- ISU Facilities Planning and Management (FP&M)
routinely looks for opportunities to improve pedestrian and bicycle
safety by installing new traffic signals, rerouting traffic lanes
close to campus and maintaining the "Walk Your Wheels" initiative, which prohibits bicyclists from riding on campus sidewalks. For example, during peak hours, FP&M limits public access to Osborn Drive to better manage the safety and efficiency of bicycle, pedestrian and CyRide traffic. Campus-wide interest in bicycle transportation continues to increase, and FP&M remains committed to improving its infrastructure to meet this growing demand.
- Iowa State is one of the few universities in the country to offer vehicles to student organizations. As Iowa State is the nation's first land-grant university and has a long history of agricultural research, Transportation Services believes it is extremely important that students have ongoing access to research plots located off-campus. Although this is costly in terms of insurance, it greatly benefits students' professional growth and increases their ability to have cross-cultural connections beyond the Ames community.
- Transportation Services offers a vanpool that provides transportation between Ames and six different communities: Ankeny, Boone, Des Moines, Roland and Story City. After paying a small monthly fee, members share driving duties and decide on a convenient pick-up and drop-off spot that best serves their needs. Vanpool members also receive 10 free parking passes a year and are provided individual vehicles in case of emergencies.
- Through the use of CyBIZ Lab and other campus programs, Transportation Services often collaborates with students for research and internships related to finance management, customer feedback and public safety. Classes also routinely participate in "sustainable ride and drives" in which students can test no-emissions vehicles. One group of students event built a covered bike rack that Transportation Services customers can use for storing their bike while using a university vehicle.
- Transportation Services partners with the Iowa Braille School and the Iowa School for the Deaf to provide transportation to their students.
- Transportation Services Director Kathleen Wellik serves on the board of the NAFA Fleet Management Association, "the world’s premier not-for-profit association for professionals who
manage fleets of sedans, law enforcement vehicles, trucks and buses of
all types and sizes." This contributes to Iowa State's role as a transportation leader that shares its knowledge and insights across the globe.
"We are known to be one of the most positive and inviting departments on campus, and I am proud of the fact that we are always out there asking, 'What can we do to help you?'"
-Kathleen Wellik, Transportation Services Director
