Red Runner
Red runner vehicle
Red Runner (Cornell's courier service) is a program of Transportation and Mail Services. The primary goal of the program is to provide a more efficient and cost effective way to move people, packages and documents across campus, around town, and beyond. The program, partially funded by user fees, began in 1996. University departments are urged to consider the hourly cost of sending a member of their staff on errands. These considerations include lost productivity in the office while he or she is gone, mileage reimbursements, vehicle emissions, time required to get to and from the car, time needed to find a parking space, and the ever-present insurance risk to the university.
The environmental benefits of the program are simple; a small handful of couriers can accomplish the tasks that once required dozens of people and cars. Passenger vehicles are very inefficient on short trips; cars and trucks emit the highest percentage of hydrocarbons and greenhouse gasses during the first few minutes of operation. A small fleet of modern, well-maintained vehicles will emit fewer noxious emissions than will dozens of sporadically used vehicles. Additionally, Red Runner increases average vehicle occupancy and loading (more passengers and materials per trip) and helps reduce campus congestion. The availability of a centrally dispatched courier service reduces the need for individuals to drive and park their cars nearby.
The number of Red Runner users has nearly tripled since 1996 with over 600 department accounts. Passenger trips for FY 04 - 05 totaled 9,612 through the end of May. The total number of packages delivered was 31,474 for the same time period. Currently, five couriers make an average of over 30 trips a day, for an average of 8,217 trips per courier each year.
Beneficial Impacts of Program:
- Number of employees running errands on and off campus has decreased significantly.
- Fewer lost working hours.
- Fewer parking complaints.
- Decreased liability to the university.
- Reduced exhaust emissions.
- Increased average vehicle occupancy and loading.
CULift
CULift
Initiated in 1999, CULift is a transportation program operated by Red Runner in conjunction with Student Disability Services to provide equal access to university educational programs and extracurricular activities for students with long-term or short-term disabilities that reduce mobility. The program is available free of charge between 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., Monday through Friday during the academic calendar. The service uses cars and two wheelchair accessible vans.
The environmental benefits of this program lie in its ability to reduce the number of vehicles operating and parking on campus. Typically, individuals with limited mobility need to park close to their building. The program allows students to leave their vehicles at home. CULift dispatchers coordinate student schedules and combine rides, thereby limiting the number of trips required. A few drivers and vehicles perform approximately 3,600 trips a year.
Beneficial Impacts of Program:
- Reduced demand for handicap parking spaces.
- Fewer trips, lower net exhaust emissions.
- Reduced traffic congestion.
- Better access to facilities.
- Increased average vehicle occupancy and loading
For more information, check out the web sites in the sidebar above or call Student Disabilities Services at 607-254-4545.
