Guilford College students participating in a pilot program with Greensboro Transit Agency (GTA) can now ride city buses free.

The College and GTA announced the new program last week during a Fall Festival outside Founders Hall. Students can ride for free by downloading the Umo Mobility App and following the instructions to launch the app and create an account.

Guilford has funded 25 passes and might increase that amount depending on the program’s popularity, says Terra Roane, Chief Dean of Students.

Once the pass is activated, students can open the app and scan the QR code on the pass reader as they board the bus. The pass expires July 31 but will be available again for the 2026-27 academic year starting in August.

“This is another step in Guilford’s effort to help reduce barriers and improve access to all of Greensboro for our students to get to work or enjoy downtown Greensboro more,” says Terra.

Rae Dole, a Creative Writing and Religious Studies major who transferred to Guilford this fall, was one of the first students to sign up. Rae is disabled and unable to drive. She says the College’s partnership with GTA “opens up the whole city to me.”

“Guilford is a wonderful community but I want to be part of a bigger community – a lot of us do – and this (pass) is going to really help,” Rae says.

Many Guilford students have a car on campus, but GTA officials say it’s often cheaper and more convenient to hop on a bus and not bother with finding and paying for parking downtown.

“It’s a great service the College is providing students,” says Kevin Elwood, a marketing and communications specialist for GTA. “Once they see how easy and convenient the system is we think it’s going to be really popular.”