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Duke Vans

Early Morning Van Services

Several scheduled early morning van shuttles are available when Duke Transit buses are not in service:

  • H Lot (Yearby Drive) to Duke Hospital - Monday - Friday from 4:00am-5:15am at 15 minute intervals, prior to start of the H2:Hospital Loop route
  • Campus Drive lot (Anderson Street) to West Campus - Monday - Friday at 4:45am (one run only)
  • Green Zone (near tennis courts) to various drop-off locations - Monday - Friday at 4:45am (one run only)
  • Science Drive Garage (bus stop) to various drop-off locations - Monday - Friday at 4:45am (one run only)
  • Grey Stone Church (Hillsborough Rd.) to various drop-off locations - Monday - Friday at 5:15am (one run only)

From 5:00pm - 6:45am, when/where Duke Transit is not in service, Duke Vans provides free, on-demand transportation for students and employees. Rides are available to and from most Duke facilities that are open during these hours. When you need a ride and buses are not running, follow the steps below to request a ride through RideCell.

Some scheduled van shuttles are available; see sidebar. 
Duke Van at Lilly.jpg

Van riders must:

  • Adhere to all policies and responsibilities 
  • Request rides that fall within the service boundary
    • Between on-campus buildings and residential locations 
    • From most on-campus academic buildings to off-campus residential locations
    • To vehicles parked in remote campus parking facilities
  • Present a valid Duke ID to van drivers

Scheduling a Ride

Request a ride using the method most convenient to you. If you place your request online or via the mobile app, you can track your driver's location on a map.

Do one of the following: 

  • Online - Visit Duke Ridecell and log in with your Duke NetID and password
  • Mobile App - From the DukeMobile app (available from your app store), go to Transportation and select Duke Vans Request.
  • Phone - Call 919-684-2020. Occasionally, a high volume of calls will mean longer wait times. 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.

After you request a ride:

  • You'll receive a phone call or text advising you of the nearest pick up location and the estimated time of arrival.
  • When the driver arrives at your location, you will receive a text. You have two minutes to meet your driver and secure the trip. If you're longer than two minutes, you're considered a "no show." If you still want a ride, request the ride again; you'll be placed at the bottom of the queue. 

Van Services Policies and Passenger Responsibilities

In order to receive van services and ensure a safe ride for you and our personnel, follow the scheduling process above. In addition, passengers must adhere to our policies and their responsibilities described below.

Our Policies

  • Rides are dispatched on a first-come first-served basis. 
  • We do not transport passengers to parties, off-campus housing other than your own, social or retail venues (such as bars, restaurants, and laundromats), or other commercial destinations.
  • If other customer reservations include similar locations and destinations, you may be grouped with other passengers in the same vehicle.
  • 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.
  • When Duke Transit routes are in service, we do not dispatch vans to areas served by Duke Transit.
  • We will only drop you off at the specific destination you indicated when you scheduled your ride, which must be within our service area.
  • 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.
  • We will not provide van service to passengers who have not provided a name and valid phone number in their reservation.
  • Drivers conduct ID checks and may ask for key fobs at pickup and will deny passengers without an ID or appropriate key fob.
  • We will not transport passengers to a destination outside of our service area.

Your Responsibilities

  • While buses are in service, utilize the bus routes. Van service is a supplement to bus service, when the buses are not in operation.
  • You must have a valid Duke ID to ride the van, and present it to the driver upon request.  Key fobs are required for some off-campus destinations.
  • Do not request van service unless you are ready to be picked up. 
  • 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.