Columbia Hosts 2022 Ivy+ Transportation Conference

Transportation professionals from peer institutions met at Columbia for a weekend of presentations, tours, and exchanging of information.

June 20, 2022

Columbia University welcomed transportation professionals from the Ivy+ network to New York City for three days to observe, learn, present ideas, and share experiences related to their work. The goals of the conference were to strengthen the professional network while discussing how to reduce emissions and improve access, safety, and mobility within each transportation department.

The conference took place from Sunday, June 12 through Tuesday, June 14 and included a variety of agenda items like an electric bus tour, an improv comedy show, group meals at local restaurants, and a ride on the Beast Boat. Video conferencing technology was also utilized to allow for a two-way exchange between virtual and in person attendees.

Each institution had 23 minutes to present on transportation-related topics of their choice. Presentations covered the institutions’ evolving shuttle operations, sustainability goals, electric vehicle adoption, and other commute initiatives like increasing bike, scooter, and car-share access.

Some participants discussed adjusting their parking policies in light of commute pattern changes as more people adopt hybrid schedules. Others discussed transportation budgeting challenges and the electrification of their shuttle operations.

The conference culminated in Faculty House, where breakfast was served and attendees worked on plans for future operations before the closing remarks.