While the campus is walkable, climate conditions and the size of campus make it difficult for students to walk everywhere.
Beaver Buses are a free campus shuttle service available to students Monday through Friday. A total of four buses run on three different routes and stop around the OSU campus.
The buses are equipped with a lift ramp and each bus has two securement positions for wheelchairs, according to Sara Hamilton, outreach coordinator for Transportation Services at Oregon State University.
“The Beaver Bus routes are loops, and the buses run continuously,” Hamilton said. “To find out when the Beaver Bus will arrive at your stop next, it is helpful to use the live tracker. It is found on the Beaver Bus web page or in the OSU Mobile app.”
Updates continue to be made to satisfy students’ needs, according to Hamilton. Last year, the Beaver Bus added a route that runs fall through spring term to Linn-Benton Community College to make it easier for students to get around. This is a beneficial service to any student who is also dual enrolled with LBCC.
Some bus stops on campus are near Austin Hall, the Valley Library and the Student Experience Center.
Starting in the fall term, there will be a new shared micromobility pilot project introduced by the Associated Students of Oregon State University and OSU Transportation. This will allow students to quickly rent bicycles and scooters on campus according to the Transportation Services email announcement shared in August.
Other universities have launched similar programs with Veo, the micromobility vendor, in order to make transportation affordable, sustainable and easy for students. Riders must be over the age of 18 and have the Veo app on their cell phone. Using a bike is free to unlock and costs $1 per 30 minutes. Scooters cost $1 to unlock and $0.39 per minute.
Scooters can only stay within the OSU campus, but bikes can travel further in the zone displayed in the app. Once the ride ends, riders park their vehicle in designated parking locations visible in the Veo app.
“Most bike racks on campus are designated as Veo parking areas. Riders must take a photo within the app to confirm proper parking,” said the Transportation Services email announcement.
$5 in free credit is available if riders use the promo code OSU24.
