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Bus and Rail

MTA Ride to Work Program

Vanderbilt’s “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

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, HR Express locations in Medical Center North, the Children’s Hospital, or online from the Office of Traffic and Parking.

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

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, HR Express locations in Medical Center North, the Children’s Hospital, or online from the Office of Traffic and Parking.

Music City Star Commuter Rail 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

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