For release: April 23, 2012
For press information, contact Curt Guenther, 901-678-2843

To assist people in getting from place to place and from class to class on its largely pedestrian campus, the University of Memphis will institute a new shuttle-bus service, The Blue Line. A special preview of the first Blue Line bus will take place at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 24, in front of the Student Health Center. The shuttle service is expected to go into daily operation next month.

The Blue Line will consist of six buses serving two routes through the Main Campus and the Park Avenue Campus and connecting those two sites. The Main Campus route is approximately 3.9 miles long with 16 stops. The Park Avenue Campus route is approximately 5.5 miles long with nine stops.

Each bus will seat 26 persons and can accommodate two wheelchairs. In line with the U of M’s Memphis Healthy U and Tiger Blue Goes Green initiatives, each bus is equipped with a bike rack, and the routes will include stops at the Student Recreation and Fitness Center. The buses are powered by diesel engines capable of running on biodiesel fuel.

Anyone can ride the shuttle during regular University business hours.  After 5 p.m., however, riders must show a current U of M ID card or be accompanied by someone who possesses a valid U of M ID. Each bus is also equipped with two security cameras.

GPS capability is installed on all the buses to give their real-time locations. Riders can view that information at memphis.transloc.com. Also, free apps can be downloaded for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry smart phones. Riders who visit memphis.transloc.com from their device will be notified of the app available.

Groome Transportation, a private vendor, will handle the day-to-day operation of the shuttle service.

More information is available online at http://bf.memphis.edu/parking, by email to parking@memphis.edu, or by phone at 901-678-2212.