METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

UT Survey: City, campus, housing partners crucial to university systems

Operators from Ohio, Maryland and Arizona tell us about the relationships that help them run their services.

April 8, 2013
UT Survey: City, campus, housing partners crucial to university systems

 

2 min to read


A university transit system is not just the buses and shuttles that bring students to and from class. Strategic partners contribute crucial elements to the process, such as the ability to gain funding or conduct the research for future projects. We asked some university transit operators to tell us about some of their partnerships and how they help the service run.

Here are their responses:


Ad Loading...


“[Ohio State University’s] Campus Transit Lab, a living research lab designed in partnership with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geodetic Science and Transportation and Traffic Management, [enables] students and researchers are able to use [real-time bus] data to test transit route design efficiencies, traffic impacts on transit routes and develop creative methods to proactively educate customers on the variety of ways to utilize transit.

We also partner with the [university's] Department of City and Regional Planning to provide on-the-job research opportunities and training to a graduate research assistant regarding the design and implementation of complex transportation systems on campus. As part of this ongoing partnership with the department, an annual campus transit survey is designed and distributed to look for trends related to commuting habits of students, faculty and staff.”

Nicole Hernandez, assistant director of marketing and communications, office of administration and planning
Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio

“At the University of Maryland College Park Department of Transportation Services we develop strategic partnerships with our local student housing developers. We write MOUs to provide bus services to each of these properties according to their positioning and strategy. In turn, we are able to reduce the number of single occupancy vehicles that come to campus and reduce our campus carbon footprint.”

Beverly Malone, assistant director, department of transportation services
University of Maryland
College Park, Md.

“We have a wonderfully successful partnership with our local public transportation provider, Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (NAIPTA). A collaborative effort between the university, NAIPTA and the City of Flagstaff for a grant brought Mountain Links to our community. Our campus Shuttle Services provided transportation to over 1.2 million riders last year. Mountain Link made it possible to serve an additional 576,563 riders last year (in its first year.)”

Erin Suzanne Stam, director, parking services
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Ariz.

RELATED ARTICLE: Check out, "UT Survey: Bus replacement tops university transit budget wish lists."

More Bus

Community Transit's Bluebell bus celebrating the agency's 50-year milestone.
Busby StaffMay 15, 2026

Washington's Community Transit Celebrates 50-Year Milestone

The milestone highlights both the agency’s history and its evolving role in meeting the region’s growing mobility needs.

Read More →
The groundbreaking event for St. Cloud, Minnesota's Metro Bus facility.
Busby StaffMay 13, 2026

Minnesota's Metro Bus Breaks Ground on New Transit Facility

The new facility will augment the current Metro Bus Transit Center and overall system as part of new routes and service improvements known as Metro Bus Forward.

Read More →
An NJ TRANSIT bus.
Managementby StaffMay 13, 2026

NJ TRANSIT to Expand Cleanliness, Safety, and Accessibility Under New Action Plan

The plan includes investments in cleaner vehicles and upgraded stations, NJT LiveView to provide real-time GPS tracking of train and light rail service, enhanced safety initiatives through a new Real Time Crime Center, and the debut of a redesigned NJ TRANSIT mobile app.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Mayor Tim Keller in front of an ABQ RIDE microtransit vehicle
New Mobilityby StaffMay 12, 2026

ABQ RIDE Forward's Next Phase Sets Target Date

ABQ RIDE Forward is the first transit system overhaul in more than 25 years. This latest phase marks 15% completion of the 16-phase rollout, which will continue over the next several years.

Read More →
METRO Biz Briefs cover photo

STV Launches Power Practice and More in Biz Briefs

In METRO's latest installment, we take a look at the latest news from SilverRide, Complete Coach Works, and more.

Read More →
Cover for Part 2 with AC Transit's Cecil Blandon
ManagementMay 8, 2026

Bus Tech Talk: Part 2 with AC Transit's Cecil Blandon

In Part 2 of a two-part conversation, AC Transit’s director of maintenance joins co-hosts Alex Roman and Mark Hollenbeck to discuss his maintenance team’s work with various types of vehicle, training, augmented reality, and more.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Maintenance officials examining a vehicle on a lift.
Managementby Alex RomanMay 8, 2026

Avoiding Mid-Season Breakdowns: A Fleet Readiness Q&A

John Hatman, COO of Master’s Transportation, breaks down the priorities, warning signs and common mistakes fleet managers should address now to stay ahead of summer demand.

Read More →
SEPTA's advertisement for multi-rider feature.
Technologyby StaffMay 7, 2026

Philadelphia's SEPTA Introduces Multi-Rider Feature for Contactless Payments

Up until now, this feature was only available when using a SEPTA Key card.

Read More →
Rendering of the upgraded Derby-Shelton Train Station
Busby StaffMay 4, 2026

CTDOT Launches Four-Station Upgrades on Waterbury Line

Construction on all four stations is beginning now and is anticipated to be completed by spring 2028.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
East Colfax BRT
Busby StaffMay 4, 2026

Denver RTD breaks ground on Aurora segment of East Colfax BRT

The beginning of the final BRT segment advances construction across all five segments, reflecting steady progress toward shorter travel times, improved accessibility, and a more dependable connection to jobs, businesses, and community destinations.

Read More →