Need Wheels?

UW Shuttles, Motorpool, Flexcar Offer Options for Getting Around Campus and Beyond

Whether you make your commute decisions based on economics, environmental concerns, or both—walking, biking, or riding the bus to campus can leave you without wheels when you need them during the day. Don’t worry. There are plenty of good options to get you where you need to go. Weigh your needs and choose what works best for you.

Motor Pool

Taking a mountain of stuff to a meeting across campus is easy with a vehicle from UW Motor Pool. Any UW student or employee can rent a Motor Pool vehicle for official University business and you can feel good about using Motor Pool. They were recognized among Automotive Fleet Magazine's Top 100 Alternative Fuel Fleets in 2005. They have 150 ethanol flex fuel vehicles, 7 pure electric vehicles, and 17 hybrid/electric cogeneration vehicles. In fact, their entire compact class is comprised of environmentally-friendly Toyota Prius hybrids. Reserve your car online, charge it to your UW budget number and park in University vehicle spaces.

For more information about Motor Pool services, go to www.washington.edu/admin/motorpool

UW Shuttles

Don't want to think about driving or parking? Let someone else drive and reduce your impact on traffic and the environment. UW Shuttles operates four shuttle services to assist the UW community in getting around campus and beyond—Health Sciences Express, UW South Lake Union Shuttle, Dial-a-Ride, and Night Ride.

Health Sciences Express assists University faculty, staff, students, medical center patients and their families in conducting University, Health Sciences, and Medical Center related business by providing transportation between the University of Washington Medical Center, Health Sciences Building, Roosevelt Clinic, and Harborview Medical Center. All Health Sciences Express buses are equipped with wheelchair lifts.

UW South Lake Union Shuttle transports University School of Medicine staff, students, and patients, as well as Children's Hospital staff, between UW Medical Facilities. The shuttle stops at UWMC, Health Sciences Building, Republican, Eastlake, and Westlake.

If you live within a mile of campus to the west, north, or east and stay on campus after dark, you can use your U-PASS to take Night Ride. The Night Ride shuttle transports you from campus to your front door. Night Ride operates to three different zones and the driver will drop you at your requested location. The IMA Loop service connects riders to the Communications Building on Stevens Way, where riders can catch the zoned Night Ride shuttles.

In addition, students, faculty, and staff with permanent or temporary disabilities can ride between Central Campus facilities on Dial-a-Ride (The Disabled Persons' Shuttle). All Dial-a-Ride vans are equipped with wheelchair lifts.

For more information about any of the UW Shuttle services, including schedules and maps, go to www.uwshuttles.com and click on the appropriate shuttle name.

Flexcar

Your U-PASS offers savings on Flexcar. This car-sharing program provides access to 11 cars in the University District and over 100 in other locations throughout Seattle. Personal memberships let you use Flexcar for personal errands during the day. Departmental memberships provide a vehicle for business related trips and may save your department money if they drive their Motor Pool vehicle less than 80 hours a month

For more information or to become a Flexcar member go to www.flexcar.com.

The U-COMMUTE News is published three times a year for staff and faculty. For additional information, visit our web site at www.washington.edu/upass/. Your suggestions and comments are welcome. Please contact the Transportation Office at upass@u.washington.edu, 206.543.0450 or Box 355212.