HARRISBURG, PA – Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) is excited to announce the Transportation Program with Uber, a new initiative designed to support transportation needs as students attend campus, work, internships, and community events. Thanks to a generous grant from Uber, Harrisburg University now offers vouchers to help cover the cost of Uber rides to essential destinations such as internships, doctors’ offices, and grocery stores.
This program assists students who face transportation challenges and financial constraints, ensuring access to opportunities and necessities. “These initiatives underscore our university’s commitment to enhancing students’ academic and personal growth by ensuring that reliable and affordable transportation options are readily available,” said A.J. Merlino, Associate Vice President of Student Professional Development and Experiential Learning at HU.
Transportation can represent around 20 percent of the total cost of attending university for students who commute to class. Learners without reliable transportation are more likely to fall behind in their studies and even drop out. From high temperatures that make walking difficult to the lack of reliable public transportation infrastructure in many American cities, university students routinely cite several reasons why simply getting around is a barrier to higher learning. Harrisburg University, in cooperation with Uber, is excited to know that our students have options to remove these common barriers to success.
A recent Harrisburg Area Transportation Study surveyed 10,000 residents and uncovered hundreds of outstanding issues corresponding to public transit, roadway conditions, and pedestrian impediments. Creating “accessible and timely public transportation that covers an extensive service area and crosses regions” was identified as a high priority for the Harrisburg area.
Bradlee Metzger is an Environmental Science major at Harrisburg University and one of the first students to take advantage of this new ride-hailing campus voucher program.
“I’m interning with Love the Hill, a 2-acre farm located in Allison Hill, a developing neighborhood within Harrisburg,” Bradlee said. “The Hill farm grows fresh food to sell to the people of Allison Hill. We also strive to teach the youth of Harrisburg about agriculture and allow them to volunteer there so they have a positive outlet. The Hill farm is part of a larger organization called Wildheart Ministries, which is committed to Allison Hill, addressing food security in the area, and bringing the community together through acts of service and improvement projects.”
Bradlee heard about the Transportation Program with Uber through his faculty advisor, Dr. Rachel Fogle. Bradlee continued, “We discussed transportation for my internship, and this was the best option she suggested. I believe the program is extremely useful. With the Uber program, I spend roughly $30 on Uber rides each week (compared to about $120 a week without the program). HU’s program with Uber has allowed me to worry less about getting to work, and I can now count on a quick and affordable ride option to my internship, allowing me to make a positive impact while letting me worry less about my transportation needs.”
This story was also featured on the Uber blog and Central Penn Business Journal.
Current or future HU students who would like more information about the Transportation Program with Uber should contact the office of Career Services today.
ABOUT HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY
Harrisburg University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is a private, nonprofit university offering bachelor’s and graduate degree programs in the fields of science, technology, and mathematics. For additional information about the University’s affordable, demand-driven undergraduate and graduate programs, please call 717.901.5146 or email Connect@HarrisburgU.edu. Stay updated by following Harrisburg University on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
