Taking the BU Shuttle? If you want to take the BUS, bring your BU ID

A new campaign aimed at restricting ridership of the BU Shuttle to those in the BU community requires that riders present a valid University identification. Photo by Kalman Zabarsky

BU Shuttle (BUS) riders get ready: you will now need your BU ID to board the bus.

The new ID campaign is an effort to limit access to the shuttle to BU faculty, staff, and students, eliminating access by those outside of the BU community. Recent concerns voiced by BU-affiliated shuttle riders prompted the change, says Billy Hajjar, director of BU’s Parking and Transportation Services. “It is a matter of making sure every possible space on the buses goes to a BU community member,” says Hajjar, “especially during peak periods of service, when the buses are full, and addressing the safety concerns of those BU community members using the BUS.”

The shuttle, which runs between the Charles River Campus and the Medical Campus, is a private service that is free to those with a valid BU ID.

Starting Tuesday, April 1, periodic checkpoints will be set up at two of the most heavily trafficked stops on the shuttle route. ID checks will be in force at 33 Agganis Way in the mornings and at 710 Albany Street on the Medical Campus at night. The checkpoints will be random and could expand to other stops on the route, Hajjar says. They will take place before the BUS arrives. “There will be one or two staff members from the parking and transportation office screening for proper identification of those waiting for the BUS, similar to what the MBTA does at the high-volume aboveground stops of the Green Line B trolley,” says Hajjar.

In addition, riders getting on and off the shuttle at the Huntington Avenue stop will be required to access through the front bus door only, so that drivers can randomly check IDs. ID at other stops will be checked at the discretion on the driver.

Passengers can expect to see signs on the buses stating that the service is private, intended for Boston University affiliates only, and that proper ID is required. “The most important thing for the BU community to know is to have their IDs ready and available in case they are asked to show it, to better expedite entry to the BUS and get to their destination in a timely fashion,” says Haajjar. “We have enough challenges with traffic situations impacting the BUS schedule. We do not want these enforcement efforts to compound the problem. These random checks will not slow the service in any way, so long as people have their IDs readily available.”

He says that there will be some leniency for those who forget their BU IDs as riders adjust to the new enforcement policy. “As we begin this process, those who state that they have forgotten their ID will be able to get on the shuttles and will simply be asked to bring their ID in the future,” says Haajjar. “Unusual compliance patterns will become apparent over time.”

The BU Shuttle (BUS) provides transportation between the Medical Campus and Charles River Campus for students, faculty, and staff with a valid BU ID. It operates between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. weekdays. Service on weekends and late nights is limited to the Charles River Campus. Check here for schedules, shuttle maps, and service updates.