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Pepperdine University

Air Quality and Transportation

Air quality is of critical importance around the globe. This is particularly true in Southern California, where the biggest contributor to the air quality is the number of vehicles on the road.  As a Christian institution, Pepperdine has a duty to do all it can to ensure the health and well-being of humanity and the environment. This begins with a commitment to clean air by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

On-Campus Housing and Residence Life

The University's largest contribution to improving air quality is the provision of on-campus housing, as this conserves fuel while decreasing the number of rush hour vehicles. Pepperdine currently provides 2,585 student beds and houses 143 faculty/staff residents, which helps take many vehicles off the road.

Sustainable Commute

Pepperdine's sustainable commute program incentivizes alternative, lower-impact methods of transportation to and from campus. Staff and faculty can participate through carpool, vanpool, bus/shuttle, bicycle, or walking. Each month, participants fill out a tracking form where they indicate which days they participated in an alternative commute. Those who participate in alternative commute 10 or more times a month are entered into a monthly drawing for a prize. To find out more about the vanpool system, contact Greyson Orellana.

In the event of a campus closure due to an emergency, critical support personnel who also participate in the vanpool program can arrange for an emergency ride home. An email or text will go out to all vanpool riders so they may know who to contact to coordinate alternate rides home. The cost of the ride will be covered by the University. Vanpool riders who must leave work early due to illness or a personal emergency can contact the Center for Sustainability at 310.506.6702 to arrange a ride home. 

Vanpool

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Consistent with Pepperdine’s longstanding leadership and investment in sustainability, the University was an early adopter of institutionally-provided electric vehicle (EV) charging spaces. EV charging at Pepperdine has since progressed and flourished from a pilot program built upon partnerships with private and public entities to a stalwart element of the campus’ comprehensive parking plan. 

Starting in 2014, in partnership with General Motors, Pepperdine launched its EV charging pilot program that provided the campus with six (6) EV charging spaces and three years of free charging for the community. In 2019, it added 10 additional spaces at its Drescher Campus via Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Charge Ready program, which was SCE’s own pilot program to encourage utilization of EVs in its service area. The University also continued to encourage EV usage by subsidizing community members with four (4) hours of free charging per session, after which a $60 fee would automatically be assessed. From 2023 to 2024, the University greatly increased its number of EV charging spaces, investing hundreds of thousands of dollars to nearly quadruple its offerings by adding 19 new EV spaces at its Enhanced Parking and Storage Project and 42 at The Mountain at Mullin Park, for a sum of 61 EV charging spaces between the projects. The University has continued to fully subsidize EV charging within the four-hour session limits during this time.

Today, the campus enjoys a total of 75 EV charging spaces throughout its campus, and, among other helpful features, available spaces can be viewed by way of the ChargePoint mobile application. In light of the campus’ expansion of EV charging spaces and the corresponding electrical, maintenance, and associated costs to continue effectuating this program for the community, effective August 1, 2025, users are charged for EV charging at a rate commensurate with the aggregate electric costs charged to the University by Southern California Edison.

If you have any questions about EV charging on campus, please contact the Center for Sustainability at 310.506.6702 or sustainability@pepperdine.edu.

Pepperdine Fleet

Shuttles

Pepperdine has created a shuttle service to cut down on campus traffic, provide transportation for staff, faculty, and students, and reduce the number of vehicles on the road. Shuttle services provide transportation on campus and into the local shopping areas. Download the Pepperdine Mobile App to access real-time shuttle information.

Clean Fleet Vehicles

The Departments of Facilities Services and Public Safety operate two hybrid vehicles each to monitor the campus and provide assistance to students.

Zip Car

In the Fall of 2014, Pepperdine introduced Zipcar to its Malibu campus. Zipcar is a car sharing system created to allow people to rent cars by the hour or by the day, providing an excellent opportunity for students who do not own a car. Currently, there are two available Zipcars available in Rho Parking lot. For more information and to register, visit the Pepperdine Zipcar page.