UB enters new 10-year contract for Stampede bus service

Parking and Transportation Services has entered into an agreement with WeDriveU to provide UB Stampede bus service for the university for the next 10 years. The new contract, effective July 1, will usher in a transition to an electrified fleet and bring UB closer to its climate action goals and achieving carbon neutrality.

Under the new contract, WeDriveU, a transportation management company with more than years of experience, will procure and operate a new UB Stampede fleet of 28 buses. The goal is to have 40% of the fleet comprised of electric vehicles over the first two years of the contract. These electric buses will result in nearly 90% lower carbon emissions than diesel buses.

“Transitioning the campus fleet to electric vehicles marks a significant milestone in UB’s Climate Action Plan,” says Laura Hubbard, vice president for finance and administration. “Our goal is to reach zero carbon mobility, and a big focus of this strategy is to transition to electrified options.” 

The new transit buses are in production and scheduled to arrive at UB in fall 2025. In the interim, WeDriveU will provide a fleet of 20 40-foot Gillig transit buses to maintain continuity of service for the UB community.

“Parking and Transportation Services is dedicated to balancing the demand of parking allocation and transportation alternatives to best serve the university community,” says Director Christopher Austin. “Electric vehicles are more dependable, competitively priced and can operate on renewable energy sources. We’re excited to see this goal grow from a concept to reality.”

The UB Stampede workforce of approximately 65 employees will for the most part remain intact, helping to make the transition to the new service provider as seamless as possible.

The new fleet will initially consist of:

• Eight battery-electric, 40-foot transit buses.
• Nine biodiesel, 40-foot transit buses.
• Eleven cutaway shuttle buses that will be transitioned to electrification over the life of the contract.

“UB Parking and Transportation should be commended on advancing the larger zero carbon mobility climate action strategy,” says Chief Sustainability Officer Ryan McPherson. “This is a well-thought-out strategy that balances numerous factors, including decreasing our emissions and costs, leveraging EV battery technology in colder climates that can limit range and, most importantly, getting our students, staff and faculty where they need to go in the most responsible manner possible.”

The buses will have refreshed technology for Transportation Tracker, UB’s automated passenger-counting and bus stop announcements.

UB branding will distinguish the new buses, and the UB Stampede identity will be maintained — the name was chosen by UB students in a 2005 “Name Your Bus” contest.

The UB Stampede transports more than 16,000 passengers a day, on and between the North, South and Downtown campuses. In addition to regular daily service, Stampede buses transport students to shopping centers and specialty stores several days a week, is contracted for special events by UB departments and is used for tours during open house and orientations.

WeDriveU provides transit services for multiple universities, including Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania and Washington University in St. Louis. Locally, WeDriveU has secured property in Amherst for storage and recharging of the electric buses and maintenance of the bus fleet.

WeDriveU is a leader in transportation solutions for communities, campuses and workplaces, helping public- and private-sector customers reduce carbon emissions and traffic congestion by promoting safe and reliable shared alternatives to driving alone. The company’s shuttle and transit solutions encompass fixed route public transit, paratransit, commuter shuttles, demand responsive solutions and charters. WeDriveU is part of Mobico Group, a global mobility leader serving 1 billion annual bus and rail passenger journeys in 11 countries.