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Alternative Transportation and Commuter Choice Programs

With over 23,000 employees and 12,000 students, Vanderbilt University places a significant demand on Nashville’s transportation network, the campus parking system, and the environment. The VU Office of Traffic and Parking and VUMC Parking and Transportation Services work with Vanderbilt’s administration to organize programs aimed at minimizing the environmental implications of campus commuter and visitor trips. Each of these programs is summarized below.

MTA Free Ride to Work Program

Vanderbilt’s “Free Ride to Work” program fully subsidizes (100% discount) the cost for all Vanderbilt employees and graduate, professional, and medical students to ride the local mass transit buses to and from work each day.  The program was launched in July of 2004, and ridership rates have steadily risen since. To ride for free, eligible individuals simply swipe their VU ID card as they board an MTA bus going to and from work, and Vanderbilt will be charged for the ride.

MTA’s route and schedule information

Music City Star Commuter Rail

Vanderbilt University provides up to a 60% discount for employees who wish to ride the commuter train, the Music City Star.  Rail stops include Lebanon, Martha, Mount Juliet, Hermitage, and Donelson. A free shuttle bus service between the Nashville Riverfront Music City Star Terminal and Vanderbilt’s campus coincides with train arrivals and departures.  Tickets may be purchased at Wesley Place and East garages, Vanderbilt Valet locations in Medical Center North, the Children’s Hospital, and One Hundred Oaks, or online from the Office of Traffic and Parking.

Music City Star Commuter Rail information

RideMatch/Carpool

Vanderbilt has invested in its own ride match software system, which facilitates the identification of potential carpool and vanpool partners in the Vanderbilt community (anyone with a Vanderbilt email address).  This program matches people from similar general locations who wish to share a ride to Vanderbilt.

RideMatch information

Regional/Inter-City Bus Service

The Regional Transportation Authority’s (RTA) Relax-and-Ride program and Vanderbilt Coach Service provide express bus route transportation between downtown Nashville and surrounding areas.  Discount tickets are available for all Vanderbilt employees, medical, graduate, and professional students, and medical center volunteers who would like to take advantage of regional/inter-city bus service.  Tickets may be purchased at Wesley Place and East garages, Vanderbilt Valet locations in Medical Center North, the Children’s Hospital, and One Hundred Oaks, or online from the Office of Traffic and Parking.

Vandy Vans

The Vanderbilt Police Department administers the Vandy Vans shuttle bus program at Vanderbilt University. The Vandy Vans pick up and drop off at pre-designated points on campus. The service operates from 5:00 PM to 5:00 AM during the fall and spring semesters. The vans follow three routes on campus.

Vandy Vans information

Airport Express

The VSG Airport Express shuttle operates on major holidays and breaks to offer affordable, reliable and convenient bus transportation to Vanderbilt undergraduate students from the Vanderbilt campus to the airport and back.

Airport Express information

Commodore Cabs

Commodore Cabs is a partnership between VSG, the Commodore Card Office, and TaxiUSA (the overseeing company for Allied, Diamond, and Nashville cabs) that started in the Fall of the 2010. Under this program, students are able to split cab fares.

Commodore Cab information

Commodore Express

The Commodore Express operates on select Sundays every month with services to Target, Kroger, and the Green Hills Mall along with special service to the Opry Mills Mall. The express service is provided at no charge to all students.

Commodore Express information

Zipcars

Zipcars are rental cars available at various locations on campus to members of the Zipcar program.  Members can reserve cars minutes or months in advance, and gas, parking, and insurance are included in hourly and daily rates.  Zipcars are available for use at Vanderbilt.  Individual annual memberships for Vanderbilt faculty, staff and students are available for $35; departmental memberships are available at no cost.  Any community member who is not affiliated with Vanderbilt University can receive membership for an annual fee of $50 and a one-time application fee of $25.

Zipcar at Vanderbilt

WeCar

WeCar, now available to Vanderbilt employees, students, departments, and alumni, is a membership-based car sharing program for people who are looking for an alternative method of transportation that lowers the cost and reduces the hassles of traditional transportation. WeCars are available by the hour or by the day. Gas, insurance and 200 free miles are included with every reservation.

WeCar at Vanderbilt

Occasional Campus Parking

Traffic & Parking is now offering a new $5 hangtag to University Central faculty, staff and students who primarily use alternative transportation when coming to campus. The new hangtag may be used on a day when a faculty, staff or student needs to drive his/her personal vehicle to campus instead of using alternative transportation. The hangtag is eligible for parking in the paid spaces in the Wesley Place, Terrace Place and 25th Avenue Garages or in Lots 77, 72D and 72E for one day only. University Central faculty, staff and students with a valid I.D. should come to the Traffic & Parking office in Wesley Place Garage to purchase the hangtag (more than one may be purchased at a time). Free parking is available at the Chestnut Shuttle Parking lot.

RTA Emergency Ride Home

The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) subsidizes free emergency taxi fares (up to 8 rides per year per person) for carpool and vanpool members who are pre-registered in the program.

RTA Emergency Ride Home information

Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee

Vanderbilt has committed $100,000 per year for the next three years to help fund the Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee, a new nonprofit corporation which has been created to promote public transportation in Middle Tennessee. The corporation will work to galvanize community support for transit development, provide information on the benefits of transit, develop regional agreement on strategies for funding transit and advocate for dedicated funding for regional and local transit.

Read the full MyVU article

Resources for Bicycling

Racks are conveniently available throughout Vanderbilt’s campus for parking of bicycles.  A map displaying bicycle rack locations can be found here.  Vanderbilt University Medical Center also publishes a map depicting the locations of bike racks and shower facilities located throughout the Medical Center.  Health Plus, located atop the Kensington Garage, at the corner of 25th Avenue South and Kensington Avenue, also has shower facilities available during convenient hours to regular full- and part-time faculty and staff.  Vanderbilt University Police Department recommends registering bicycles that will be used on campus and locking bikes when they are not in use.

Alternative Transportation Resources

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