Campus News

Kentucky Wildcab Service is Now Available

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 27, 2020) — Kentucky Wildcab, the University of Kentucky's free, late-night on-demand transportation service, is now in operation.

Kentucky Wildcab provides free transportation for students from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Wildcab rides are limited to the general campus vicinity with the service area accommodating the majority of areas adjacent to campus.

Special protocols for Kentucky Wildcab this semester

Wildcab rides look a little different this fall semester as a result of COVID-19. Each Kentucky Wildcab ride is limited to two to three passengers, depending upon the size of the vehicle. Masks are also required for drivers and passengers when loading, unloading and riding in a Wildcab. 

In addition, students are not able to sit in the front passenger seat this semester. A clear barrier has been installed between the driver and the passenger areas to allow for greater protection.

Riders are also taken directly from their pick-up point to their destination, instead of pooling rides as has been done in the past. Vehicles are sanitized at the beginning and end of each shift and high-touch areas are also wiped down following each ride.

Requesting a ride

It’s easy to request a Kentucky Wildcab ride. Follow these simple instructions:

  • Download the UK Wildcab app on a smartphone*
  • Log-in with your university linkblue credentials*
  • Enter your phone number, to be sent ride updates*
  • Select “Start” 
  • Select a pick-up and drop-off location on the map or type in the addresses for these locations
  • Select “Confirm” to confirm your ride

*The first three steps above will only be required on the first use. Users may need to log in periodically if they log out of the app, or if their linkblue password changes.

Once a ride has been requested, students are able to see an estimated time of arrival and will receive an alert when their Wildcab has arrived. To ensure the service operates efficiently and to reduce overall wait times, riders are asked to be prepared to promptly meet the Wildcab upon its arrival.

The Kentucky Wildcab service is intended to promote responsible late-night transportation decisions. The service is provided by the Student Government Association, with funding assistance by the Student Transportation Council, and operated by Transportation Services. The service uses primarily student employees who have undergone background checks and been trained to drive the Wildcabs. 

Students who request rides on Wildcab must show at least one valid student ID. To learn more, visit www.uky.edu/transportation/bus/wildcab.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.