Promoting Safe, Smart and Sustainable Commuting at Thammasat University

Highlights:

Institutional Commitment: Thammasat University enforces a clear policy to operate safe, energy-efficient, and zero-emission transportation systems across its campuses.
100% Electric Shuttle and Free Services: Complete migration from fossil-fuel shuttles to a 25-bus EV fleet, recently upgraded with Thai Smile Bus Universal Design EV buses.
Electric Motorcycle & Solar Charging: Partnerships providing low-carbon electric motorcycles supported by Thailand’s first solar-powered charging station.
Active Bike Sharing Network: Over 1,000 Anywheel shared bicycles across 70+ stations, reinforced by the 2025 GOGO BIKE safety campaign.
EV Sharing & Charging Infrastructure: Multi-partner EV car rental service (Haupcar/FOMM) and 8 charging stations serving up to 12 EVs simultaneously.
Digital Transit Management: Real-time navigation and live shuttle arrival tracking powered by TU Around, ViaBus, and TSB GO plus mobile applications.

Thammasat University is firmly committed to managing and developing campus transportation systems that are safe, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimize personal vehicle use on campus, the University has implemented comprehensive policy directives, and in 2025 it carried out strategic mobility initiatives to promote sustainable commuting.

Key initiatives include free 100% electric shuttle buses, solar-powered electric motorcycle stations, extensive bicycle sharing networks, EV car sharing, public van transit terminals, and digital mobile applications for real-time transit tracking across campuses. The University has also established safety standards for electric micromobility. Through multi-stakeholder partnerships and smart technology integration, Thammasat University continues to lessen reliance on fossil-fuel transport and build a safe, sustainable commuting ecosystem for students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community.

Free EV Shuttle Bus Services at Thammasat University – Rangsit Campus

To enhance awareness regarding emission reduction, Thammasat University executed a multi-year fleet transition project replacing traditional fossil-fuel and Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) service shuttles with electric buses. By late 2022, 100% of the campus shuttle fleet had been migrated to electric buses. Currently, 20 free EV shuttle buses operate across 5 designated routes covering dormitories, academic buildings, food canteens, and Thammasat University Hospital, departing every 10 to 15 minutes.

March 2025 – ViaBus, in collaboration with Thammasat University (Life at Thammasat Rangsit), launched the ViaBus EV Shuttle Tracking Service at Thammasat Rangsit. The service integrated campus shuttle bus route tracking into the ViaBus mobile application so that students, staff, and visitors can follow shuttle routes and live locations across both the Rangsit and Tha Prachan campuses in one transit app, reducing waiting uncertainty and improving the efficiency of public shuttle commuting.

August 2025 – Thammasat University Rangsit Campus, in partnership with ViaBus, released the Real-Time EV Shuttle Bus Position and Arrival Time Tracking Feature. Live GPS tracking and estimated arrival times for EV shuttle buses at stops across Rangsit Campus give commuters transparent, accurate transit data on their mobile devices, which supports higher daily ridership of clean electric shuttles, a smaller carbon footprint from private vehicle trips, and Thammasat’s Smart Campus infrastructure.

March 2026 (Service Effective 1 April 2026) – Thammasat University Rangsit Campus, in partnership with Thai Smile Bus Co., Ltd. (TSB), announced its all-new 100% electric EV shuttle bus fleet with TSB GO Plus integration, with full service starting on April 1, 2026. The modern electric buses offer silent operation, zero tailpipe emissions, and Universal Design accessibility for all passengers, while the TSB GO Plus mobile application provides real-time vehicle tracking, accurate arrival times, and digital route planning. The upgrade delivers a clean, accessible, and quiet transit experience, lowers urban air pollution, and sets a national standard for sustainable university commuting.

Low-Carbon Electric Motorcycles and Solar Charging Infrastructure

For fast and convenient micro-mobility, Thammasat University partnered with Star 8 (Thailand) Co., Ltd. to introduce electric motorcycles as a low-carbon alternative for students and staff. Notably, Thammasat became the first university in Thailand to install a dedicated solar-powered charging station for electric two-wheelers (SolarRyde), demonstrating direct utilization of renewable solar energy for campus transportation.

Bike Sharing for Green Campus and Non-Motorized Transport

Since 2012 TU has worked to cut the number of cars and motorcycles used in the university and has increased shared bicycles, bicycle routes and bicycle-lane length. Under an agreement with AnyWheel, more than 1,000 shared bicycles and 73 service stations (15–28 bicycles each, rented by mobile app) have been available at Rangsit since 2021. In 2025 GoGo e-bikes and e-scooters were added to the shared fleet reporting. TU regularly inspects and repairs bicycle lanes, especially in front of faculties and public buildings.

August 2025 – The Rangsit Campus Management Division conducted the Safe Driving with GOGO BIKE Campaign to establish safety discipline and responsible riding guidelines for electric bike users. The key rules require helmet use, strict use of dedicated bike lanes, no carrying of passengers, careful riding near pedestrians, and orderly parking in designated zones. The campaign reduced traffic hazards, prevented pathway obstructions, protected pedestrians, and promoted civilized active commuting.

Electric Car Rental Services and Charging Station Network

Thammasat signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Haupcar Co., Ltd., Hyundai Motor (Thailand), FOMM (Asia), and Evolt Technology to provide EV rental services and charging infrastructure. The University currently operates 4 EV charging locations at Rangsit Campus and 1 at Tha Prachan Campus (totaling 8 stations serving up to 12 EVs simultaneously), with ongoing expansion plans.

Digitalized Transit Information and Mobile Applications

Digital technology plays a central role in Thammasat’s sustainable commuting ecosystem. The ‘TU Around’ mobile app allows users to search EV shuttle routes, find nearest stops, and track bus locations in real time. This digital suite is reinforced by the ViaBus app for multi-campus live tracking and arrival estimates (launched March & August 2025) as well as the TSB GO plus app (launched April 2026), empowering commuters with full digital visibility over campus public transport.

ViaBus App at Thammasat University (Rangsit): TU has implemented the viabus mobile app at its Rangsit campus so that people can follow the campus EV shuttle buses. Users download the app, search for “Rangsit Center,” and open it to see the shuttle routes that operate within the campus. Routes the user has previously added appear in the app, and the university can add more routes to the Rangsit Center listing as the service expands. The university has also published a short five-step guide to help students, staff and visitors get started, so they can set it up on their own without assistance.