Research Triangle Park, N.C. – The Triangle Transit Authority, along with other area transit systems, UNC, NC State and Meredith College are teaming up to help college students “Kick Gas.”  New on-line maps now pinpoint some of the best transit-friendly places to live in Raleigh and Chapel Hill.

“Until now, students looking for a way to save money by living in a kick gas apartment complex had the daunting and often frustrating task of synthesizing information from multiple bus route maps, bike maps, and websites.  Or, they had to put their trust in advertising that claimed housing was along a bus route,” says Amy Armbruster, Transportation Demand Manager at TTA.

A “Kick Gas” apartment is one that is served by several bus lines or is an easy walk or bike ride away from campus.  Armbruster says,  “the maps layer information about local and regional bus routes over the top of the locations of apartments so that students can easily distinguish between apartments that “kick” gas and allow them to take the bus, bike or walk instead of those that will require them to get in their cars and drive everyday.”

Research compiled for this pilot project shows that choosing a “kick gas” apartment saves money on gas and parking fees.  For the average NCSU student, driving 5 miles to campus and paying for an annual parking permit can cost up to $772.74 a year.  For the average UNC student, it costs about $604.74/year.  For Meredith students, who park on campus for free, that figure is still $457.14/year!

One map focuses on the apartments surrounding UNC-Chapel Hill.  The other provides information about the apartments surrounding NCSU and Meredith College.  If these pilot project maps are well-received, the Triangle Transit Authority hopes to create an electronic version for universities in Durham.   

RedefineTravel.org is a campaign funded in part by a grant from the NC Dept. of Transportation, the Capital Area MPO and the Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro MPO.  The Smart Moves Apartment Finder Maps were produced by a partnership between               UNC-Chapel Hill’s Dept. of Public Safety, NCSU’s Dept. of Transportation and the    Triangle Transit Authority with support from Capital Area Transit and Chapel Hill Transit.

www.redefinetravel.org is a great resource for Triangle university students at                  UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke University, NCCU, NCSU, Meredith College and Shaw University looking for information about how to ride Triangle buses, how to find a carpool partner, and how to safely bike to campus.