to his research work.
KABINDRA SHRESTHA, PH.D.
Kabindra Shrestha was a doctoral student in UNLV’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction during this research. He completed his Ph.D. in 2016 and is currently working as a project engineer in a consulting firm, Gunda Corporation, located in Houston, Texas. Dr. Shrestha has 10 years of professional experience in designing highways in Nepal and has has published six peer-reviewed publications related to his research work.
