Parking and Transportation Services

Eco Pass

The Eco Pass provides CU faculty, staff, and eligible retirees bus and light rail service (including Local, Regional and Express service). While most services are free, some are offered at low costs. For route information, visit our Bus Routes page.

In addition to bus and light rail rides, your CU Eco Pass can save you money at local businesses through the Eco Pass Plus Program!

Eligibility for Faculty/Staff

All CU-Boulder faculty and staff who are full and part-time continuing employees working with a 20% or greater full-time percentage appointment are eligible. Continuing employees include classified staff, professional exempt employees, and faculty with permanent appointments.

Only CU employees with Boulder campus appointments or home departments and system employees are eligible to participate at this time.

Eligibility for Retirees

Employees who have retired from and come back to work on the CU-Boulder campus are eligible for the Eco Pass Program. To get an Eco Pass you must have an active work appointment on the Boulder campus or as a system employee in the Peoplesoft record system.

Who is not Eligible

Student and temporary employees are not included in the Eco Pass program. Volunteers, contractors, spouses and other family members, and CU retirees who do not have an active work appointment on the Boulder Campus or for the CU system are not eligible for Eco Pass benefits. Employees of other CU campuses are not eligible.

Check your Eligibility

For additional help with eligibility concerns, please e-mail our Transportation Outreach Coordinator.

Obtaining an Eco Pass

• Your Eco Pass is your Buff OneCard with an affixed RTD sticker.
• Eco Passes are renewed annually. New RTD stickers will be mailed to eligible employees in December.
• Buff OneCards may be obtained at the Buff OneCard Office located at 182 Willard Hall. For more information, call the office at 303-492-0355.

Guaranteed Ride Home Program

Are you afraid to take the bus or to carpool to work in case of a family emergency? The Guaranteed Ride Home Program provides Eco Pass holders with a FREE taxi ride home in the event of an emergency or work schedule change.

Conditions

To use the Guaranteed Ride Home, the following conditions must be met:

1. You must have used means to get to work other than as the single occupant of a vehicle: carpooling, vanpooling, riding the bus, biking, walking or any means other than driving alone.
2. You must have a valid reason for using the Guaranteed Ride Home; such as a personal or family emergency/illness or an unplanned change in work schedule.
3. You must show your Eco Pass (Buff OneCard and RTD sticker) to the taxi driver.

Procedures

The procedures for obtaining your Guaranteed Ride Home are:

1. Call AnswerTech at 866-802-3323.
2. Give them the CU account or authorization number 5302 to approve your request.
3. You may also need to give them the 16 digit number off your Buff One card, so have that available.
4. Tell them where you are to be picked up, and your destination.
5. AnswerTeach will call Yellow Cab for you. By requesting a call back, you can find out approximately when the cab will arrive.
6. When the cab does arrive, you’ll need to show your Eco Pass.
7. Upon reaching your destination, review and sign the trip voucher. The university will pay for your cab ride, but you must pay for any tip.

Rules

The following rules apply:

1. You may use the program only for trips from your workplace to your residence or your car.
2. You may make one intermediate stop if it relates to your emergency. (For example, you can stop to pick up your child at school or day care on the way home or stop at your pharmacy to pick up a prescription.)
3. The Guaranteed Ride Home program will pay for your taxi ride up to 100 miles one-way. You are responsible for paying any amount over the 100-mile limit, and tipping the cab driver is a nice touch.
4. Emergency taxi rides will not be available when extreme weather conditions cause the university to close. This service does not apply when bus service is erratic due to bad weather.

Contact

Please call 303-735-2705 if you have any questions about the Guaranteed Ride Home Program.