Oxford College of Emory University provides a variety of transportation services designed to support student life, academic engagement, and community involvement. These services range from daily fixed-route transportation and shuttles to Atlanta and local shopping destinations to reservation-based trips supporting volunteer opportunities, academic programs, and community partnerships.

Managing these diverse transportation needs requires a flexible, reliable, and efficient solution capable of supporting both regularly scheduled routes and trips beyond campus. Recognizing an opportunity to modernize its transportation operations and enhance the overall student experience, Oxford began exploring a centralized platform that would streamline reservations, simplify the boarding process, and provide faculty, staff, and students with a more accessible and consistent transportation experience.

The challenge: Supporting a student-centered transportation experience

Oxford College needed a transportation solution capable of supporting both regularly scheduled shuttle services and flexible, reservation-based trips to volunteer sites, community partners, and other off-campus destinations. As transportation needs continued to evolve, the team recognized the importance of having a centralized, scalable platform that could accommodate a growing range of services while improving operational efficiency.

Although Oxford's existing in-house system provided basic ridership tracking and boarding functionality, students were required to access the system through a mobile web browser. This presented an opportunity to modernize the experience with a more intuitive, accessible, and student-friendly mobile application.

As Brandon Barnes, Director of Information Technology at Oxford College, explained, “We had an in-house solution, and we realized it wasn't really meeting the needs of our Oxford community. We didn't really have an app that was easy to navigate.”

The transition to a modern transportation management platform has helped Oxford establish a more streamlined and coordinated approach to managing fixed-route services, reservations, and daily transportation operations.

Ultimately, the initiative was about more than replacing an existing system. It was about improving the student experience, simplifying transportation management, and building a sustainable foundation for future growth. By making transportation more accessible and easier to navigate, Oxford is better positioned to connect students with the academic programs, volunteer opportunities, and community experiences that are central to the Oxford College experience.

The solution: One transportation process for multiple student needs

Oxford College implemented TripShot to modernize its transportation operations and provide a centralized platform for managing both fixed route shuttle services and reservation-based transportation. The solution allows the college to support regularly scheduled campus transportation while accommodating trips that require greater flexibility, including Volunteer Emory outreach initiatives, Service Saturdays, weekly service opportunities, and visits to community partner locations.

Transportation plays an essential role in connecting students with meaningful experiences beyond the classroom. Through Volunteer Emory, which collaborates with more than 20 Emory student organizations and over 50 community partners, students have opportunities to participate in service initiatives throughout the region. Having a reliable and accessible transportation system helps ensure students can take advantage of these opportunities while strengthening Oxford's commitment to community engagement.

According to Kelli Draper, Transportation Coordinator, Oxford currently operates a fleet of 13 vehicles, with eight equipped to utilize TripShot technology and plans for continued expansion.

“We use the tablets and TripShot for our Atlanta shuttles, shopping shuttles, and scheduled trips that don't operate on a fixed loop,” Kelli explained.

With TripShot in place, Oxford's Transportation team now has a more coordinated and efficient approach to managing reservations, organizing scheduled trips, and monitoring transportation activity across its services. The platform also provides greater operational visibility and a stronger foundation for analyzing ridership patterns, understanding reservation demand, and making informed decisions about future transportation needs.

As Oxford continues to expand its use of the platform, the college is better positioned to deliver a consistent, reliable, and student-centered transportation experience while supporting the evolving needs of its campus community.

Early results: A better experience for students and staff

Although the implementation is still relatively new, Oxford College is beginning to establish a baseline for measuring ridership, reservation volume, and operational efficiency. Early results have been encouraging, with the new platform providing a more streamlined, consistent, and reliable transportation experience for students and staff.

The implementation has already delivered several meaningful improvements:

• Improved Student Experience: Students now have access to a dedicated, user-friendly mobile app that simplifies reservations and boarding.
• Streamlined Operations: Fixed-route and reservation-based transportation services can now be managed through a single, integrated platform.
• Greater Operational Visibility: Transportation staff have improved access to dispatch information, vehicle schedules, and on-time performance, allowing for more informed decisions.
• Data-Driven Planning: The platform provides a stronger foundation for understanding transportation demand, evaluating service effectiveness, and aligning transportation resources with student programs and campus needs.
• Continued Adoption and Training: As students become familiar with the new reservation and boarding process, Oxford continues to focus on training, communication, and improving the overall user experience.

Beyond the technology itself, Oxford has particularly valued the collaborative approach and ongoing support throughout the implementation.

“It’s almost like they’re part of our team, helping us continue to get the most out of the software rather than leaving us to figure everything out on our own,” Brandon shared. “That ongoing partnership gives us the confidence to explore new capabilities while ensuring that any changes make sense for our operations.”

Brandon also emphasized the importance of understanding Oxford's unique needs before moving forward with a solution.

“What stood out to me was the time they invested in truly understanding our operations, our challenges, and what we were trying to accomplish before there was ever a commitment. It wasn't just about implementing software; it was about finding the right solution for our campus and building a partnership that would support us well beyond implementation.”

Looking Ahead

Oxford College plans to continue analyzing ridership trends, improving student adoption, and expanding its use of TripShot as campus needs evolve.

“We may be taking over more of the Oxford–Atlanta shuttle in the future, so we anticipate continued growth in that area,” Kelli shared.

For Brandon, the initiative also introduces students to technology they may encounter beyond college. “I think it gives them a glimpse into the real world,” he explained.

With TripShot, Oxford has a scalable platform to support future growth, simplify daily operations, and connect students with academic and community opportunities.

The partnership remains central to that progress. “It’s almost like the TripShot team is an extension of our own,” Brandon shared, emphasizing the ongoing collaboration that helps Oxford maximize the platform’s capabilities.