Columbia Transportation is a fare-free bus network providing service to Columbia University campuses. It is operated by Academy Bus Lines and Luxury Transportation to serve employees and students. The buses are open to all Columbia faculty, students, Dodge Fitness Center members, and anyone else who holds a Columbia ID card.

Routes Active routes RouteTerminiViaNotes Arbor Shuttle Morningside HeightsMorningside Campus120th Street at Amsterdam Avenue RiverdaleArbor235th Street at Henry Hudson Parkway Henry Hudson Parkway Operated by subcontractors for Columbia Residential using minibuses Serves CUIMC by requestFort Lee ShuttleFort Lee, New JerseyParker Plaza Lewis Street at Center AvenueWashington HeightsCUIMC Campus169th Street at BroadwayGeorge Washington Bridge Rush hours onlyIntercampus Shuttles(Green, Blue, and Red Lines) Washington HeightsCUIMC Campus167th Street at BroadwayUpper West Side96th Street at BroadwayBroadway, 125th St, St Nicholas Av(rush hours only) Open to senior citizens, Medicare Card holders, and Access-A-Ride ID card holders, as well as Columbia ID holders Runs via 125th St are rush hours only Limited service to Harlem Hospital Limited service ends at 116th Street, does not continue to 96th StreetBroadwayIntercampus ShuttleGreen LineHarlemHarlem Hospital135th Street at Lenox Avenue(limited service)Broadway, St Nicholas Av, 135th StManhattanville ShuttleMorningside HeightsMorningside CampusManhattanville LoopBroadway, 12th Av Discontinued in April 2020, reactivated in September 2021.Lamont ShuttleMorningside HeightsMorningside Campus120th Street at BroadwayPalisadesLamont–Doherty Earth ObservatoryGeorge Washington Bridge, Route 9W Rush hour trips run express One trip in the rush hour direction each morning uses an Academy coach bus.Bakers Field ShuttleMorningside HeightsMorningside CampusInwoodBakers FieldWest 218th St at BroadwayHenry Hudson Pkwy Uses Academy-branded coach buses

Former Routes RouteTerminiViaNotesYankee Stadium Commuter RouteWashington HeightsCUIMC Campus167th Street at BroadwayYankee StadiumBroadway, 161st StreetDiscontinued due to extremely low ridership. Replaced by East Manhattan Commuter RouteHoboken Shuttle PilotHobokenWillow Av at 14th StManhattanvilleAmsterdam Av at 125th St10th AvenueDiscontinued in June 2021 after the Intercampus Shuttle changed to the summer schedule.Manhattan Commuter ShuttleMidtown ManhattanPenn StationWashington HeightsCUIMC Campus167th Street at Broadway8th/9th Avenues, BroadwayDiscontinued on December 30, 2021Brooklyn via West Manhattan Commuter ShuttleDowntown BrooklynTillary St at Jay StBroadway, 8th/9th Avenues, Canal Street, Manhattan BridgeBrooklyn via East Manhattan Commuter ShuttleBroadway, 110th Street, 2nd/3rd Avenues, Canal Street, Manhattan BridgeQueens-Riverdale Commuter ShuttleCiti FieldSouthfield Commuter LotRiverdaleWest 238th St at Riverdale AvGrand Central Pkwy, 125th Street, BroadwayMorningside LoopMorningside HeightsMorningside Campus Loop120th St, Amsterdam Av, 113th St, Broadway Temporary shuttle established on May 4, 2024 during the closure of Columbia campus due to the pro-Palestinian campus occupation. This route was operated in-house by Columbia Transportation and Columbia Public Safety, not by Academy. The shuttle was discontinued on May 7, 2024

Columbia Commuter Shuttles In August 2020, Columbia announced that they would start commuter shuttle service in the Fall 2020 semester. These buses would function as express buses, linking areas that do not have direct connections to Columbia to each campus. The contractor for these routes is Academy Bus Lines, using coach buses. The original system included the Yankee Stadium Commuter Route, which functioned essentially as a park and ride route, however this was discontinued due to extremely low ridership. The buses assigned to the Yankee Stadium route were reassigned to the East Manhattan Route. The Queens-Riverdale Commuter Route, however still serves the Southfield Commuter Lot at Citi Field park and ride in Queens. The Commuter Shuttle Service ended on December 30, 2021.

Evening Shuttle On June 9, 2020, Columbia announced that the Evening Shuttle service, previously provided by the Columbia Public Safety department, would restart with an on-demand service model. Users would order cars from the ridesharing service Via, and provided the rides were within the coverage area, Columbia Transportation would reimburse. This program would operate 7 days a week, from 6 pm to 3 am in the summer, and 4 pm to 3 am in the winter. In January 2022, Service was expanded eastwards, covering much of Central Harlem. In June 2022, the service was changed to operate from 8 pm to 3 am. The service was estimated to have 162,000 riders during the 2021-2022 academic year. On , the hours were changed again. Rides would operate from 6 to 8 pm, only from street corner to street corner, and past 8 pm on a door-to-door basis, where rides are offered to anywhere in the zone.

Fleet

Active Intercampus, Lamont, Manhattanville, and Fort Lee Shuttles Fleet number(s)PhotoYearManufacturerModelGarageNotes2114-21192007-2008Nova BusLFS TL40102AHoboken Formerly owned by Rutgers Campus Buses, transferred to Columbia Transportation in 2011 Various buses retired 2118 retired 24002015New FlyerXD40 Used on Lamont Shuttle2991-29962018XE40 Xcelsior CHARGE4987 2007 Orion Bus IndustriesOrion VII OGHoboken Formerly used for Port Authority of New York and New Jersey service

Baker Field Shuttle Fleet number(s)PhotoYearManufacturerModelGarageNotes6405-64102013Van HoolC2045HobokenCan be used on Fort Lee Shuttle

Arbor Shuttle The Arbor Shuttle uses various cutaway buses operated by subcontractors for Columbia Residential.

Retired Fleet number(s)PhotoYearManufacturerModelNotes2101-21132006Nova BusLFS TL40102A Formerly owned by Rutgers Campus Buses, transferred to Columbia Transportation in 2011 Some units used for New York University service Retired in 2018 2105 and 2110 reactivated in 2022, have been re-retired2114, 21182007 Formerly owned by Rutgers Campus Buses, transferred to Columbia Transportation in 2011 2115-2117 still active21432017 Formerly owned by New York University, transferred to Columbia in late 2019 to replace bus #2114. Used on the Manhattanville Shuttle Transferred to Academy’s operations in Boston in April 2020 with the discontinuance of the Manhattanville Shuttle.Former Commuter Shuttle buses6711, 6730, 6784-67952015-2018Van HoolCX45 Former Commuter Shuttle buses, not used in Columbia Commuter services anymore, but still used for Academy services. Can be used on Lamont Shuttle if needed.6838-68522020Some units used for other Academy services.1608-16112015MCIJ45001618-162020203512-35202017Van HoolCX351344-13492018PrévostH3-45Some units used for other Academy services.1350-1361, 13632019-20201361 and 1363 are 2020 units19040-190462019MCID4500CT All owned by New Jersey Transit Used only occasionally as backup buses Normally used on Academy routes in NJ Former Commuter Shuttle backup buses, not used in Columbia Commuter services anymore, but still used for Academy routes in New Jersey

References