Sustainable Transportation
Active Transportation
LPS encourages students and staff to bike or walk to school as a way to reduce traffic related pollution. Each building is supplied with bike racks to accommodate bike commuters.
Safety is, of course, a priority and a great way to establish those safe routes to school is a walking school bus. These efforts eliminate the need for vehicle transportation which saves energy and reduces emissions. Schools are also encouraged to coordinate participation in Walk to School Day in the fall and Bike to School Day in the spring.
Learn more about the planning process in our Sustainable Transportation Guide and use the resources below to promote your school’s next event!
Bike & Roll to School Day is May 8, 2024!
Get inspired by past events, download sticker sheets, and use our customizable templates to get the word out about your Bike & Roll to School Day.
For extra help with your event materials, send our team an email with your school name, event date, and any other details we should know.
LPS Fleet Vehicles
LPS operates over 160 buses (yellow fleet) and nearly 160 white fleet vehicles.
In 2020, LPS was one of seven Nebraska districts to receive grant funding from the Environmental Protection Agency to replace older diesel school buses. LPS received the largest grant award, $80,000, to replace four buses. Removing old diesel engines from our roads and replacing them with reduced emission engines helps protect the health of our students. Used oil is collected at LPS Transportation and it is reused to heat their facility.
In 2023, the district purchased its first electric vehicle. The Chevy Bolt EUV is part of the ongoing effort to reduce vehicle emissions and contribute to a more sustainable transportation system.
Personal Transportation
If you are using a vehicle to get to or from school, there are still ways to help reduce our impact on the environment. Anyone dropping off or picking up students is encouraged to minimize time idling in front of buildings. The EPA Idle-Free Schools Toolkit is an excellent resource for learning more about reducing air toxins and engaging students, staff, and families with these efforts. Carpooling is another simple option for minimizing emissions from school traffic.
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Thanks to grant funding from Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy and Lincoln Electric System, seven electric vehicle (EV) charging stations were installed at LPS sites in 2020. There is one at each high school near their main entrance and one is at the LPS Operations building. These charging stations are available to support electric vehicle (EV) use to anyone in the Lincoln community. EVs provide economic and environmental benefits like decreasing harmful greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation.
The LPS EV charging stations are connected to an online dashboard that tracks station use and quantifies environmental impacts. Since installation, over 4,200 kg of greenhouse gas emissions have been avoided, which is like planting 109 trees and letting them grow 10 years. In 2021, nearly 800 charging sessions occurred across the seven stations.
Community Resources
All members of the community can utilize one of the seven level-2 Chargepoint charging stations to service their EVs. Find them on Google Maps or on the Chargepoint station map.
You don’t have to own your bike to enjoy cycling around the city. BikeLNK provides a bicycle rental service with many convenient locations in the heart of Lincoln. Lincoln also has a fantastic trails system available for anyone staying off the roads.
Public transportation is another great way to reduce our emissions. The City of Lincoln StarTran Bus Service even has several Electric Buses currently in service. The StarTran website has bus tracking apps to plan your trip as well as information on passes and fares.
