Stanford’s sustainable commuting program offers guidance and tools for community members to reduce their carbon footprint. Whether traveling to the main campus, Stanford Redwood City, or any satellite locations, employees and students can shift their transportation modes with the help of Stanford’s comprehensive commute resources.
Thanks to the success of Stanford’s transportation demand management program, greenhouse gas emissions have been driven down, while the number of active monthly transit pass riders has steadily increased. Another great indicator of commute program success is the all-time low drive-alone rate to campus, decreasing to 36% in 2022.
From free, personalized commute planning assistance and toolkits to one-on-one consultations and customized plans, the university is committed to helping you find a greener way to travel to campus.
Free to all, the Marguerite fleet includes 41 electric buses and eight spare diesel buses (five are diesel-electric hybrids), which ensure operational resilience during a power outage. In 2023, 88% of Marguerite’s 508,000 miles driven were in electric buses.
The Marguerite can shuttle you to iconic destinations like the Stanford Dish for a scenic hike, Cantor Arts Center for captivating exhibits, or Stanford Shopping Center for dining and retail options. The Marguerite can also transport riders to and from the CalTrain station in Palo Alto, creating an easier opportunity for those looking to take a train to campus instead of driving.
Stanford is one of the most bicycle-friendly campuses in the nation, recognized as a four-time Platinum Level Bicycle-Friendly University. With miles of dedicated and beautiful bike paths, abundant bike parking, and a vibrant cycling community, biking at Stanford is safe, sustainable, and fun!
Many members of the Stanford community live in surrounding cities in the Bay Area. Each journey to campus is an opportunity to decrease overall environmental impact. Stanford offers free passes for Caltrain, SamTrans passes, and an East Bay EasyPass (which includes free access to the Dumbarton Express East Bay express bus service and all other AC Transit service) for eligible commuting employees, off-campus graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars. Students, staff, and faculty can ride for free on transbay express bus service on AC Transit’s Line U, a service subsidized by Stanford.
Commuters can find ridesharing opportunities in the Bay Area, including traveling with other Stanford affiliates to campus.
Stanford has set a new benchmark for sustainability at live events through its first major concert hosted by Stanford Athletics and Stanford Live. Sustainable Stanford hosted a fireside chat with sustainability leadership from Live Nation and Warner Music Group in tandem with this milestone.
From reducing embodied carbon in construction to piloting organic landscape management, the annual Student Sustainability Symposium highlighted how student-led innovation is driving sustainability at Stanford.
Laura Segura Gonzalez, a second-year design student, is leading jean upcycling workshops to combat fast fashion waste, empowering students to transform old jeans into something new.