A Sustainable Transportation Plan for MIT
This MIT OpenCourseWare seminar examines transportation policy for the MIT campus, developed in response to President Hockfield's 'Walk the Talk' energy initiative. Students evaluate commuter and business travel patterns, weighing the roles of MIT's own shuttle services against the MBTA as transportation providers. The course examines subsidy structures across driving, transit, cycling, and walking, asking which incentives actually reduce transportation-related energy use. Coursework centers on group research projects that produce concrete policy recommendations for campus administrators, making the class as much applied consulting as classroom study. Materials include the syllabus, project guidelines, and readings on transportation economics and sustainability policy, all freely available through MIT OpenCourseWare with no certificate offered. It suits students interested in urban transportation planning, campus sustainability, or the practical mechanics of institutional policy change.