Safe Ride

• 14th St & Union Square MTA - 14th St & Union Square MTA
• 14th Street Residence Halls - Coral Tower, Palladium, University Hall
• 20 Cooper Square
• 2nd Street Hall
• 3rd North
• 7th Street Hall
• 80 Lafayette Hall
• 838 Broadway
• 9th St PATH Station
• Abu Dhabi House & Tikvah
• Alumni Hall
• Bobst Library
• Brittany Hall
• Broadway & Washington Place - 721 Broadway, Gallatin, Meyer Hall, Health Center
• Broome Hall
• Cantor Film
• Carlyle Hall
• D'Agostino & Furman Hall
• Ehrenkranz & Lipton Hall
• Founders Hall
• Glucksman - The Irish House
• Goddard Hall
• Gould Plaza - Gould Plaza, Steinhardt, Shimkin, Stern, Tisch Hall, Warren Weaver, HKMC, Kaufman
• Gramercy Green
• Greenwich Hall
• Hayden Residence Hall
• Kimmel Center
• La Maison
• Langone Medical Center
• NYU Dental & Nursing
• Campus Safety- 561 LaGuardia Command Center
• Rubin Hall
• Silver Towers
• Stuyvesant 14th St & 1st Ave
• Stuyvesant 14th St & Ave C
• Stuyvesant 20th St & 1st Ave
• Stuyvesant 20th St & Ave C
• The Senior House - 13th St
• University Court
• W 4th & Greene St - Brown, Computer Center, East Building, Faculty of Arts, Kimball Comm, Pless, Waverly Building
• W 4th St MTA
• W Union Square Hotel
• Washington Square S & Sullivan St - Kevorkian, King Juan Carlos, Vanderbilt
• Weinstein Hall
• Wilf Hall

The free Safe Ride option will only be available on the Via app after you have applied a unique promo code. To get a promo code, you must have an active NYU Net ID and password and accept the Terms of Use. The code is only for your use and will only work for the active academic term; you'll need to request a new one for subsequent semesters. You will only need to apply the code one time to get access to the Safe Ride option for the current academic term.  

Before you request your first ride with Via, you will need to have downloaded the Via app, created an account, and applied a unique Safe Ride promo code. For first-time users, here is a step by step guide to getting set up and using Via.

Download the Via rider app from the App Store (Apple) or Google Play Store:

• App Store (Apple)
• Android

• Create a Via account using your name, email, and phone number.
  
• Enter the phone verification code sent to your phone number.

The Via app will ask you to enter billing information to set up your account. Safe Ride is a free service and you will not be billed for qualifying rides unless you choose to tip the driver, or you select one of Via's commercial rides. Via also accepts debit cards as a billing method although it is not indicated in the app.

If you do not have a credit or debit card, or you do not want to enter your credit card information, you can click "Skip" at the top right corner of the screen. This will allow you to book the free Safe Ride service without a credit card (however, you will need to enter credit card information to book Via paid commercial rides).

Redeem your unique promo code provided by NYU at the bottom of the Add Billing screen and tap done.

You can also enter your NYU promo code at any time after creating your Via account by selecting the Promo Codes section in the app's main menu.

Access to the Via platform can be found through the NYU Mobile App, the Safe NYU app, or directly through the Via app.

1. Pick-Up location: Choose your pick-up location and tap "confirm my location." Your pick-up location must be included on this list of NYU facilities to qualify for the Safe Ride program.
2. Drop-Off location: Choose your drop-off location and tap "set my destination." Your drop-off location must be included on this list of NYU facilities to qualify for the Safe Ride program.
3. Number of passengers: Riders can book a ride for themselves and up to 2 additional passengers. Note: Your additonal passengers must be NYU community members with valid NYU ID cards and have a valid Daily Screener.
4. Ride Grouping: Based on the origins and destinations of requests, rides will be grouped together. Users will still be required to request individual rides (unless all passengers are going to the same destination). When you submit the request, the system should group them together as they will all be at the same origin location.
   
5. Confirm your trip: Find your pickup location, ETA, vehicle and driver details in the app.
6. Accept* proposal: Select the free NYU Safe Ride proposal and tap "book this ride."
7. Connect with the driver: If you have any issues finding your vehicle, you can call the driver directly from the Via app. The driver may also reach out directly to you to coordinate. In any case, your phone number will not be visible to the driver.
8. When the car arrives, verify the vehicle model, plate number, and driver photo.
9. Show your NYU ID to the driver before boarding the vehicle. This is to ensure the safety of both the driver and the other passenger(s) in the car.

_{*NOTE: The free Safe Ride option will only appear in the Via app during operating hours and for rides from/to the approved NYU facilities. If you select a ride outside the operating hours and/or with a pick-up or drop-off outside of the listed stops, only paid Via commercial rides will be offered through the app.}

Riders and drivers are prompted to take an in-app Wellness Check to ensure they are symptom-free before each shift or ride.

Drivers and riders alike must wear a mask at all times.

To help improve air circulation, drivers are encouraged to roll down the windows, weather permitting.

Our vehicles are professionally cleaned and disinfected daily using EPA-approved products.

Drivers are also equipped with disinfectant supplies to ensure the vehicles are cleaned frequently throughout the day. Cleaning supplies and masks are also available in the passenger area of the vehicle.

We rely on every member of our community to do their part.

Please remember to wash your hands, take precautions, and stay home if you're exhibiting any symptoms.

In addition to only offering Private rides in accordance with physical distancing policy, Via has implemented a multi-faceted safety approach including:

• Enhanced daily cleaning protocols with EPA approved disinfectants
• Via HQ assisting Driver Partners in equipping vehicles with materials for regular disinfection
• In NYC, riders and drivers must wear face coverings when in vehicle, even if socially distant
• Drivers encouraged to enhance ventilation in the vehicle through the opening of windows
• Drivers must self-monitor for temperature and symptoms before each shift
• Riders and Drivers must each self-certify via the App that they are symptom-free and have not had a likely exposure

Via is further supporting the safety of Riders and Drivers by supplying Driver Partners with personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies free of charge and providing assistance with partitions and supplemental professional cleanings.

You do not have to enter your credit card information if you only plan on using the Via app to book free NYU Safe Rides. When prompted to enter credit card information, you can click the “skip” button on the top right corner of the screen. This will allow you to book free rides without entering credit card information.

If you do enter credit card information, you will also be able to take paid Via rides throughout NYC for personal travel in addition to using the free Safe Ride service featuring NYU's designated locations.

Wait times can vary depending on several conditions. We recommend always checking the Via app to see the most accurate proposed wait times.

Due to the current NYC mandate banning shared rides in line with physical distancing efforts, all rides in the service will be limited to one rider per vehicle. This may cause wait times to increase.

If your ride request does not meet the requirements for a Safe Ride, you will not see the Safe Ride proposal in your app. Please view the requirements to get a ride and make sure your request meets the requirements. If the error persists, use the in-app chat feature to let Via know there is an issue. If support cannot address your issue, please contact us via our Feedback Form.

Via will provide a wheelchair accessible option from its commercial vehicle fleet.

If you require a wheelchair accessible vehicle and the free Safe Ride does not show up as an option, choose the paid option and Via will reimburse you for your ride. After your ride is complete, just send an email to transportation@nyu.edu and let us know.

Pick-ups or drop-offs will always be nearby (in front of the requested address, the nearest corner, or at a designated on-campus location). However, note that due to road access and safety concerns, some pick-ups may be a short distance away. Please check the Via rider app for your exact pick-up location and walking instructions to this location. If you have trouble locating your vehicle you can call your driver by clicking the phone icon within the app.

If you know you can't make your ride, please let us know so that we can give another passenger a ride in your place. You can easily cancel your ride through the Via app by clicking on the “cancel ride” button at the bottom of the app.

• Safe Ride does not call you when your car arrives. The Via app will send you a notification when your vehicle is two minutes away, and a text when the vehicle is at the pick-up location. Please be outside or within visual range of the pick-up location at the estimated time of your pickup.
  
  
• Safe Ride drivers will be provided with NYU Safe Ride branded magnets to display, and you should confirm the vehicle type and plate number in the Via app and ask the driver partner to confirm your name before entering the vehicle. If you don't see your car and the app is indicating your vehicle is at the pick-up, you can call the driver partner directly to coordinate. Due to high demand, as well as Safe Ride being shared with other students, we cannot keep other passengers waiting - your driver will only wait for two minutes before reporting you as a no-show.

You can call your driver directly through the Via app to coordinate your pick-up.

No, it will not be canceled. You just won't be able to receive notifications when your ride arrives, so you'll have to be ready and waiting near your pick-up.

• Confirm that Safe Ride is in service. Safe Ride operates seven days a week from 12 a.m. until 7 a.m. during the Fall and Spring semesters.
  
• Confirm that your request meets the geographic requirements. Rides must start and end at designated NYU facilities.
• Make sure to enter your unique promo code in the app before booking a ride. If you do not enter the code, you will not receive a free Safe Ride proposal (only paid Via rides will appear in your app).

Depending on the time you need transportation, one of NYU's shuttle buses may be running. Check the schedules on our website or on the Passio Go! website to find out.

Yes. If you just lost the item, be sure to make a note of your car plate number and/or driver's name. Contact Via Support using the Help Center in the Via app. If the driver found your item, Via Support will help coordinate it's return.

Via will charge $100 to cover the cost of cleaning/repairing the vehicle.

If you've already applied your promo code once during this term, you will not need to enter it again until next term. Simply book your Safe Ride without entering your promo code again.

Note that the promo code does not need to be applied each time you use the Via app to take a ride. If you return to the NYU promo code generator and enter your net ID and password, it will give you the same promo code you've received earlier in the term.