New shuttle bus makes its debut

January 14, 2019

Tori Tragis

UAF photo by Edward Robinson. This new shuttle bus for the Fairbanks campus began making its rounds this month.
UAF photo by Edward Robinson. This new shuttle bus for the Fairbanks campus began making its rounds this month.


A new shuttle bus for the Fairbanks campus began making its rounds this month. The bus increases access for riders with limited mobility. Instead of stairs, it features a ramp that can be deployed by the driver. The ramp exceeds the Americans with Disabilities Act's requirements for wheelchairs.

The bus is expected to lower costs as well. It replaces an older shuttle that has been incurring increasing maintenance costs and down time. The new vehicle seats 14 people, but, unlike previous shuttles, the seat arrangement provides ample space for people to stand during peak times. The smaller size of the bus allows access to more places on campus, and saves the university on tires and brakes. (Smaller bus — smaller tires and brake pads.) It is also UAF's first shuttle to burn unleaded gas, so emissions will be cleaner and more cabin heat can be generated during the cold winter months.

For more information about the shuttle bus service on the Fairbanks campus, visit https://www.uaf.edu/fs/services/shuttlebus/.