Columbia Partners with Via to Provide On-Demand Evening Shuttle Service

Columbia Transportation and Public Safety have partnered with Via to transition the Evening Shuttle service to an app-based rideshare system to provide a new and improved on-demand, safe, convenient and free transportation service for Columbia affiliates after hours. 

June 15, 2020

The new, on-demand shuttle service, available beginning Monday, June 15, replaces the Public Safety Evening Shuttle buses and allows riders to request a ride using the Via app on their smart-phone within defined operating hours and location boundaries included in the Coverage Area Map During the summer period and while physical distancing efforts continue, all rides in the service will be limited to one rider per vehicle among other safety measures. Via and Columbia Transportation will monitor the evolving COVID-19 situation and adjust policy accordingly. 

The Evening Shuttle’s summer hours are 6:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m. the following morning, seven days per week. During the Academic Year, service will begin at 4:00 p.m. Before requesting their first ride, riders must get a unique promo code (UNI login required) and download the Via app. Riders can also call to request a vehicle. A new, unique promo code will be required for each new academic semester. 
 
For more information on how it works, including how to get a promo code and request a ride, hours and locations, and policies and regulations including the Terms of Use, please visit the Transportation website and read through the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) before requesting your first ride.  

Via is also offering Columbia affiliates 20% off all Private rides purchased through the app using the code CU2020. Learn more about the offer on the Transportation website

The new, on-demand Evening Shuttle service is in addition to the many other safety resources and enhancements available to the Columbia community for travel around campus including the Walking Safety Escort Service, the Intercampus Shuttle, the neighborhood merchants serving as Safe Havens, and the Blue Light Emergency Call Boxes

For all other questions, please contact Columbia Transportation during business hours at (212) 854-3382 or Public Safety after hours at (212) 854-SAFE (7233).