The University of Arkansas Razorback Transit System operates 19 routes (11 standard fixed routes, 6 reduced routes, 2 Razorback football gameday routes) on the campus and vicinity of the University. Razorback Transit provides both fixed route bus and paratransit service. All service is free. Standard service includes eleven fixed routes serving the campus of the University of Arkansas in addition to other destinations within Fayetteville, Arkansas.
History The first bus system serving on the University of Arkansas campus was a private operation called the University-City Bus Service. It ran a bus between campus and the Fayetteville Square on a fixed schedule during the early 1950s. In 1966, the university's Associated Student Government appointed a transit committee to make recommendations regarding an on-campus transit system. Growth in the number of students living off-campus meant more students were driving to campus, but new parking lots to serve them were further away from the central academic buildings. The committee surveyed students and found that 70 percent said they would use a transit system. The chair of the committee, "Mack" McLarty, became president of the student government during the 1967-68 school year, and he launched a trial transit system using shuttles.
The shuttle vehicles were traded for repurposed school buses by the mid-1970s that primarily provided rides from outlying parking lots to the center of campus. In 1980, the Facilities Management office overseeing the transit operation acquired five more buses and established five fixed routes. This system was named the University of Arkansas Transit and almost fell victim to budget cuts in 1988. The system asked for federal assistance and was reborn as Razorback Transit in 1989. An $8 student transit fee was assessed beginning during the 1999-2000 school year to fund the campus routes. The federal assistance allowed Razorback Transit to extend its routes beyond campus to serve Fayetteville, especially parts of town with higher density of college students living in apartments.
Service Service is provided Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm on all class days during fall and spring semesters. Reduced service is provided from 6:00 pm to 10:30 pm during these days. Bus service is provided from 7:00 am to 10:30 pm on Saturday, with no Sunday service during the fall and spring semesters. No normal bus routes are run on home football game weekends (all buses are used for Gold and Silver routes to/from Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium) and all services are closed on official University holidays.
Reduced service is offered during the summer from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Buses All buses in the Razorback Transit system are air-conditioned and possess wheelchair lifts. Razorback Transit began replacing its fleet in 2010 when it purchased three 2010 Orion International low floor buses, with four low floor models ordered from the Gillig Corporation to be delivered in the following years. The new buses are usually used for the longer routes, such as the Red, Blue, and Tan routes.
Union Station
Almost all bus routes begin and end at Union Station, which is located atop the Stadium Drive Parking Garage. This garage is attached to The Arkansas Union by a short walkway. Union Station contains an indoor area for users to wait for buses, view maps of the bus system, or access vending machines. Elevators provide access to the four floors of parking underneath the station.
Access to Union Station is restricted by gates on Garland Avenue which restrict traffic from entering the heart of campus. Only buses and officially authorized personnel are able to open the gates using a radio transmitter.
Standard service
All Razorback Transit buses are equipped with live GPS tracking equipment that is accessible to the public via https://campusmap.uark.edu
Blue route
StationStreet traveledDirectionConnectionsUnion Station Southbound terminus,northbound stationRazorback Transit: Brown, Green, Orange, Purple, Red, Remote Express, TanPlant SciencesMaple Street NorthboundLeverett and Maple SouthboundSouth CreeksideLeverett Avenue BidirectionalColonial ArmsLeverett Avenue BidirectionalNoble Oaks BidirectionalNorth Creekside BidirectionalRazorback Transit: RedLeverett and Melmar BidirectionalRazorback Transit: RedGarland HeightsMelmar Drive BidirectionalCrafton PlaceGarland Avenue NorthboundAbernathy Drive NorthboundFood Science NorthboundFair Park SouthboundBiomass SouthboundOzark Regional Transit: Route 490Notes: The route loops around the University of Arkansas Agricultural Extension campus bus stops and returns to Union Station on the same route.
Brown route
StationStreet traveledDirectionConnectionsUnion Station Westbound terminus,eastbound stationRazorback Transit: Blue, Green, Orange, Purple, Red, Remote Express, TanPlant SciencesMaple Street EastboundRazorback Transit: BlueLeverett and Maple WestboundRazorback Transit: BlueGraduate EducationMaple Street EastboundMaple/West BidirectionalWalton Arts CenterWest Avenue BidirectionalRazorback Transit: Downtown, Route 13 Ozark Regional Transit: Route 4Hillcrest Towers/Housing AuthoritySchool Ave BidirectionalRazorback Transit: Downtown Ozark Regional Transit: Routes 1, 2, 4Fayetteville Public LibrarySchool Ave EastboundRazorback Transit: Downtown Ozark Regional Transit: Routes 1, 2Downtown SquareMountain Street EastboundRazorback Transit: Downtown Ozark Regional Transit: Routes 1, 2Notes: The route loops around the Fayetteville Library and Downtown Square bus stop and returns to Union Station on the same route.
Gray route
The Gray route begins at Union Station and runs north along Garland Avenue to stop at Oak Plaza and further north the Crafton Place Apartments. It continues along Arkansas Highway 112 before turning onto Cassatt Street to stop at the Food Science research center. The route now returns, stopping at the Abernathy Center (the biological and agricultural engineering research center) before returning to AR 112 northbound. It briefly runs on Drake Street before stopping at the Fair Park Apartments, the Biomass research center, and the Archeological survey center. Now traveling south on Highway 112 (Garland) the Gray route picks up the last half of the Blue route starting at Maria H. and continuing south on Leverett Ave. before reaching campus and terminating at Union Station.
Green route The Green bus exits Union Station to the south, stopping first at Brough Commons before descending the hill. At Pomfret Hall the route stops again before winding along Clinton Street. The route makes two stops at Lot 56 before turning onto Razorback Road heading north. The Green route makes stops at John McDonnell Field and Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium before returning to Union Station along Maple Street.
Purple route
The Purple route exits the Union Station to the north and turns left onto Maple Street. It turns south onto Razorback Road to cross MLK Boulevard. Further south of this intersection the bus makes its first stop at the Stadium Apartments/Arkansas Revenue Office. The bus continues briefly south before stopping at Baum Stadium near the Randal Tyson Track Center. It continues south before turning west to stop at the southern side of Baum Stadium and the Tyson Track Center. The next stop is the Spectrum Apartments before the Purple turns north onto Futrall Drive and begins to parallel Interstate 49/US Route 71. After again crossing MLK Boulevard, the route turns right onto Stone Street. The bus stops next at the Southern View Apartments, the Red Roof Inn, Ramay Junior High School, and the intersection of Old Farmington Road/Sang Avenue. The route continues east onto MLK Boulevard towards campus, entering campus on Razorback Road. Continuing north, the route stops at John McDonnell Field before returning to the station.
Red route The Red bus route is the longest in the system, taking one hour to complete each cycle. The bus begins its route at Union Station and departs north along Garland Avenue. It first stops at Oak Plaza/EZ Mart before stopping at the intersection of Garland Avenue and Sycamore Street. Further north on Garland Avenue the Red route stops at the Crafton Place Apartments before stopping at Fair Park apartments and then briefly running on Interstate 540/US 71. After exiting at exit 67, the route serves the Washington Regional Medical Center, the Washington County Health Department, and Collier Drug Store.
Further along its route the Red bus stops at the intersection of Millsap Road and Plainview Avenue before turning left onto College Avenue (U.S. Route 71B) and makes a stop at Uptown Campus as it travels towards the northern edge of Fayetteville. The route passes Joyce Boulevard and turns onto Zion Road, the penultimate cross street before entering Springdale. Now facing east, the Red routes stops at Toys "R" Us/Chick-fil-A before turning onto Frontage Road. After stopping at the Department of Human Services office the bus retraces its steps along College Avenue to enter the Northwest Arkansas Mall. After stopping at the mall for three minutes, the bus continues along its route to the south to stop at the Mall Avenue Walmart.
The Red bus now turns onto Shiloh Drive to stop at Target before turning south on Gregg Avenue. The bus next turns onto Appleby Road to stop at the Appleby Apartments. The next stops are at intersections with Bob Yonkin Drive and Country Lane. Prior to turning onto College Avenue southbound the bus stops at Aldi and the Fiesta Square Shopping Center. Now running south the bus turns on to Sunbridge Drive heading west, making stops at Villa Boulevard and Keystone Crossing. Returning briefly on Gregg Avenue the bus runs south before turning onto Poplar Street to stop at the Chestnut Apartments. The bus continues west to meet Leverett Street, which it follows south. The twentieth stop is at the intersection of Leverett and Melmar near the North Creekside Apartments. Passing townhouses the bus continues south along Leverett Street, stopping at Lawson Street before meeting Maple Street and returning to Union Station.
Former routes Maple Hill Express (Discontinued Summer 2013) The Maple Hill Express is a short route with minimal stops created in 2010. The route begins at Union Station and runs north along Garland Avenue to stop at the Garland Avenue Parking Garage before turning left onto Cleveland Street. After turning around, the bus serves Reid Hall, Maple Hill, and Hotz Hall before turning south onto Garland Avenue. Its final stop is at the Pat Walker Health Center (thus giving access to the Northwest Quad) before returning to the station.
Pomfret Express (Discontinued Summer 2013) The Pomfret Express begins at Union Station and runs south to stop at Brough Commons before descending a steep hill. After passing the Phi Gamma Delta house the Pomfret Express stops at Pomfret Honors Quarters. The route then runs along Stadium Drive before turning onto Meadow Street and serving the HPER Complex. Further east, the route stops at the corner of Meadow Street and Razorback Road near the John McDonnell Field. The bus next turns north onto Razorback Road and passes Razorback Stadium, turns right onto Maple Street and returns to Union Station. Pomfret Hall is the farthest south of all residence halls at the bottom of the hill upon which the University of Arkansas was built. This route provides relief to residents who do not want to climb the steep hill of approximately . As an express route the Pomfret Express runs continuously from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Route 56