T-Bus Charter Service

During the academic year, all T buses are dedicated to campus transit and are unavailable for use as charters. When available, buses are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis and subject to the following limitations:

1. The service must have a purpose related to the University of Tennessee. All requests must be approved by the appropriate UT dean, director or department head before submission.
2. Service must remain within Knox County, Tennessee, with any exceptions approved in advance by the UT Executive Director of Parking and Transportation Services.
3. Buses may not remain at a destination overnight.
4. All requests made by University of Tennessee representatives must provide complete contact information including an account number for billing.
5. Vendors bill per trip, so each individual trip requires a separate request.
   • If a group has two simultaneous trips, it must submit two separate requests.
   • If the two trips are consecutive and using the same vehicle(s), only one request is needed.
6. For requests made by those external to the University of Tennessee, there must be a UT representative to serve as the sponsor of each special event service request. These requests must be approved by the appropriate UT Dean, Director, or Department Head before submission. Complete contact information for both the UT sponsor and the external organization must be provided.
7. No open containers of food or beverages are allowed on the buses. Alcoholic beverages and smoking are strictly prohibited on the T buses. Unlawful or inappropriate activities associated with the special event bus service may result in immediate termination of the service.
8. A completed “Special Event Bus Service Request” form must be submitted to the UT Parking and Transportation Services Office at least fourteen (14) working days prior to the desired departure date.

Accessibility Information

All available buses are fully accessible and have space to accommodate two mobility devices including:

• 26-foot vans/minibuses with seating capacities for 16 passengers
• Standard transit-style buses with seating capacities for 29, 35, or 37 passengers.

Specific vehicle requests will be fulfilled as vehicle availability permits based on each request.

Special Event Bus Service Rates and Charges

• The special event bus service rate for June 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025:
  • UT departments/divisions are $135.69 per hour per bus
  • External entities external is $146.00 per hour per bus
    Rates are subject to change
  • 7.5% Service Fee for all special event bus service
• Additional special event bus service charges include:
  • Reasonable pre-trip preparation time, generally 30 minutes prior to the scheduled loading time for pick-up points.
  • The total time the bus is in use by the group, including layover time at the destination point.
  • Reasonable post-trip time to return the bus to the transit facility and for bus cleaning, generally 30 minutes after the last passenger drop-off.
  • Any bus driver expenses incurred as a result of the service, such as parking fees.
• Buses returned in a condition requiring extensive cleaning will be charged to the responsible party at the current hourly rate.
• Upon completion of the trip, the driver will request that the group leader verify his or her release time with a signature on the appropriate form.
• A minimum charge of two hours will be applied to all services of short duration.
• Event service may be canceled or modified during normal office hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday–Friday, excluding university holidays) up to seven (7) working days before the departure of the bus to avoid charges. A charge of $100.00 may be assessed for a service that is canceled or modified late. All requests to cancel or modify service must be made in writing to the UT Parking and Transportation Office at parking@utk.edu.