A methodology based on parking policy to promote sustainable mobility in college campuses

Many university campuses are suffering from serious mobility problems resulting from excessive use of the private car by students, teachers and administrative staff. This article proposes a methodology based on a revealed and stated preferences survey aimed at estimating the importance of different variables on users mobility choices in order to simulate their reaction to policies such as the introduction of new modes of transport or charging for on campus parking. This estimation was based on a Mixed Logit model considering the possible presence of heterogeneity in user preferences. The introduction of these results into an optimization model has also allowed us to calculate the optimal parking fare that should be charged which would minimize the number of free spaces on campus or maximize the income received. This methodology has been applied to a case study at the campus of the University of Cantabria (Spain). The elasticities calculated using a Mixed Logit model confirm that setting a fare for parking on campus would be a serious disincentive against private car use in favor of more sustainable transport modes. Furthermore, the optimization model allowed us to calculate the fare that would maximize the income obtained from the parking spaces, an income that could then be used to strengthen the campus sustainable mobility policies.