Frequently Asked Questions

CU NightRide App

CU NightRide has a mobile application that makes it easier than ever to request a ride. Riders can easily request the next available pick-up. Once the ride is scheduled, riders can track their vehicle’s location in real time. The CU NightRide app is free to download, but requesting a ride is available only to current ˛ĘĂń±¦µä students, faculty and staff.
  1. Download the CU NightRide app from the or
  2. Select “Log In with CU”
  3. Enter your IdentiKey and password and tap “Login”
  4. Enter your phone number and tap “Confirm”
  5. Request your ride!

In these situations, we encourage you to call our office at 303-492-7233 to speak with our dispatcher. They can either assist you with a request that was made through the app or put in a new request for you.  

Please note that we do not have a dispatcher over the summer break and may not have a dispatcher at times during the academic year due to staffing levels. We encourage feedback as it assists us with the app developers. If you experience errors with the app, please take a screenshot of the issue and email it to cunightride@colorado.edu with a brief explanation. 

Requesting a Ride

 Yes! CU NightRide strives to provide a free and safe ride for all riders regardless of the activities they partake in at night. However, we do have policies in place which require us to engage with CUPD if a rider is displaying signs which may require emergency assistance.

Yes, a CU NightRide dispatcher is available to speak with you during operating hours. Call 303-492-SAFE (7233) to contact the next available dispatcher.  

Please note that we do not have a dispatcher over the summer break and may not have a dispatcher at times during the academic year due to staffing levels. 

Yes! Dispatchers are available during operating hours to assist you with requesting a ride over the phone. Just call 303-492-SAFE (7233) to contact the next available dispatcher. Our dispatcher will also notify you when your driver is nearby.  

Please note that we do not have a dispatcher over the summer break and may not have a dispatcher at times during the academic year due to staffing levels. 

Yes! CU NightRide has the ability to pick you up or drop you off at your address or the closest predetermined location. You can also use your phone’s geolocation to drop a pin on the map screen within the CU NightRide app.
No, not not at this time. You can only request rides on demand during our service hours.
No. Each rider should place an individual request for pick up or drop off in a different location.

Yes, you can call our dispatcher at 303-492-SAFE (7233) to change your pick-up/drop-off location.  

Please note that we do not have a dispatcher over the summer break and may not have a dispatcher at times during the academic year due to staffing levels. 

Yes! CU NightRide has an ADA vehicle that can assist those who use wheelchairs. If you are in need of an ADA vehicle, select the applicable accessibility requirements when requesting a ride in the CU NightRide app, or contact our dispatcher at 303-492-7233.  

Please note that we do not have a dispatcher over the summer break and may not have a dispatcher at times during the academic year due to staffing levels. 

 

Wait Times and Service Closures

There could be a variety of reasons why wait times are longer than what you might expect. Some examples include

  • The number of vehicles we have active for the evening. We strive to have our full fleet of vehicles active each night; however, there are times when a vehicle may not be operable due to a scheduled repair or another reason that is outside of the program’s control.
  • Staffing and schedule changes.
  • There could be an issue in operations that takes a vehicle offline for a certain amount of time or for the rest of the evening.
  • We like to ensure that our staff take their scheduled breaks during a shift in order for them to use the bathroom, get something to eat/drink, etc. These breaks will take a vehicle out of service until the staff member returns.
  • Thursday–Saturday are generally our busiest days of the week. Some weekends, such as Halloween, are even busier than normal.
  • Weather can also impact wait times as driving conditions may cause our drivers to operate much more cautiously. In snow and ice, we drive slowly and carefully in order to keep riders safe! In addition, as temperatures drop, we will usually see a rise in requests.
CU NightRide does operate over spring and summer break but with a limited number of staff, vehicles and hours.The program will not be in service for university holidays/closures, fall or winter break.
    CU NightRide does operate over spring and summer break but with a limited number of staff, vehicles and hours.The program will not be in service for university holidays/closures, fall or winter break.

      At times, CU NightRide will pause the acceptance of new requests in order to meet the current demand. This will usually be for a short amount of time and an announcement message will notify new riders to check back in at an “x” amount of time (e.g. 30 min., 45 min., 60 min.). These instances usually happen on very busy nights such as athletic games, large-scale events on campus, Halloween weekend, etc. Additionally, toward the end of the night, we will stop accepting new rides before the close of service due to the staff being fully booked for the night. This ensures that our team can complete their last ride by the end of their shift.

      Miscellaneous

      We welcome your thoughts to improve your experience. Please call our office at 303-492-3230 to leave a message, or use the comment form in the right-hand column of our webpage.
      Yes! When we are recruiting new drivers/dispatchers, you will find job openings on the UMC Student Jobs page or . 
      Our CU NightRide office can be found in the University Memorial Center (UMC) on the second floor near the reception desk. If you wish to talk with someone outside of our service hours please email cunightride@colorado.edu and a staff member will respond to you.
      If you believe you have misplaced an item and it could be in one of our vehicles, please check with the reception desk on the second floor of the UMC or fill out our feedback form. 

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