The UBC Accessibility Shuttle is a free, shared ride service for people with conditions that impact their mobility. It travels along a designated route, making stops within the central pedestrian areas of campus. The shuttle has a limited-storage trunk that can transport mobility aids. It does not provide door-to-door service, and does not operate outside of central pedestrian areas.
The Accessibility Shuttle serves areas with limited vehicle access and parking options for people with disabilities. For locations that fall outside the Accessibility Shuttle area, you are able to use the UBC Community Shuttle or transit, which provide accessible service.
Who can use the shuttle?
The UBC Accessibility Shuttle is reserved for all students, staff, faculty, residents, and visitors on the UBC Point Grey campus who have temporary or permanent conditions that impact mobility.
Only designated attendants and service animals may accompany the rider in the shuttle. If you’re travelling with a designated attendant, please tell the dispatcher in advance when you book your ride.
Failure to respect the Accessibility Shuttle policies and staff may lead to the suspension of privileges.
Ride booking and pick-up
Step 1: Book a ride
Shuttle availability is limited, and bookings must be made in advance. Please call 604 822 9929 to speak with a dispatcher or leave a voice message. When you book your ride, please be prepared with your pick-up and drop-off locations, dates, and times.
Bookings are made on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to availability. Wait times can vary depending on volume. It is your responsibility to schedule your pick-up early enough to reach your destination on time. If you no longer need the shuttle, please call 604 822 9929 as soon as possible to cancel your booking.
There is no limit to how soon you can book your ride. Therefore, it’s recommended that you book ahead to ensure a more timely and reliable service. If you leave a voice message to book your trip, you will receive a call back to confirm your ride within one business day.
If you need the shuttle on a predictable, day-to-day basis, shuttle bookings can be made on a term by term basis.
Step 2: Catch the shuttle
Please be at your shuttle stop on time. Once the shuttle arrives at your stop, it will wait a maximum of five minutes, depending on rider demand.
Look for shuttle signs (pdf) at your stop location. This is where the shuttle will meet you. View the shuttle map for more details on where to go for your pick up.
Transfer times vary depending on road conditions, weather, and other rides. Please allow for up to 30 minutes from when you are picked up to when you are dropped off at the designated stop.
Hours of operation
The Accessibility Shuttle operates from Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. The last ride of the day may be booked for 4:10 pm.
After 4:10 pm, please contact AMS Safewalk if you feel unsafe travelling alone across campus. Safewalk operates from 9:00 pm to 2:00 am daily.
During the formal final exam periods in April and December, the shuttle will be operating with extended hours, and on Saturdays and Sundays when exams are scheduled.
Areas served by the Accessibility Shuttle
The UBC Accessibility Shuttle provides pick-up and drop-off at designated stops. Pick-up locations for people arriving on campus are near the North, Fraser River, West, Rose, and Health Sciences parkades and near transit. Drop-off locations are at designated stops within the pedestrian core. The shuttle will return people to their chosen stop closest to their residence, parking, or transit location. Please refer to the shuttle map below for pick-up or drop-off location details, or navigate using the interactive maps:
Shuttle stop locations
The following shuttle stop locations are shown in the map above:
| Stop location | Stop number | Directions |
|---|---|---|
| North Parkade | 1 | At the West end of Student Union Blvd, under the shelter |
| Learners’ Walk | 2 | Off Learners’ Walk just east of the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre (IRSHDC) |
| Buchanan | 3 | At north side of Memorial Road at Learners’ Walk |
| Koerner Library | 4 | At north end of Koerner Library just off Main Mall |
| Flagpole Plaza | 5 | At northwest corner of Flagpole Plaza near elevator to Rose Garden Parkade |
| Memorial Parking Lot | 6 | At southeast corner of West Mall and Memorial Road, across from walkway to second level of the Fraser River Parkade |
| First Nations Longhouse | 7 | Outside First Nations Longhouse by loading zone on Lower Mall, near walkway to Longhouse Lower Mall entrance |
| Marine Drive Residence | 8 | South of parking lot outside Marine Drive Residene Building #4, near The Point |
| West Parkade | 9 | On West Mall, at south end of Swing Space Building (next to 4th level parkade exit) |
| Henry Angus | 10 | On west side of Main Mall at walkway to Henry Angus Building main doors |
| Neville Scarfe | 11 | On west side of Main Mall at walkway to Neville Scarfe Building main doors |
| Earth Sciences | 12 | On west side of Main Mall at north end of Earth Sciences Building |
| H.R. MacMillan | 13 | On west side of Main Mall at walkway to the south end of H.R. MacMillan Building |
| Hugh Dempster | 14 | On Engineering Road in front of High Dempster Pavilion entrance |
| Health Sciences Parkade | 15 | Off Health Sciences Mall across the street from the parkade at pick-up/drop-off area next to UBC Hospital Purdy Pavilion |
| Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre | 16 | On East Mall at west end of the Alumni Centre |
| Ponderosa Commons | 17 | On West Mall, at the south end of the layby in front of Ponderosa Commons North |
Due to the high volume of traffic and ongoing construction, the shuttle is not able to access the Main Bus Loop or the Trolley Bus Loop directly.
Other areas of campus can be reached with proximate accessible parking or by using transit. Learn more about public transit on UBC campus.
UBC Accessibility Shuttle policies
Shuttle pick-up and drop off
- The shuttle stops at designated stops only. Please check the shuttle service map for a list of campus stops.
- Riders who do not show up on time or who do not cancel their booking before their pick-up will be flagged. Continuously missing rides may cause your riding privileges to be suspended.
- Accessibility Shuttle riders are limited to 3 rides per day.
Situations where individuals are denied service
Employees reserve the right to deny service if:
- The client is intoxicated and shuttle staff feel that the client is unable to care for themselves or consent to a trip.
- The shuttle staff or property is at risk of harm.
- The client fails to respect program policies or staff.
Food and drink on the shuttle
Open food or beverages are not permitted on the shuttle. You are allowed to have a beverage in a closed container.
Additional resources
- Translink trip planner
Map out your bus route to campus, making sure to check if your TransLink stop is wheelchair-accessible. - HandyDART
Take advantage of TransLink’s door-to-door shared ride service, available for those who are unable to safely navigate public transit. - UBC Campus and Community Planning
Get details about transportation on campus, including UPass information, campus maps, and more. - UBC Wayfinding map tool
View a detailed map of campus buildings with information on accessible entrances and locations of power and manual doors. - SPARC decal parking permits
Apply for a SPARC parking permit to access designated accessible parking spaces across campus and throughout BC. - Centre for Accessibility
Contact the Centre for details on a special needs parking permit that will allow you to park in UBC parkades at reduced rates.
If you have questions
- For additional assistance or to book a ride, call 604 822 9929.
- For comments, feedback, and inquiries, email accessibility.shuttle@ubc.ca.