CyRide offers Iowa State students the chance to travel on campus and into Ames without having to endure the long walks or ever-changing Iowa weather.

The bus system extends all over the Ames community. This form of ‘free’ transportation for Iowa State students (it’s included in your tuition and fees) lets students explore Ames without the hassle of calling an Uber.

But learning a new transportation system can be tough, so previous students chimed in with some helpful tips.

Madison Smith, a sophomore in pre-business, said she was helped most by the bus drivers.  Smith said that CyRide bus drivers are important to communicate with, especially when the system is unfamiliar.

“Having communication with bus drivers is actually helpful,” Smith said.

Having spent her first couple weeks on campus asking bus drivers where the bus went and which buses transferred where, Smith learned quickly which routes took her where she needed to go.

The MyState app can also be invaluable to passengers of CyRide.

Brianna Cooly, a sophomore in marketing, said that one day she was running late and couldn’t find a bus stop, but since the MyState app offers maps and locations of all covered bus stops, she was able to find one.

To keep from running late, try to arrive about five minutes early to the stop. In addition to the covered stops, there are extra bus stops along the route that offer the next arrival time of a bus at that stop by texting “CyRide” and the number of the bus stop to 41411.

“I got on the bus easy enough, but I didn’t know how to get off,” said Elena Betworth, a sophomore majoring in event management. There is a cord or a yellow strip above the seats, at the front and the back of the bus. Pull on the cord or push the strip to exit at the nearest stop.

For those riding bikes across campus, but want to ride the bus instead, a bike rack sits on the front of the bus. Simply squeeze the handle of the bike rack to unlock it. Lower the rack, then set the bike into the wheel wells. After this, raise the support arm on the rack and secure it onto the front tire. When it comes time to remove the bike, simply reverse the steps.

It is important to keep track of the schedule.

“I finished a study session with friends at the library, but the buses weren’t running,” said Lexie Stevens, a senior in elementary education.

Most bus routes run until 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., but any later than that, and the next buses will be parked for the night. Buses will not run the next day until after 6 a.m.

The Moonlight Express, a night-time CyRide, runs from 10:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. on most weekends and may be useful to avoid long walks after a night out or after a long night of studying at the library.