Inside Duke Medicine

Go green, save green

Doesn’t it make good sense to go green rather than shell out more and more greenbacks?

In an effort to help faculty, staff and students save on commuting costs and reduce impact on the environment, Duke has partnered with Durham Area Transit Authority (DATA) to offer discount city and regional bus passes at a savings of up to 60 percent.

Faculty, staff and students can purchase these discount bus passes through Duke for transportation with the DATA, Triangle Transit (TT) Regional and Triangle Transit (TT) Express. Passengers with a regional pass can also board a Capital Area Transit bus for connections to DATA and TT buses.

Employees who purchase 30-day bus passes and who enroll through payroll deduction and automatic bus pass renewal can pay using pre-tax dollars, which saves employees money by reducing taxable income. This additional savings only applies to participants who purchase 30-day bus passes.

Enrolling in payroll deduction and automatic renewal means a 30-day unlimited pass with DATA that normally sells for $36 can be purchased for $12. Similarly, a 30-day pass for unlimited rides with the Triangle Transit Regional line that sells for $64 can be purchased for $24.

The discounted bus pass for 20 one-way trips can be purchased with only cash, check or credit card, and the pre-tax savings will not apply.

Several bus pass options are available, so faculty, staff and students are encouraged to review routes and schedules to select a pass that best meets their transportation needs.

People who want to enroll in the program under automatic renewal or wish to buy a 20-trip pass must do so in person at Duke’s Parking and Transportation Services office, Facilities Center on Coal Pile Drive.  As yet, passes cannot be purchased online or through the transit lines.

The discount bus passes are among several transportation initiatives offered through Parking and Transportation. Duke recently introduced a carpool program with free parking for four or more members and an online ride-matching service, Duke GreenRide, to help faculty, staff and students find carpool partners.

For more information about these and other programs, visit www.parking.duke.edu/carpool or call 684-7275.