The DTAC chair held a special meeting with DTAC, the Sustainability Office, and a transportation consulting firm (VHB) to examine Duke's greenhouse gas emissions and possible strategies to reduce them. Transportation-related emissions are a sizable portion of the campus' total ghg budget, with about equal portions related to automobile travel (to and from campus for employees and students) and air travel (excluding staff/student vacation travel). Fleet vehicles comprise a relatively small portion of the transportation-related emissions, but present a very visible source since busses and service vehicles are running nearly continuously around campus. While reduction to air travel emissions may be difficult to address (and require additional data about this source), committee members presented a number of ideas and gave feedback to the consulting firm. The consultants, who have been working with Duke for several years, are expected to use our suggestions and present us with some possible plans sometime in the next calendar year. 

Since GnP students represent a sizable portion of commuters, both to and from campus on a daily basis as well as with air travel to conferences, and since our travel behaviors are similar to staff and faculty, our opinions seem of great importance to this committee. GnP had representation at this meeting from both graduate (PhD) and professional students who bring a breadth of experience and highlight the variety of transportation and parking needs of our constituents. I'm confident that we'll continue to be invited to provide feedback throughout this process. 

GPSC will be very helpful in promoting some of the new programs, such as improved benefits for carpooling, flex-cars, revised bus service, etc.

no other comments at this time.

DTAC chairperson, Chuck Catotti convened a pre-meeting luncheon with all student DTAC reps (GPSC and DSG) to discuss the charge of the committee and give us some background on current and future plans. One of the primary interests of Parking and Transportation Services is to help Duke comply with its environmental sustainability goals and to reduce the number of vehicle miles employees and students travel to and from campus. This reduction will may involve improving bus service (both Duke transit and regional busses) and providing better alternatives than single-occupant drivers. While construction of a new parking garage will start soon, there are still a number of questions about the best way to allocate parking permits and how much they should cost.

The committee chair appears to take GnP student concerns seriously and values our input. Since GnP students' transportation habits are more akin to the staff/faculty, we are able to provide useful feedback.

No issues yet, but we'll let you know.

It has been suggested that committee reps are selected in the spring of the previous year so they are able to serve over the summer and at the beginning of the academic year (we haven't had an official DTAC meeting yet this year).