The new EagleExpress rideshare service went live on Marquette’s campus on Monday, Jan. 9. Students, faculty and staff with a valid Marquette email address should download the free EagleExpress app at the App Store and Google Play and set up a profile to use the service.
As announced in November, as an outcome from the President’s Task Force on Community Safety, EagleExpress helps enhance campus safety by providing free shared rides as an alternative to walking alone. With the new app, it’s easy to request a ride for yourself and up to three friends, view the approximate wait time and track your ride. EagleExpress vans run 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. daily and provide door-to-door service from locations starting and ending on campus. There are eight vans in the fleet, each holding up to 12 passengers, as well as a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, which holds four passengers.
With the app-based service, there are a few changes to the rider experience:
- Riders cannot flag down an EagleExpress van nearby for a ride, as all rides are requested, dispatched and managed through the app to optimize fleet availability with ride request volumes. Vans are dispatched based on available seating and destinations of passengers, so flagging down a van would interfere with others’ confirmed ride requests.
- The EagleExpress app will provide notifications when your ride is confirmed, when the van is five minutes away and when it arrives. The van will wait two minutes for a passenger before driving to the next location. (If the van is less than five minutes away when booking, you will not receive the five-minute notification. Instead, please make your way to your pick-up location.)
- Using the app, you can book a ride request for a party of up to four individuals.
- The EagleExpress fleet includes a wheelchair accessible van (WAV) to transport people who use a wheeled mobility device. Individuals using a wheeled mobility device can set their EagleExpress profiles to ensure the WAV is always dispatched for their requests. People traveling with a friend who uses a wheeled mobility device can ensure the WAV is dispatched when inputting passenger details in the app.
Service area
EagleExpress serves campus and our immediate neighborhood – all within the Marquette University Police Department patrol zone. There are two approved off-campus locations for ride pick-up or drop off: the Milwaukee Intermodal Station (Amtrak) and the Eleven25 at Pabst apartments.
The EagleExpress app uses Google Maps, which has outdated information about the Marquette University campus. We are actively working with Google to get our campus maps updated. Please use exact street addresses for locations that are not yet updated in Google Maps.
Regulations and policies
EagleExpress is a university safety service, not a personal taxi. The goal is to increase safety on campus by providing free, safe rides for the Marquette community. Riders agree to these policies when they request a ride. The university reserves the right to deny a ride if these policies are not being honored. Please read all policies.
Join the team
The EagleExpress team is growing with 50 drivers and is accepting more applications. Being a EagleExpress driver is one of the best paying student jobs on campus with a starting rate of $15 an hour. Anyone who’s interested in exploring an opportunity with the program should apply online.
Learn more about Marquette’s EagleExpress service and how the app works.
When does EagleExpress operate?
Vans are active from 5 p.m. until 3 a.m. every day of the year.
How do I request an EagleExpress?
You must first download the EagleExpress app, powered by Via, in the App Store and Google Play. Set up a profile. You will need to input your Marquette email address. After you enter your email address, you will get a verification email to that account. You must confirm this to be able to use the service.
Once your profile is set up, you request a ride like you would on any other rideshare app. Verify your pickup location and input your drop-off location. EagleExpress app uses Google Maps, which has outdated information about the Marquette University campus. We are actively working with Google to get our campus maps updated. Please use exact street addresses for locations that are not yet updated in Google Maps.
Step 1: Move the map until the blue marker is at your desired pick-up location and press “Set Pickup.” You can also manually type your address in the search bar and select the correct one from the drop-down.
Step 2: Move the map until the orange marker is at your desired drop-off location and press
“Set Drop Off.” You can also manually type your address in the search bar and select the correct one from the drop-down. EagleExpress will check for available vans and connect you with the best vehicle for your ride.
Step 3: Review the ride offer in the proposal screen. Select “Book This Ride.” Proposals expire in 30 seconds. If your proposal expires, you can resubmit the request to see what’s available.
All the details will be displayed, including exact pick-up location (remember it may not be exactly where you requested it), an estimated arrival time for your pick-up and information on the van and driver picking you up.
Will I be picked up exactly where I requested?
If you are in a location next to a drivable road, your pick-up location will be where you requested it. The app will confirm that when you book. However, if you try to book for a location on the interior of campus, such as near the St. Joan of Arc Chapel, the app will direct you to the nearest pick-up location next to a drivable road.
There are three designated pick-up locations, two of which are also approved off-campus locations: Valley Fields, the Milwaukee Intermodal Station (Amtrak) and the Eleven25 at Pabst apartments. This is to help ensure riders and drivers can find each other more easily. If you request a ride from one of these locations, the app will direct you to a specific spot.
How many people can join me on my ride request?
EagleExpress will accept ride requests from parties with no more than four individuals.
How much information will I see about my driver and vehicle?
After your ride is confirmed, you will see the driver’s first name and last name initial. You will also have the van number and license plate. Please verify these details before boarding the van.
What do the EagleExpress vans look like?
EagleExpress vans are navy, gold and white. The EagleExpress logo and a van number are on every vehicle.
Can EagleExpress take me off campus?
There are two approved off-campus locations to which EagleExpress will transport passengers: Milwaukee Intermodal Station (Amtrak) and the Eleven25 at Pabst apartments. All other rides are restricted to campus.
What kind of notifications will I receive about my ride?
You will receive a notification in the app that your requested ride is confirmed, when your van is five minutes away from your location and when your van has arrived. You should make your way to the meeting point once you receive the five-minute warning message. You will not receive a phone call.
If the van is less than five minutes away when booking, you will not receive the five-minute notification. Instead, please make your way to your pick-up location.
How long will the EagleExpress van wait for me?
The van will wait two minutes for you to arrive and will then move on to its next request. Please pay attention to the five-minute notification you receive about your ride so you’re ready on time. Please be outside or within visual range of the pickup location at the time of your estimate.
How long will it take for an EagleExpress van to get to me?
Our objective is to provide a safe service for all passengers to increase safety on campus. Wait times can vary depending on many factors, such as weather, call volume, events on campus and the number of available vehicles. You will be able to track your EagleExpress on the app.
What happens if I can’t make my ride?
If you know you can’t make your ride, please cancel your ride in the EagleExpress app so we can serve another student in your place. If you called to request a ride, please call 414-288-6363 to let the dispatcher know that you are cancelling the ride.
I can’t find my driver. What should I do?
Please call dispatch at 414-288-6363, and they will check the vehicle location for you.
My phone died. Is my ride canceled?
No. You just won’t be able to receive notifications when your ride arrives, so please be ready and waiting near your pick-up location.
Can anyone use EagleExpress?
Use of EagleExpress is available to anyone with an active Marquette University email address and their guests. To request a ride, download the EagleExpress app and login with your university email address. You will need to show your MUID before boarding the van.
Is the service wheelchair-accessible?
Yes, the EagleExpress fleet includes a vehicle that can transport people who use a wheeled mobility device. This vehicle is available during every shift.
If you use a wheeled mobility device, when you set up your EagleExpress account in the app, go to account settings, click special settings and turn on the wheelchair accessibility option. This will ensure every ride request you make will always dispatch the WAV (wheelchair-accessible vehicle) for you.
If you are booking a ride for yourself and a friend who uses wheeled mobility device, when you input the number of passengers in the ride request, simply select the option for a passenger with a wheeled mobility device. The WAV will be dispatched to accommodate your party.
The EagleExpress WAV has a driver-deployed rear entry ramp. Please select a pick-up location that allows you to safely approach the vehicle.
I don’t have a smart phone. How do I request a ride?
If you cannot use the app, you can call dispatch at 414-288-6363 to request a ride. Dispatch will book your request, provide an estimated wait time, and share the driver and vehicle information. Note that the first time you do this, dispatch will need your name, phone number and Marquette email address to verify identity. You will get a confirmation email to that account to verify that it is you. You must confirm this to be able to use the service.
Please make sure you are at the pick-up location and watching for your ride as you will not receive any notifications.
If I see an EagleExpress van en route, can I flag it down to grab a ride?
No, all rides are dispatched and managed through the app to optimize fleet availability with ride request volumes. Vans are dispatched based on available seating and destinations of passengers. Please make sure you download the app and set up a profile so you can request a safe ride when you need it.
Can I bring alcohol on the EagleExpress?
No, it is against our policy to have open containers of alcohol on the van. If the alcohol is sealed in its original store packaging, you may bring it on the EagleExpress. Kegs are never allowed in our EagleExpress vans.
What happens if I vomit in an EagleExpress van?
Anyone who vomits in an EagleExpress van will receive a $100 fine to pay for clean-up.
I forgot an item on an EagleExpress van. What do I do?
Our drivers do interior checks of their EagleExpress vans at the beginning and end of their shifts to locate any items that may have been left behind. If we find your item, the latest it will be available for pickup will be at the end of our nightly operations at 3 a.m. Our policy requires us to turn in any found items to MUPD. If we’ve located your item, it will be available for pickup at MUPD headquarters on 16th Street.
