University Transit Service
University Transit Service (UTS) began in 1972, when fifteen student drivers started a pilot program with four rented buses at the University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville, Virginia. Today, UTS has a fleet of more than 30 buses and 140 drivers serving the UVA community. UTS serves more than 3 million passengers per year and traverses the University of Virginia Central Grounds, University of Virginia Health System, and housing areas. UTS also provides chartered services for public and private events.
 | |
| Founded | 1972 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 1101 Millmont Street, Charlottesville, Virginia |
| Locale | Charlottesville, Virginia |
| Service area | University of Virginia and Surrounding Areas |
| Service type | Bus service |
| Routes | 10 |
| Fleet | 40 |
| Fuel type | Biodiesel |
| Website | UTS |
History of UTS
The University Transit Bus System began in 1972 at the same time as the introduction of parking fees at UVA. The bus system alleviated parking congestion on the Central Grounds and provided an alternative to individual car usage.
The first fleet consisted of four rented buses, but these were replaced by UTS' own fleet in November 1972.[1] From the start, students provided most of the work force (15 students and 3 full-time drivers). At first, service was provided Monday-Friday 7:30am–12:30am, with the first route running from Copeley Hill Apartments to Scott Stadium. A gate preventing access to the University Law School was removed in order to allow for bus traffic. Eventually, service was expanded to include the Rugby/Grady neighborhood, a popular student housing area. Charter services were available from UTS’ first days of operation.
In 1972, bus passes were required and cost $7.50 per semester. Students had to purchase these passes separately from parking permits. On the first full day of service, 3,300 passengers rode the new University buses. UTS provided additional equipment to accommodate standing passengers.
In 1979, the service was extended to include a weekend service after a student referendum to raise the comprehensive transportation fee by $5. By March 1979, UTS had three routes and 16 buses. Talks began in 1979 concerning the combination of UTS and CTS.
Service provided
Routes
University Transit Service designed routes based on thorough research to provide specific service to diverse groups of passengers. The following are the ten University Transit Service routes:[2]
Academic Routes
- Central Grounds Shuttle (CGS)
- Early Inner U-Loop (EIL)
- Inner U-Loop (IL)
- Northline (NL)
- Northline Express (NLX)
- Outer U-Loop (OL)
- Purple Route (PRP)
Health System Routes
- Blueline (BLUE)
- Blueline Express (BLX)
- Redline (RED)
The 'TransLoc' mobile app will show the estimated arrival time and approximate location of each bus according to the GPS tracking system.
Types of service
University Transit Service operates at different service levels dependant on the needs of the students and staff who use the service and the availability of various campus access points.[3]
- Full Service
- Runs during the fall and spring academic semesters unless otherwise posted. All routes operate during this service level.
- Holiday Service
- Runs on weekdays only during summer sessions, fall reading days, winter break, and spring break. No service for Early Inner Loop, Northline Express, and Purple Route.
- Exam Service
- Runs during the fall and spring exam periods. No service for Northline Express and Purple Route.
- Commuter Service
- Provides Health System Route service during holidays when clinics are still in operation, such as the workdays before Thanksgiving and after Christmas day. Only service for Blueline, Blueline Express, and Redline.
- Football Operations
- During home football games, most or all route service is suspended and may not resume until post-game. Throughout the game, UTS operates an accessibility shuttle that runs from the D3 parking lot to Scott Stadium.
Charters
University Transit Service offers Charter Services to accommodate the special transportation needs of various academic groups and affiliates of the University of Virginia. UTS Charters also participates heavily in major events at the University of Virginia such as graduation, home football and basketball games.
Connecting transit services
University Transit Service (UTS) works closely with Charlottesville Area Transit and JAUNT. The University provides an annual subsidy for the Charlottesville Free Trolley Route that connects the downtown mall with Central Grounds.[4] The University has an agreement with the city to provide a subsidy that allows staff, faculty, and students to ride city buses fare-free with a valid UVA ID. This open ridership program allows access to the Greyhound bus station and Amtrak's Union Station on West Main Street, encouraging more people to travel by bus and rail. In the 2017 fiscal year, UVA staff, faculty, and students formed just under 24 percent of CAT's ridership.[5]
Fleet Information
The current fleet consists of the following vehicles:[6]
| Unit | Year/Make | Height | Length | Width | Weight (Tons) | Wheel Chair Lift |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5136
5236 |
2006 Gillig Phantom | 10' | 35' | 8' | 13.5 | Front |
| 9032
9132 |
2007 Gillig Low Floor | 9'8" | 35' | 8'5" | 13 | Front |
| 9332 9432 |
2009 Gillig Low Floor | 9'8" | 35' | 8'5" | 13 | Front |
| 12132
12232 |
2012 Gillig Low Floor | 9'8" | 35' | 8'5" | 13 | Front |
| 14132
14232 |
2014 Gillig Low Floor | 9'8" | 35' | 8'5" | 13 | Front |
| 17132
17232 |
2017 Gillig Low Floor | 9'8" | 35' | 8'5" | 13 | Front |
| 18132
18232 |
2018 Gillig Low Floor | 9'8" | 35' | 8'5" | 13 | Front |
| 19132
19232 |
2019 Gillig Low Floor | 9'8" | 35' | 8'5" | 13 | Front |
Administration
University Transit Service employs full-time and part-time non-student drivers. All drivers are required to undergo a rigorous training process that satisfies the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles' requirement for a Commercial Driver's License and teaches them the different routes at UVA. Three official training classes are offered throughout the year during January, May, and August, although new drivers can be trained one on one or in small groups throughout the semester, based on their schedule. All of the new driver training is performed by current UTS drivers who are members of the Safety and Training Committee. Training is overseen by a Training Supervisor who is a current supervisor.
Supervisory Staff
Each year, four "core four" and a few substitute supervisors are chosen from current drivers who apply. These supervisors manage all drivers that are currently on the road while they are on duty, whether they are student drivers, wage drivers, or full-time drivers. The "core four" supervisors are assigned days of the week to be 'on duty', during which time they deal with driver and route problems as they present themselves. These four supervisors head two committees: The Safety and Training Committee (S&T) and the Public and Employee Relations Committee (PER). [7]
Supervisor Training
Unlike becoming a new driver, there are no training classes for becoming a supervisor. New supervisors are instead taught on the job for a few weeks by current supervisors. The previous supervisor acts only in a mentoring capacity and generally does not directly supervise drivers during this time.
References
- Averette, Brittany. "Student Driven." The University of Virginia Magazine Spring 2006. Web. 4 Jan. 2012.
- University Transit Service route listings
- UTS Homepage
- The Economic Impact of the University of Virginia p.16]
- University affiliate use of free Charlottesville Area Transit drops during 2018 fiscal year
- University Transit Service Fleet Manual. Mid-Fall 2019. Page 3-4
- University Transit Service training manual, page 73
- [https://financialplanning.vpfinance.virginia.edu/sites/financialplanning.virginia.edu/files/Components%20of%20Mandatory%20Fee%202020-21%2012.9.19.pdf University of Virginia Components of Mandatory Fees]
- UTS to Follow New Routes