The University of Alabama provides various ways to travel around campus. Here are the six best forms of transportation at UA during the semester.
1. Crimson Ride
Crimson Ride is the University’s bus system that transports students, faculty, staff and visitors through multiple on-campus and apartment routes. With no fees to ride, Crimson Ride is a convenient choice to get around campus.
During the fall and spring semesters, Crimson Ride operates 12 routes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Residential Plus Route operates Monday through Friday from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and on the weekends. Keep in mind that Crimson Ride buses do not have a set pickup time for any particular stop. However, with multiple buses on each route, the typical frequency ranges from 12-20 minutes. Delays can occur due to campus traffic, so make sure to use Passio Go to monitor each route.
2. Sidewalks and Paths
Using UA’s pedestrian paths and sidewalks is one of the simplest and healthiest ways to get to different places on UA’s campus. From seeing friends along the way to enjoying the sunshine to grabbing lunch from a food truck, getting around without a vehicle is a fun and effective way to experience campus. Use the UA Safety App to easily navigate with an interactive campus map. Remember to stay alert. When crossing the road, only do so at designated crosswalks and always follow the signals and look both ways before crossing.
3. Scooter
Electric scooters are becoming a popular way to get from one place to another. Before zooming around campus, know that every person driving a scooter must follow the same rules as those riding a bike. Scooters must obey traffic laws and yield to pedestrians. Practice safety by wearing a helmet and staying alert. Only park your scooter at a bike rack and lock it like you would a bike. Do not block sidewalks or doors when parking your scooter. Indoor scooters are not allowed in any buildings on campus. If riding at night, use a reflective light so cars, pedestrians, bike riders and others can see you.
4. VEO e-bike
VEO offers Cosmo e-bikes for rent from designated bike racks and areas of campus. Using these e-bikes is simple. Just download the VEO app and scan the QR code on the bike. You can even use the app’s map to find available bikes. Once you have scanned the bike, pay the $1 unlock fee and an additional $0.39 per-minute rate for the rest of your ride. Once you are done, park the VEO in a designated parking area. GPS and LTE enable the company to track device locations and geofence areas that are no ride, slow ride, no parking or recommended parking zones to ensure proper usage of the e-bikes.
5. Bicycle
Biking is a fantastic way to enjoy the outdoors while being transported quickly. Before you get to campus, make sure that you register your bike with transportation services and read over the UA safety protocol. If you don’t own a bike, UA offers the opportunity to rent or buy bikes through the Recreation Center. UREC has a fleet of bikes in a range of sizes. Students, faculty and staff can rent a bike for a day, week, month or semester. The “Buy a Bike” service with State-Bicycle Co. is for students, faculty or staff members who would like to purchase a bike.
Don’t forget to always use the bike lanes, wear a helmet and obey all traffic laws when riding on campus. See a map of bike racks where you can safely and properly store your ride.
6. Crimson Concierge (Faculty/Staff Only)
Crimson Concierge is an on-demand ride service to assist faculty and staff in getting to meetings without using their personal vehicles between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Service areas include the main campus and the University Services Campus off Helen Keller Boulevard. Call UA Transit Dispatch at 205-348-7433 to confirm your eligibility. Learn more about the service.
Two bonus ways to get around campus and town!
Check out other ways to get around town. Note that The University of Alabama does not own, operate or endorse Joyride or the Tuscaloosa Trolley and is not responsible for their service.
Joyride
Joyride is one of the quickest and most personalized ways to get around town. Joyrides are golf carts with drivers who are background checked and permitted before being allowed to drive. Joyride cannot go past Lurleen Wallace Boulevard, the Black Warrior River, 15th STreet or McFarland Boulevard. Usually, Joyrides can fit five to seven riders, depending on the cart. The ride rate changes based on the hour and day and can be split evenly between all the riders. The hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. To book your Joyride, download their mobile app, Joyride Mobile, to request rides and make payments. If you ever want to use Joyride for an event, visit their website for more information.
Tuscaloosa Trolly
The Tuscaloosa Transit Authority is a local, government-owned bus system that serves the city of Tuscaloosa and operates trolleys between downtown Tuscaloosa and the Strip. It also provides shuttle buses for football game days.
University faculty, staff, and students can ride the university shuttle route operated by the Tuscaloosa Trolly free of charge. This route stops at the Transportation Hub and other campus locations. All other trolly routes cost $1 per trip. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Passengers should arrive at the bus stop five minutes before the scheduled time and remain visible to the driver as the bus approaches. Riders can monitor the buses by using Passio Go. Do not miss out on this efficient service to get around campus and the beautiful city of Tuscaloosa!