Husker gameday shuttle changing ownership, expanding to other cities

The longstanding shuttle service for Husker football gamedays, the Big Red Express, will expand to several mid-sized cities and change ownership.

On Wednesday, Lincoln Transportation and Utilities, which previously ran the service within the Capital City under its public transit name StarTran, said a company called iPronto will now run the shuttle to Omaha, Kearney, Grand Island, Norfolk and Columbus. Round trip rides from those cities will cost anywhere from $59 to $89.

Rates for rides in Lincoln are as follows, with pickup locations remaining at Lincoln Northwest High School, Lincoln North Star High School, SouthPointe Pavilions mall and Gateway Mall:

• $10 for Lincoln inbound only
• $25 for a Lincoln round trip with a delayed return
• $30 for a Lincoln round trip with an immediate return

Husker fans who have already purchased a pass through StarTran will receive a full refund, which will be mailed on Sept. 15, LTU said in a news release. People wanting to use the service need to make a reservation directly with iPronto in advance, LTU said.

Pronto Corporation owns the iPronto brand and is based in San Jose, California. The company has operated a shuttle service for San Francisco 49ers football, the University of California-Berkeley and other sports and events.

Nebraska’s first home game is against Ohio at 11 a.m. on Sept. 5.