As Halloween approaches, students preparing for late nights out have a safe, reliable ride waiting just a few taps away with the Starlight Shuttle service.
The Starlight Shuttle is an on-demand free ride service offered to Western Washington University students and faculty. The service is paid for through a quarterly fee that all students pay, going towards Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) bus passes, the Starlight Shuttle and other transportation programs.
The shuttle provides a safe way for students to get around, and can be an especially helpful tool to be aware of during the party-heavy weekends surrounding Halloween.
Mike Penick, Western’s shuttle program manager, said the service runs Monday through Saturday from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. and Sunday from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The service is timed to begin when WTA buses stop running.
Rides can be requested through the Starlight Shuttle app, which launched in winter 2024, or by calling a dispatcher at 360-650-2400. The shuttle can pick up and drop off students at most locations within a reasonable distance from campus.
“It operates within a five-mile geofence zone around campus and the boundaries extend mostly to the most common places where people would want to go,” Penick said.
The shuttle is paid for primarily through the university’s Active Transportation Fee, a $33.08 quarterly charge that provides students with a WTA student bus pass, access to the Starlight Shuttle service and pays for other miscellaneous transportation expenses.
Penick said the Active Transportation Fee brings in roughly $1 million to $1.3 million annually, depending on enrollment, and that around 20% of that fee goes towards the Starlight Shuttle service.
When asked about the fee, Alice Giese, a second-year Western student, said they were unaware of it and surprised to be paying it.
“I've always wondered how it works and how the people who drive are paid,” Giese said. “Considering how much it helps people and myself, I do think it is worth it, though.”
Val Miller, a second-year Starlight Shuttle driver, said she often meets students who are surprised the service exists.
Penick urges students to prebook rides in the coming weeks if they plan to party, as the service faces much higher traffic around this time of year.
“Halloween being a Friday this year, I anticipate it being very, very busy,” Penick said, adding that typically the service sees up to four times its usual riders around Halloween.
Miller emphasized the importance of having the shuttle be an available tool for students.
“The shuttle is an important part of finding a safe ride late at night, whether you've been drinking or not. Most of my riders are regulars during the week that are going home from their friend’s or partner’s dorms to their own dorms,” Miller said.
The shuttle service is described as a judgment-free zone and a resource for students and faculty. Miller urges students specifically to keep it in mind if they plan to party this year.
“We don't care how old you are or how altered you are. If you can get in and out of the shuttle, we have sick bags, we have masks, we're prepared for anything. We have cleanup kits; it's all part of the job. We're happy to help,” Miller said.
When partying or out late in general, students should remember the no-fare Starlight Shuttle as a safe option to get around. Rides can be prebooked or ordered on demand.
“Be patient. It's going to be very busy. The more flexibility you can have, the better. And just know that we get filled up pretty quick. So if the earlier you can plan something and get your ride requested, the better," said Penick.
Willow Jacobson (she/her) is a campus life reporter for The Front this quarter. She is a second-year marketing major and public relations minor. When she's not working on a story she likes to read or watch movies. You can reach her at willow.thefront@gmail.com.
