Getting around campus doesn’t have to mean getting behind the wheel.
With free Crimson Ride buses, micromobility options, pedestrian friendly pathways and transportation services that connect campus to the surrounding community, students, faculty and staff have many convenient ways to travel to class, work, meetings and destinations throughout Tuscaloosa.
Crimson Ride bus service
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 16 campus 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 stop frequency ranges from 12 to 20 minutes. Delays can occur due to campus traffic, so use the TripShot app to view real-time bus information before your next ride.
Crimson Ride provides a shopping shuttle route during the fall and spring terms from the Transportation Hub Deck on campus to popular shopping locations near campus. The shuttle runs on Sundays from 3 to 6 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. with stops at Midtown Village, University Mall, Target and Aldi.
Micromobility vehicles (bikes, scooters, etc.)
Micromobility vehicles, as defined by University policy, are small, lightweight, personal transportation devices that cannot travel faster than 30 mph, including bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, e-scooters, electric skateboards and Onewheels. It does not include skateboards or electric personal assistance mobility devices (EPAMDs).
Before riding around campus, users must register micromobility devices for free with parking services.
Micromobility vehicles must use a bike lane when one is available, travel in the same direction as traffic, and obey all traffic signals and stop signs. Users are prohibited from operating micromobility vehicles in campus greenspaces, including the Quad, and cannot ride them on sidewalks in and surrounding those greenspaces.
Micromobility vehicles must also be stored and secured properly and are not allowed indoors. If you plan to get around campus on bike, scooter or similar device, learn more about safe and responsilbe micromobility use on campus.
Sidewalks and paths
Using UA’s pathways 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.
VEO e-bike rental
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.
Remember to use the bike lane when one is available, follow all traffic rules and yield to pedestrians. 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.
Crimson Concierge (faculty and 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.
Getting around Tuscaloosa
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 Trolley
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 Trolley free of charge. This route stops at the Transportation Hub and other campus locations. All other trolley 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.