Fort Collins-based Colorado State University (CSU) is launching an on-campus shuttle, “Around the Horn,” that is aimed at helping visitors, students, faculty and staff get across the university’s nearly square-mile campus more conveniently and quickly.

The new, free system, which will officially begin running late this summer, is operated in partnership with the City of Fort Collins Transfort bus system and the Associated Students of CSU.

Around the Horn will provide free rides to 13 stops at locations across campus identified with feedback from students and employees. The shuttle will run every 10 minutes, making a loop from the southeast side of campus, to and around the Oval, across to the Lory Student Center and down to Moby Arena.

“Around the Horn is a free, quick, efficient way to move around campus to help faculty, staff and students be more mobile on campus and encourage the use of alternative transportation — and it’s responsive to needs our community has identified,” said Amy Parsons, VP, operations.

The Division of Operations, including Parking and Transportation Services, is directing $500,000 toward the shuttle service and an expansion of Transfort routes to better serve students and employees.

Meanwhile, CSU’s Associated Students is contributing $260,000 toward Around the Horn and the expanded Transfort routes. Transfort is beginning service to the university’s Foothills campus, Veterinary Teaching Hospital and additional routes down Elizabeth Street in mid-May.

Around the Horn also connects with University Station, the MAX stop on Mason Street between University Avenue and Pitkin Street. Around the Horn’s route and stops were developed with feedback from Facilities Management, students and employee responses to a survey, and Parking and Transportation Services.

To ride Around the Horn and MAX, both of which will be free to CSU students and employees thanks to contributions by the university and the Associated Students, employees will need to obtain a new university ID card that contains a chip. Parking and Transportation will provide more information on the new IDs later this spring. Visitors ride Around the Horn for free, but must pay to use MAX or other Transfort services to and from campus.

CSU students and employees will be able to vote on how the Around the Horn shuttle buses will look by choosing their favorite wrap design.

In addition, the university will host a MAX grand opening party on May 10, in conjunction with other celebrations along the MAX route. As part of that celebration, the university will preview Around the Horn with free guided campus tours of the new shuttle route.

Around the Horn is funded through existing CSU budgets. The university is exploring new parking models that will address future parking needs across campus. By providing free rides on MAX and cross-campus transportation support through Around the Horn, the university is expanding additional options to driving to campus.