As the golden autumn back-to-school season peaks, universities brace for heavy return-travel flows. Responding to this, DiDi Global Inc. has teamed up with local bus operators to launch dedicated campus express shuttle routes in cities like Jinan, Jinhua, Quzhou, and Ganzhou, smoothing out the "last mile" for students heading back to campus.
Operating on a refined "one-district, one-policy" model, DiDi's on-demand shuttle bus service has now served nearly 3 million passengers, with its network spanning close to 20 cities and "post-2000s" riders making up over 30% of its user base. Using a "respond on demand, dynamically route" approach, the service stretches public transit beyond fixed corridors into settings such as campuses, scenic spots, hospitals, residential areas, and shopping centers, giving riders of every generation a flexible, budget-friendly new way to get around.
With the new semester underway, DiDi is doubling down on the campus commute. By forecasting peak travel periods and passenger flows, it flexibly maps out express routes tied to campus stops. Students can pre-book rides through the DiDi app or mini-program and be picked up at designated points. Taking a shuttle straight from the high-speed rail station to the university gates fits perfectly with the need to haul bulky luggage back to dorms, with nearby boarding points making the whole trip less of a hassle.
Beyond students, the "call from your phone, hop on nearby, grab a roomy seat, and arrive nonstop" shuttle experience is clicking with young riders who value efficiency in public services. Looking at the rider profile, as of late August, people aged 45 or under account for more than 70% of all on-demand shuttle users, with Gen-Z alone topping 30%.
In contrast to conventional buses that stick to fixed routes and schedules, DiDi's on-demand shuttles lean on smart, cloud-based dispatching. Tailored to each city's layout and commuter needs, the service crafts bespoke travel options through a "different strategy for every city, adapted as needed" approach, addressing a wide spectrum of everyday mobility needs.
Working hand-in-hand with public transit providers, DiDi has rolled out this service in roughly 20 cities to date, including Guangzhou, Tianjin, Jinan, Nanchang, Hefei, Kunming, Jinhua, Yantai, Yingtan, Changshu, Zhoushan, and Zhanjiang, with nearly 10,000 stops dotted across these regions.
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