Sustainable Transportation

Walking provides physical and mental health benefits as well as being the most economical option. If you live within 5-15 minutes walking distance away from work, consider walking as an option. View the UCLA Transportation(Link is external) website to read their Safety Tips before taking to the sidewalks!

Riding a bicycle is a fun, healthy, and relatively inexpensive way to commute to work. There are over 3,500 bike parking spaces(Link is external) on the Westwood UCLA campus along with newly added bike lanes. The Metro Bike Share(Link is external) has also expanded to UCLA campus and Westwood Village. Employees are eligible for the Earn-A-Bike Program(Link is external) to receive a free $800 bike package in exchange for their parking permit. View the UCLA Transportation(Link is external) website to learn more about planning a bike commute route, securing bike parking, and discount at select local bike shops.

Public transit is the best option for employees commuting medium distances. Employees who commute are able to avoid the stress of traffic, reduce commute costs, and relax during their ride. UCLA transportation subsidizes eligible employees’ transit pass for select seven transit agencies: Los Angeles Metro bus and rail lines(Link is external) (Link opens in new window), Santa Monica Big Blue Bus(Link is external) (Link opens in new window), Culver CityBus(Link is external) (Link opens in new window), Antelope Valley Transit(Link is external), Santa Clarita Transit(Link is external), Long Beach Transit(Link is external), and LADOT Commuter Express(Link is external). Learn more about the Bruin Commuter Transit Benefit(Link is external) and register. Depending on where you are commuting from, there is likely a transit option for you. Visit the UCLA Transportation(Link is external) website to learn about subsidized transit programs and rider tips.

Carpooling is an excellent way to reduce single-occupancy-vehicles, encourage employees to socialize, and save money. Employees can use the UCLA Transportation Trip Planner(Link is external) to help match employees commuting from similar areas and same working hours. Carpool groups can apply for a Staff Carpool Permit(Link is external) to save money, instead of paying for individual parking permits. See the UCLA Carpool Agreement(Link is external) for seamless cooperation between employees.

Zero-emission Vehicles (ZEV) are vehicles that do no emit exhaust or other pollutants from the source of power, which includes battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles. ZEVs play an important role reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution emitted via transportation. In fiscal year 2022, 10% of UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center employees commuted to work with ZEVs. The UC Sustainable Practice Policy(Link is external) requires 4.5% of employees to commute with ZEVs by 2025 and 30% of employees to commute with ZEVs by 2050.

Electric Vehicles (EV) are rapidly gaining popularity in California, and rightfully so. EVs are drastically better commuting options than gasoline powered vehicles in order to combat climate change and reduce smog pollution. UCLA Transportation and UCLA Health is committed to creating infrastructure that supports employee and visitor’s choice to drive EVs by installing EV Charging stations in our parking garages.

Hybrid and remote work has proven to lead to improved work-life balance, more efficient use of time, control over work hours and work location, reduced burnout, higher productivity, and reduced environmental impact associated with vehicle emissions. The UC Sustainable Practices Policy includes a commitment that each UC location strives to have no more than 40% of its employees commuting to the location by SOV’s by 2025 – this policy goal will be partially achievable by reducing the number of non-critical in-person staff members commuting to the system. UCLA Health provides essential in-person services and for many employees and staff members, telecommuting is not an option. For certain administrative departments, telecommuting and remote work is an option and positive way to reduce your environmental impact associated with commuting emissions. Please check with your department regarding overall telework and remote work options.

The UC Sustainable Practice Policy(Link is external) requires locations to acquire at least 50% of all vehicles to be ZEVs. In fiscal year 2022, UCLA Health is on pace to acquire 100% ZEV fleet vehicles. Almost all of our patient transport vehicles are EV’s.  See the breakdown of UCLA Transportation fleet vehicle emission types here. We will continue to work towards expansion of our electric fleet vehicles.