Duke Vans

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Duke Vans is operating with limited passenger seating.  Face coverings are required at all times.

Based upon increase in requests, please expect longer than normal wait times for van pickup.

From 6:30pm - 2:00am on Monday through Saturday, with last request at 1:30am, Duke Vans provides free, on-demand shared transportation for faculty, staff and students. Rides are available to and from most Duke facilities that are open during these hours to off-campus locations within a 2.5 mile radius.  Duke Vans is not intended to be your primary source of transportation, but rather to supplement other methods.

Request a ride through the OnDemand tab of the Transloc app. When requesting a ride through the app, you will receive automated updates about which vehicle will pick you up, estimated pick-up and drop-off times, and you can track the van’s position in real-time. With the app, you can choose your exact pick-up location. You will also clearly see which services and areas are open for service.

Our drivers will ask to see your Duke ID before you ride. Please read all our policies before requesting a ride.

Duke Van Services does not transport patients. Call 919-684-5577 for assistance.

Duke Vans Service Boundaries

When requesting a ride, please note that your request must fall within our service boundary. Staying within the boundary allows us to provide better, faster, and more reliable service. Whether requesting a ride via the app or via dispatch, we cannot schedule a ride that falls outside the boundary or a specially marked drop off location.

Inside the service boundary, Duke Vans provides shared transportation between on-campus buildings, from on-campus buildings to remote parking facilities, and from on-campus buildings to your off-campus residence. To provide better, faster, and more reliable service, we do not transport to parties, residences other than your own, or to retail / commercial businesses.

Duke Vans are a supplement to our Transit Service. It is not intended to replace a bus ride. When Duke Transit is in service, you will not be able to request a ride that picks-up or drops-off in area served by Duke Transit. For example, when the C1 is running, you will not be able to request a ride that starts or ends along the C1 route.

Requesting a Ride

We highly recommend requesting a ride via the Transloc App. It is simple, convenient, and your ride request is dispatched directly to the driver. There are two ways to request a ride:

Transloc – You may request a ride directly from the OnDemand tab of the Transloc App or DukeMobile – (available from your app store); go to Transportation and select Duke Vans Request.  Note:  If you already have DukeMobile, you will need to delete and re-install the app in order to utilize the OnDemand features.  

If you request your ride via the Transloc app, you will receive all your updates through the app. You will receive confirmation of your request, the vehicle number of the van that will pick you up, and your estimated pick-up and drop-off time. You will also be able to follow the van on the map. 

Please note: depending on the volume of requests, the dispatch system may not immediately assign you to a vehicle.

Group requests are limited to 6 people. If you have a larger group, please split them into smaller groups. If requesting as a group, all riders must be going to the same destination. If members of a group are traveling to different places, it is more efficient and helpful to book the rides individually. In order to provide the best service possible, we do not allow “walk-up riders.” We can only accommodate riders who have placed reservations, and any others included in a group reservation. If you have requested a ride for one person, we cannot add your friend who met you on the curb. If you booked a ride for two (2) people, we can of course transport both riders.

You may still call in a ride request if you do not have smart phone, or if you are having problems with internet connectivity. Phone - Call 919-684-2020. Occasionally, due to high demand, our dispatcher may not be available to answer the phone. If calling in a request, be prepared to provide the exact pickup and drop-off location, number of passengers, valid phone number and your first name. We need this information to identify you, and to make our service as efficient as possible.

Riding on Duke Vans

Duke Vans are a shared service. Vans with enough space may pick up multiple people before dropping off. Riders should expect that you often will not be taken directly from your pick-up location to your destination. Duke Vans are only for members of the Duke community.  Drivers will ask to see ID before getting on the vehicle. Transloc will provide the vehicle number of the van picking you up. You must only ride in the van in which you are assigned. If a different van arrives at your location, do not get in! Getting in the wrong vehicle will make the trip time and wait time longer for everyone!

When the driver arrives, they will send you an alert that will say, “the driver has indicated they cannot see you." Do not be alarmed—this is standard language. The drivers will wait 2 min. before departing for their next pick-up or drop-off.

Large or bulky objects are not allowed on the van so that we can maximize capacity for passengers. Objects that cannot fit on your lap or that take up floor space will not be permitted.

Be ready at your pickup location at the scheduled pickup time. In order to service other customers, the van will not wait more than two minutes before leaving. The pickup times are estimates; vans may be earlier or later than you anticipate.

Van Services Policies

• Face coverings are required.
• Vans are limited in terms of the number of passengers they can carry. Mini-vans will carry 4 passengers full-sized vans will carry 6 passengers.
• Rides are dispatched on a first-come first-served basis.
• Vans are limited in terms of the number of passengers they can carry; we cannot exceed their capacity.
• Large or bulky objects are not allowed on the van so that we can maximize capacity for passengers. Objects that cannot fit on your lap or that take up floor space will not be permitted.
• We provide rides only for the passengers who make reservations and passengers accounted for in that reservation. We do not pick up passengers who do not have a reservation, even if they are at another passenger's pickup location.
• Drivers conduct ID checks and may ask for key fobs at pickup and will deny passengers without an ID or appropriate key fob.