Holiday Shuttles and Ride Home Express

Monday, November 28, 2016

Over the past year, we have continued to make progress on our Transportation Master Plan, allowing us to provide safer and more affordable transportation options for the UK community.

Students, faculty and staff are able to ride all Lextran busses for free with their Wildcard ID; students are able to get home safely using Kentucky Wildcab; and all UK community members can use the campus shuttles, while tracking them in real time using the TransLoc Rider app. Nonetheless, we know that during the holiday season, members of the university community may have additional transportation needs.

This year, students and employees can use the UK Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) seasonal shuttles for transportation to Fayette Mall for holiday shopping, the Blue Grass Airport for winter break, or even a ride home, using the Ride Home Express bus service.

The Holiday Shopping Shuttle will provide free transportation for students and employees to and from Fayette Mall on Sunday, December 4 and Sunday, December 11, 2016. Thanks to a partnership with the Student Government Association, the shuttle will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each Sunday, with daily campus pick-up locations and times of 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. For return to campus, passengers will be picked up at the north side of the mall, near the entrance to Macy’s, at 12 noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Although these shuttles are free, reservations are required. Schedule a pick-up time/location at https://www.uky.edu/pts/buses-and-shuttles_seasonal-shuttles_holiday-sho....

For winter break from December 13-16, 2016, PTS offers free shuttles to Blue Grass Airport. Reservations are required, so schedule your ride at least two days in advance at https://www.uky.edu/pts/buses-and-shuttles_seasonal-shuttles_airport-shu....

The PTS Ride Home Express, open to both students and employees, will operate at the start and end of major academic breaks and will serve 15 cities along three routes. The service, which is entering its seventh year of operation, provides reliable, comfortable and affordable transportation on deluxe motor coach buses to and from hometowns or break. The program offers significantly cheaper fares than airlines, and faster travel times than other major bus companies. Riders may bring one large piece of luggage, one small piece of luggage and one carry-on item.

Ride Home Express will run December 16 and January 8 for the 2016 winter break. PTS will operate three routes, with a total of 15 stops. The final destinations include the metropolitan areas of Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; and Cleveland, OH. Fares for the PTS Ride Home Express range from $55-$155 for round-trip rates; one-way fares begin at $30.

PTS recommends registering for the trip as soon as possible. Space is limited, and seats will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. UK and BCTC students are able to reserve a round-trip seat by logging on to the Parking Account Manager with their Link Blue ID or KCTCS login. Ride Home Express tickets are listed under the "Purchase Permits" section once logged in.

All other riders must purchase their seats in person from PTS - located at 721 Press Avenue. The PTS office is open 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. One-way fares may only be purchased in person or by calling (859) 257-5757.

For more information on the Ride Home Express, including a list of fares and route maps, visit the Ride Home Express page or the Ride Home Express Frequently Asked Questions.

Our goal is for all members of the UK family to have safe and affordable transportation during the holiday season and always.

If you have any questions, contact UK Parking and Transportation Services.

Here’s wishing each of you a great end to the fall 2016 semester.

Eric N. Monday
@UKYMonday
#seeblue