Free transportation options for Wayne State University students and employees rolled out in the fall through partnerships with DDOT, SMART, the QLine and MoGo have proven to be very popular.
Through Nov. 30, more than 650 Warriors purchased nearly 7,000 subsidized four-hour Dart passes, and more than 1,000 Warriors signed up for free annual MoGo passes, taking nearly 6,000 trips. MoGo stations located on campus were the three busiest in the bike sharing network.
However, in order to continue to ride DDOT, SMART and the QLINE for free this winter, students and employees will need to request a new eligibility code, available beginning Monday, Jan. 3, to use in the Dart app. No action is needed to continue riding MoGo — its annual passes are good for a full year from the date of sign up.
To download and log into the Dart app, Warriors will need to enter a credit card, but cards will not be charged if "Wayne Rides 4-Hour Passes" are purchased for "$0.00." Students or employees who do not have a credit card can still ride for free by picking up a 31-day Dart Pass from The W Food Pantry and Wardrobe. The W is using the Corq app for check-in, but will also accept a OneCard.
The QLine will continue to operate fare free through March. The QLine operates on a “trust but verify” system, meaning that, beginning in April, Warriors will not be asked to show their pass before boarding, but should be prepared to do so while riding. Enrolled students, as well as full- and part-time employees, can ride for free by requesting and entering an eligibility code into the Dart app.
Warriors who are interested in creating a commute plan to take advantage of these transit options, or who have a specific transit question, can reach out to Wayne State’s new campus transportation ambassadors, Angelina Maher and Nizam Ifaz at transit@wayne.edu.
“Angelina and Nizam are sophomores, majoring in English and biochemistry respectively,” said Emily Thompson, director of Economic and Community Development. “They did a class project on public transportation last year and were inspired by what they learned. Angelina now regularly commutes to Wayne State via SMART’s Woodward FAST bus, and both Angelina and Nizam are excited to help demystify DDOT, SMART, the QLine and MoGo for their peers.”
The transit partnerships are part of the university’s ongoing efforts to create a 24/7 campus. They also support Wayne State’s Student Success Initiative by offering an affordable way to access campus, as well as neighborhoods, services and jobs across Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
WSU began its partnership with DDOT in 2014 and expanded with SMART in 2019 — an association that has provided transportation options and savings for users.
WSU has also offered students and employees discounts through its association with MoGo, which launched in 2017. Currently, the bike-share program has 75 stations throughout the city of Detroit and southern Oakland County, including Ferndale, Royal Oak, Oak Park, Berkley and Huntington Woods.
Wayne State is the first university and largest employer to partner with Dart providers to offer free transit to its students and employees.