Transportation Survey Draft Outline

MIT Transportation Survey

Questionnaire for Students Living Off Campus

Cover goes here

MIT Planning Office

Thank you for your willingness to participate in the 1997 MIT Transportation Survey. This survey should take about 20 to 30 minutes to complete. Your participation is completely voluntary, and all replies will be anonymous. The responses to the survey will be held in the strictest confidence and only be used for MIT purposes. You may skip any question you do not want to answer, and you may stop at any time. By providing your frank answers, you’re giving the Institute the ability to better meet your needs and to improve your quality of life.

There is a glossary at the end of this survey to explain any terms that may be unfamiliar.

This version of the 1997 Transportation Survey is intended for students who live off campus, and for students who live in fraternities, sororities and independent living groups in Boston and Brookline only. If you live on-campus, or in a fraternity, sorority or independent living group in Cambridge, please use the 1997 Transportation Survey for On-Campus Students.

A. Background

1. Do you live ...

a) o in a fraternity, sorority or independent living group?

b) o in an apartment, condominium or house?

2. What is the ZIP Code?

3. Do you have an office at MIT?

a) o yes

b) o no

4. If you have an office on campus, which building is it in?

(You may use the following codes as the prefix for your building:

M - Main Campus	N - North of Railroad Tracks	WW - West West
W - West Campus	NE - Northeast	LIN - Lincoln Lab
E - East of Ames Street	NW - Northwest	OCR - Off-campus	)

5. What is your status at MIT? (please check only ONE)

a) o undergraduate student

b) o graduate student

6. With which department or program are you affiliated?

7. Which best describes your status? (please check only ONE)

a) o full-time

b) o part-time

B. Your Commuting Patterns

1. In the past seven days, how many days did you come to MIT?

a) o none

b) o 1

c) o 2

d) o 3

e) o 4

f) o 5

g) o 6

h) o 7

2. Of these, how many days did you come to MIT over the past weekend?

a) o none

b) o 1

c) o 2

3. If you came to MIT over the weekend, why? (please check ALL that apply)

a) o to study or do research	b) o to go to a club meeting	c) o to visit friends who live on campus
d) o to use the libraries	e) o to go to an LSC movie	f) o to exercise or participate in sports
g) o to use Athena workstations

h) o other (please specify)

4. During the past seven days, how many days did you run errands as you came to MIT from home?

a) o none

b) o 1

c) o 2

d) o 3

e) o 4

f) o 5

g) o 6

h) o 7

5. During the past seven days, how many days did you leave campus during the middle of your day?

a) o none

b) o 1

c) o 2

d) o 3

e) o 4

f) o 5

g) o 6

h) o 7

6. During the past seven days, how many days did you run errands as you left MIT for home?

a) o none

b) o 1

c) o 2

d) o 3

e) o 4

f) o 5

g) o 6

h) o 7

7. What are the reason(s) for these extra trips in Questions 4, 5 and 6? (please check ALL that apply)

a) o MIT related	b) o care for children and other relatives	c) o medical appointments
d) o volunteer work	e) o eat at a restaurant off campus	f) o other personal business

8. During the last week, did you eat on campus?

a) o yes

b) o no

9. If you ate on campus last week, where did you get your food? (please check ALL that apply)

a) o MIT Dining (ARA, Lobdell, Walker, etc.)	b) o Vending machines
c) o LaVerde’s	d) o I brought my own food from home
e) o Lunch Trucks	f) o Departmental receptions

g) o other (please specify)

10. At what time do you typically arrive at MIT?

o a.m.

o p.m.

11. In general, by how much can your arrival time vary? (please check only ONE)

a) o not at all	f) o by more than an hour, but only in unusual circumstances
b) o by no more than 15 minutes	g) o often by more than an hour
c) o by no more than 30 minutes	h) o it depends on my class schedule
e) o by no more than an hour

12. At what time do you typically leave MIT?

o a.m.

o p.m.

13. In general, by how much can your departure time vary? (please check only ONE)

a) o not at all	f) o by more than an hour, but only in unusual circumstances
b) o by no more than 15 minutes	g) o often by more than an hour
c) o by no more than 30 minutes	h) o it depends on my class schedule
e) o by no more than an hour

14. Would you be able to have a more flexible schedule if you wished?

a) o yes

b) o no

c) o not sure

15. Do you have a driver’s license?

a) o yes

b) o no (please skip to Question 18)

16. If you drive a car, do you have an MIT parking permit? (please check only ONE)

a) o yes, a monthly permit	c) o no, I don’t need one	f) o I don’t drive around MIT
b) o yes, an occasional use permit	d) o no, I couldn’t afford one
	e) o no, I couldn’t get one

17. If you have an MIT parking permit, which lot do you park at? (please check only ONE)

a) o Westgate

b) o West lot

c) o Other (please specify)

18. Do you have a monthly MBTA pass?

a) o yes

b) o no (please skip to Question 21)

19. If you have a monthly MBTA pass, which one do you have? (please check only ONE)

a) o local bus	commuter rail:	g) o zone 1A	k) o zone 3	o) o zone 7
b) o subway		h) o zone 1B	l) o zone 4	p) o zone 8
c) o combo		i) o zone 1	m) o zone 5	q) o zone 9
e) o combo plus		j) o zone 2	n) o zone 6
f) o commuter boat

20. If you have an MBTA pass, about how many days during the last month did you ride the MBTA for any trip (not just coming to MIT)? days

21. How many days during the past seven days did you work or study at home before coming into MIT, or after leaving MIT?

a) o none

b) o 1

c) o 2

d) o 3

e) o 4

f) o 5

g) o 6

h) o 7

22. How many days during the past seven days did you work or study at home instead of coming into MIT?

a) o none

b) o 1

c) o 2

d) o 3

e) o 4

f) o 5

g) o 6

h) o 7

23. Would you say that compared to a year ago ... (please check only ONE)

a) o you work at home more now than a year ago

b) o you work at home less now than a year ago

c) o you work at home about the same amount

d) o you can’t compare because you weren’t at MIT a year ago

20. If you work or study at home, do you connect via computer to MIT networks? (please check only ONE)

a) o yes

b) o no, I don’t connect to MIT networks (please GO ON to Section C)

c) o no, I don’t have a computer at home (please GO ON to Section C)

d) o no, I don’t work from home (please GO ON to Section C)

21. If you connect to MIT networks from home, what are your reasons for connecting? (please check ALL that apply)

a) o to send and receive email	b) o to access Athena
c) o to access a departmental server	d) o to access institute mainframes
e) o to access library services

C. Your Primary Way of Commuting to MIT

1. Think about your primary way of commuting to MIT. Which mode or modes do you use as you come from home to MIT? (If you vary your commute depending on the season, consider how you came to MIT the past seven days.)

Place a 1 by the mode you use first during your trip, a 2 by the one you use second (if any), and so on. (Don’t count walking between vehicles. If you walk all the way from home to MIT, place a 1 by "walk all the way.")

Example 1. If most of the time, you bicycle to MIT, lock your bike at an outside rack, and then walk to your office, place a 1 by "bicycle." Don’t place a 2 by "walk all the way."

Example 2. If you drive all the way to MIT and drop off a passenger along the way, place a 1 by "by car; driving, with passengers" and a 2 by "by car; driving alone."

Example 3. If someone drops you off at a commuter rail station, then you take the commuter rail to North Station, then the Green Line and the Red Line to Kendall Square, and then walk to your office, place a 1 by "by car; as a passenger," a 2 by "commuter rail," and a 3 by "subway."

Don’t record how you get to MIT on days when you don’t travel by your primary way.

Sequence in which you use this mode	Mode
	bicycle
	bus
	MBTA bus
	a second MBTA bus
	SafeRide
	M2 / LMA / medical shuttle
	Lincoln Lab shuttle
	Wellesley shuttle
	Charles River TMA shuttle
	by car
	driving alone
	driving, with passengers
	as a passenger
	commuter boat, ferry
	commuter rail
	in-line skates / Rollerblades
	motorcycle
	skateboard
	subway
	other (please specify )
	walk all the way

2. How long does it typically take you to come to MIT this way? (Count the time from when you leave home to when you get to your office, lab or class) minutes

3. Of your commuting time to MIT, how much do you spend ...

a) walking minutes

b) waiting for vehicles minutes

c) in vehicles minutes

4. Estimate your monthly cost of commuting to and from MIT. Think about all your expenses, such as gas, parking, insurance, tolls, fares, transit passes, and wear and tear. $ .

5. How satisfied are you with this way of commuting? Please rate your level of satisfaction with the following aspects of your trip:

	Very Dissatisfied	Dissatisfied	Neutral	Satisfied	Very Satisfied
a) Speed / time	1	2	3	4	5
b) Cost	1	2	3	4	5
c) Convenience	1	2	3	4	5
d) Flexibility / can make stops	1	2	3	4	5
e) Privacy	1	2	3	4	5
f) Safety	1	2	3	4	5
g) Reliability	1	2	3	4	5
h) Productive use of time	1	2	3	4	5
i) Environmentally responsible	1	2	3	4	5
j) Overall rating	1	2	3	4	5

6. If your commute involves traveling by car, what are some of the major roads you take? (In other words, how would you describe your route to a neighbor or colleague?)

7. If you share a car with others, are they ... (please check ALL that apply)

a) o family	c) o neighbors	e) o members of an organized carpool
b) o roommates	d) o classmates/officemates/labmates	f) o members of an organized vanpool

8. How did you find out about this way of coming to MIT? (please check ALL that apply)

a) o asking friends, relatives or colleagues

b) o using a map

c) o using transit schedules

d) o calling an information line (for example, the MBTA information line, 222-3200)

e) o exploring the city during spare time

f) o trying to find your way by following signs or asking strangers when necessary

g) o I have a lot of experience with the city from other jobs, residences, attending various events, etc.

h) o I can’t remember

9. How often do you come this way to MIT, compared to other ways you might come to MIT (for example using different modes, or different streets when driving)? (please check only ONE)

a) o all the time	c) o 50 to 80 percent of the time
b) o 80 percent of the time (4 days out of five) or more	d) o 25 to 50 percent of the time

e) o less than 25 percent of the time (for example, during a week, you use a different way each day)

D. Opinions about Your Current Commute

1. Below are some reasons people may have for choosing how they commute (that is, which modes or routes) and when they commute. For each reason, please say to what extent each reason affects your choice of mode in column 1, and your choice of departure time in column 2. If a reason is not applicable to your commute, check the "Not Applicable" column.

		1 To what extent does this affect how you commute?					2 To what extent does this affect when you commute?
	Not Applicable	Not at All	Very Little	Little	Much	Very Much	Not at All	Very Little	Little	Much	Very Much
a) My child or children need to get to day care or school	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
b) I must help care for an elder relative, a family member with special needs, or children	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
c) I’d need to shower and clean up once I get to MIT	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
d) I frequently carry many heavy items (for example, books, tools, equipment)	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
e) There is not much public transportation near where I live	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
f) Finding parking near my home is too difficult	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
g) Finding parking near MIT can be difficult	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
h) The cost of owning and operating a car is too expensive	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
i) A disability prevents me from driving	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
j) A disability prevents me from using public transportation	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
k) I try to make decisions that take the environment into account	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
l) It is very important that I get to MIT on time	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
m) I prefer not to work on campus at night	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
n) I need my time traveling between home and MIT to relax and organize my thoughts	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
o) Other people in my household need our car(s)	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
p) The final walk to my lab, office or class is too long	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5
q) I consult radio, TV or telephone traffic or transit reports to avoid delays	0	1	2	3	4	5	1	2	3	4	5

2. Below are some reasons people may have for living where they do. For each reason, please say to what extent each reason affects your choice of where to live. If a reason is not applicable to your choice of where to live, check the "Not Applicable" column.

		To what extent does this affect your choice of where you live?
	Not Applicable	Not at All	Very Little	Little	Much	Very Much
a) I like living in a bustling city	0	1	2	3	4	5
b) I like living in a quiet neighborhood	0	1	2	3	4	5
c) I did not have much time to search for housing	0	1	2	3	4	5
d) I cannot afford to pay much for housing	0	1	2	3	4	5
e) I want to live in a community with a good school system	0	1	2	3	4	5
f) I want to live close to MIT because I often work late	0	1	2	3	4	5
g) I want to live close to MIT so I don’t have to commute as far	0	1	2	3	4	5
h) I chose my house so I can commute by my preferred means	0	1	2	3	4	5
i) My neighborhood is safer than other places I could live	0	1	2	3	4	5
j) The features of my home (for example, the view, hardwood floors, air conditioning, laundry, yard) are a large factor in why I chose to live where I do	0	1	2	3	4	5
k) I like to live near other people who are involved with MIT	0	1	2	3	4	5
l) I live where I do because of my spouse, family or roommate	0	1	2	3	4	5

E. Transportation Options

1. Which of the following do you have at home? (please check ALL that apply)

a) o a computer	j) o a bicycle
a modem:	k) o a motorcycle
b) o 9600 bps or slower	l) o a skateboard
c) o 14.4 Kbps	m) o in-line skates
d) o 28.8 Kbps or faster	n) o a helmet
e) o I’m not sure of the modem’s speed	o) o knee pads, wrist pads and/or elbow pads
f) o an ethernet card
g) o a fax machine
h) o a second phone line at home
i) o a tether account

2. Here are some statements about attitudes toward commuting options. Please indicate to what extent you agree with these statements.

	Not Applicable	Disagree Strongly	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Agree Strongly
a) I can be more productive working at home	0	1	2	3	4	5
b) I need to interact with other people at MIT daily	0	1	2	3	4	5
c) Most of my work can be done at home	0	1	2	3	4	5
d) Working at home gives me the flexibility I need to care for my family	0	1	2	3	4	5
e) I enjoy city driving	0	1	2	3	4	5
f) I like learning one reliable way to come to MIT and sticking with it	0	1	2	3	4	5
g) I like learning about all the options before I settle on my preferred way of commuting	0	1	2	3	4	5
h) I do not have space to work at home	0	1	2	3	4	5
i) I need a car for carrying groceries	0	1	2	3	4	5
j) I need a car for weekend trips	0	1	2	3	4	5
k) The Office of Parking and Transportation provides sufficient information about commute options	0	1	2	3	4	5
l) MIT does a good job helping people find matches for carpooling or vanpooling	0	1	2	3	4	5
m) Public transportation schedules should be made more available on campus	0	1	2	3	4	5
n) MIT should encourage people to log in from home	0	1	2	3	4	5
o) MIT should encourage people to use public transportation more	0	1	2	3	4	5
p) MIT should encourage people to walk, bike, skate, etc., more	0	1	2	3	4	5
q) MIT should have more shuttles to important transportation centers (such as North Station)	0	1	2	3	4	5
r) MIT should have an on-campus daytime shuttle	0	1	2	3	4	5
s) MIT should have a shuttle that just goes over the Mass. Ave. Bridge and then comes back to 77 Mass. Ave.	0	1	2	3	4	5
t) I find public transportation schedules confusing	0	1	2	3	4	5
u) I often consult maps and/or public transportation schedules	0	1	2	3	4	5
v) I’d feel comfortable parking a car at MIT lots	0	1	2	3	4	5
w) I’d feel comfortable locking a bike at MIT racks	0	1	2	3	4	5
x) I know my way around the city well, and can easily find another route	0	1	2	3	4	5
y) I change the way I travel depending on the time of day or season of the year	0	1	2	3	4	5

3. If you have a car, imagine you were able to live on campus. Would you give up driving your car to move on campus? (please check only ONE)

a) o Yes, I’d give up my car to move on campus (also answer Question 4)

b) o No, I’d want to keep my car on campus (also answer Question 5)

c) o No, I wouldn’t move to campus if it meant giving up my car (also answer Question 5)

d) o No, I wouldn’t move to campus for other reasons (please skip to Question 6)

e) o I don’t have a car (please skip to Question 6)

4. If you would give up your car to move on campus, what is the main reason why? (please check only ONE)

a) o I wouldn’t need my car to come to school

b) o It would be too difficult to find parking

c) o It would be too expensive to park the car

d) o It would be too expensive to insure the car in Cambridge

e) o The car wouldn’t be safe on campus

f) o another reason (please specify)

5. If you wouldn’t give up your car to move on campus, what is the main reason why not? (please check only ONE)

a) o I’d still need my car for other trips in Boston

b) o I’d still need my car for weekend or holiday trips

c) o I’d still need my car to drive relatives around

d) o I’d still need my car to drive friends and classmates around

e) o I don’t want to give up my independence

f) o another reason (please specify)

6. Based on your needs, which of the following list of transportation investments would you most like to see MIT make? Please indicate your top three choices by placing a 1 in the blank by your top choice, a 2 by your second choice, and a 3 by your third choice.

a)	more frequent shuttle bus service	b)	smoother sidewalks around MIT
c)	more convenient parking spaces	d)	better landscaping around sidewalks
e)	more bicycle racks	f)	better security for parking lots and garages
g)	greater subsidies for MBTA passes	h)	distributed bicycle lockers and showers
i)	smoother roadways around MIT	j)	enhanced access to MIT computer networks
k)	separate bike and pedestrian paths	l)	free access to the M2 / LMA shuttle
m)	shuttle buses to
n)	other:

7. Now, considering the needs of the whole MIT community and the environment, which do you think are the most important transportation investments for MIT to make? Please indicate your top three choices by placing a 1 in the blank by your top choice, a 2 by your second choice, and a 3 by your third choice.

a)	more frequent shuttle bus service	b)	smoother sidewalks around MIT
c)	more convenient parking spaces	d)	better landscaping around sidewalks
e)	more bicycle racks	f)	better security for parking lots and garages
g)	greater subsidies for MBTA passes	h)	distributed bicycle lockers and showers
i)	smoother roadways around MIT	j)	enhanced access to MIT computer networks
k)	separate bike and pedestrian paths	l)	free access to the M2 / LMA shuttle
m)	shuttle buses to
n)	other:

F. Safety

1. Here are some statements about safety. Please say whether you agree personally with these statements.

	Disagree Strongly	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Agree Strongly
a) I feel safe working on campus at night	1	2	3	4	5
b) I feel safe walking at night	1	2	3	4	5
c) I feel safe riding public transportation at night	1	2	3	4	5
d) I feel safe waiting for public transportation at night	1	2	3	4	5
e) I feel safe biking on Amherst Alley	1	2	3	4	5
f) I feel safe biking on Mass. Ave.	1	2	3	4	5

2. Have you ever used the SafeRide shuttle?

a) o yes

b) o no (please answer Question 4, then skip to section G)

3. Do you ride SafeRide now?

a) o yes (please skip to Question 5)

b) o no (please answer Questions 4 and 5, then skip to section G)

4. If you don’t use SafeRide now, why not? (please check ALL that apply)

a) o I don’t know the route or stops	b) o The drivers drive too aggressively
c) o There’s no safe place to wait	d) o The other riders make me uncomfortable
e) o It doesn’t come often enough	f) o It doesn’t run late enough
g) o It doesn’t arrive on schedule	h) o It doesn’t make stops near where I live
i) o There isn’t room for me on board	j) o The drivers aren’t courteous
k) o It doesn’t wait long enough	l) o The route takes too long

m) o other (please specify)

If you have NEVER used SafeRide, please go on to section G.

5. Here are some statements about the SafeRide shuttles. Please say whether you agree personally with these statements.

	Disagree Strongly	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Agree Strongly
a) SafeRide should run later at night	1	2	3	4	5
b) SafeRide should start earlier	1	2	3	4	5
c) SafeRide should serve more locations	1	2	3	4	5
d) SafeRide should run more often during winter	1	2	3	4	5
e) SafeRide vehicles should be larger	1	2	3	4	5

If you don’t use SafeRide now, please go on to section G.
If you currently use SafeRide, please answer Questions 6 through 9 below.

6. Which SafeRide route do you use most often? (please check only ONE)

a) o Boston East

b) o Boston West

c) o Cambridge East

d) o Cambridge West

7. What is the main reason you use SafeRide? (please check only ONE)

a) o to avoid situations where I might be at risk of crime

b) o to avoid being out in bad weather

c) o to get home more quickly than walking or using the MBTA

d) o to get home after the MBTA stops running

e) o SafeRide is free

f) o other (please specify)

8. How would you rate your satisfaction with SafeRide in terms of these aspects:

	Very Dissatisfied	Dissatisfied	Neutral	Satisfied	Very Satisfied
a) Frequency of runs	1	2	3	4	5
b) Crowding	1	2	3	4	5
c) Availability of schedules / maps	1	2	3	4	5
d) Availability of a safe place to wait	1	2	3	4	5
e) Overall rating	1	2	3	4	5

9. How often would you say ...

	Never	Seldom	Occasionally	Often	Always
a) SafeRide vans are reliable and on time	1	2	3	4	5
b) SafeRide drivers are friendly and polite	1	2	3	4	5
c) SafeRide drivers are helpful and answer any questions I may have	1	2	3	4	5
d) SafeRide drivers drive safely and in a comfortable manner	1	2	3	4	5
e) SafeRide vans are clean and well maintained	1	2	3	4	5

G. Some Final Questions

The following questions are for classification purposes and assist in identifying certain trends. Your responses are confidential and will be held in the strictest confidence.

1. About how long have you lived in the Boston metro area? months years

2. About how long have you been at MIT? months years

3. About how long have you lived at your current residence? months years

4. What is your gender?

a) o female

b) o male

5. What is your age? years

6. Are you ...

a) o single

b) o married or in a long-term relationship

7. How many children live in your home?

8. Are you ...

a) o a U.S. citizen

b) o an international student from

9. Which of the following categories would you use to describe yourself? (please check ALL that apply)

a) o Asian	d) o Native American
b) o Black	e) o Caucasian
c) o Hispanic	f) o Other (please specify )

10. How are you paying your tuition and other expenses this year? (please check ALL that apply)

a) o fellowship or scholarship	b) o work-study job	c) o personal savings
d) o research assistantship	e) o off-campus job	f) o money from parents or other relatives
g) o teaching assistantship

11. After graduating from MIT, do you think you are most likely to .... (please check only ONE)

a) o stay in the Boston metropolitan area	b) o stay in New England	e) o I’m not sure
c) o move somewhere else in the U.S.	d) o move somewhere outside of the U.S.

12. Please give us any comments you may have about transportation at MIT or about this survey.

Thank you very much for your assistance with our research and planning efforts. Please fold this survey form in half, tape or staple it shut, and place it in any interdepartmental mail box.

Glossary

Boston metropolitan area (or the city, etc.)

The Boston metropolitan area includes Boston and all the cities and towns around it that are economically tied to it. Since you commute to MIT, wherever you live is considered part of the Boston metropolitan area.

carpool

A carpool is two or more people together in a car or other privately-owned vehicle.

Charles River TMA

MIT and several other employers in Cambridge participate in a Transportation Management Association (TMA) called the Charles River TMA to provide better travel options to their employees, and to comply with federal and state transportation and environmental policies. The TMA may provide assistance managing parking spaces, organizing car- and vanpools, and operating shuttle buses. The Charles River TMA runs a shuttle from near Tech Square and One Kendall Square to near the B.U. Bridge. The TMA shuttle is operated under contract by Paul Revere Transportation.

commute

For this survey, a commute refers to a trip from your home to MIT, or from MIT back home. You may stop off along the way at other places.

home

For the purposes of this survey, "home" refers to your local residence, which may be a fraternity, sorority, independent living group, apartment or house. Please consider your local residence, even if you return somewhere else when classes aren’t in session, for example your parents’ home.

M2 / LMA / medical shuttle

Paul Revere Transportation operates a shuttle bus -- identifiable from its blue stripes -- for Harvard. The M2 route connects the Harvard Medical School in the Longwood Medical Area (LMA) to the main Harvard campus in Cambridge. This shuttle bus also stops at 77 Mass. Ave.

mode

Mode refers to your method of travel, and is often described by a type of vehicle. Autos, buses, trains and bicycles are examples of modes. Walking is a mode that doesn’t involve a vehicle. Often, it’s useful to know how many people are traveling together in an auto; therefore, driving alone and carpooling may be treated as separate modes.

organized carpool

Large employers or government agencies may often help people traveling to the same place form a carpool. The participants in an organized carpool may not have known each other before. Often, there is a formal procedure where members of an organized carpool share costs equally (for example, by taking turns driving, or by a passenger reimbursing the driver at a fixed per-mile rate).

organized vanpool

An organized vanpool is similar to an organized carpool, except more people are riding together, so a larger vehicle is used. The van may be owned by a company or government agency, instead of belonging to one of the vanpool participants.

personal business

Trips for other personal business include any errands you make for your household or your own personal benefit. Trips to the bank, drug store, dry cleaners or hardware store are examples of trips in this category.

public transportation (or public transit)

Public transportation means any mode that a member of the public can use. The vehicles used do not need to be owned by public agencies. For example, Peter Pan and Plymouth & Brockton are two private bus operators that offer commuter service. Because anyone can buy a ticket, they are considered public transportation. The MBTA, of course, is also public transportation.

route

Route means the path in the city you make as you travel. Drivers may take different routes to the same place by using different streets, or by using a freeway instead of a street. Buses are given a route number and/or name to identify the places where the bus starts and stops, and the road it travels on to get there.

telecommuting

Telecommuters use equipment such as fax machines and networked computers to work somewhere other than MIT — often at home. Because they don’t need to go in to work every day, telecommuters help reduce congestion, pollution, and of course, wear and tear on their autos.

tether account

People who live off campus and have a computer with a modem at home can dial in to use Athena. A tether account offers a communications protocol that allows users to run graphical programs such as Netscape Navigator and Eudora through Athena, rather than being restricted to a text-only screen.

fold booklet here

INTERDEPARTMENTAL

MIT Transportation Survey

MIT Planning Office

Room 12-156

77 Mass. Ave

Cambridge MA 02139

If you have questions or comments, send email to planning-www@mit.edu
Last updated: 09/13/99