Get Around With Decatur Moves

Getting around Decatur without the convenience of a car can be challenging for a lot of college students here at Millikin. For the students living in dorms, off-campus housing, or The Woods, having a car would be very beneficial. Without a car, there are still many reliable transportation options available in Decatur, with one particular option becoming a favorite amongst students and faculty. Decatur Moves, the city's $2 on demand ride service that works very similarly to Uber or Lyft, but at a fraction of the price, is one of the best options for students.

Decatur Moves was recently launched and is a transportation option all students at Millikin should consider using if they need rides to the grocery store, restaurants, or other locations within the city. For Millikin students that might have a tight budget, Decatur Moves is very affordable and convenient, making it the perfect option for all students!

To better understand how Decatur Moves functions, I spoke with Dr. Paula Ruiz Santamaria, a professor here at Millikin who used Decatur Moves frequently when she first arrived in Decatur. “I was using it during the first month because I didn’t have a car yet,” she says. “I was using it maybe two to three times per week to go to the university and come back home.” Her experience with Decatur Moves will show exactly why the service can be especially useful for students. 

Compared to other rideshare apps you can use, the cost is extremely convenient for students. There is a stark difference between the pricing of Decatur Moves and other apps. “If you compare it to Lyft or Uber, it’s like maybe, I don’t know, five times cheaper,” Dr. Ruiz Santamaria says. “A ride within the city it’s $10 sometimes, and Decatur Moves is always $2.” Many students here on campus are living on a fairly tight budget and don’t have the funds to blow on expensive transportation. Decatur Moves also makes booking a ride very simple so it's not difficult to navigate. You can book a ride through the Decatur Moves app, their booking website, or by calling (217) 424-2821. Instead of using other rideshare apps, the reliability and affordability of Decatur Moves makes getting around Decatur so much easier. 

Aside from its convenient cost and easy booking, Decatur Moves also tends to be very efficient and accessible for everyone. She says, “Every time I was taking it from the university it was quicker.” Since there is a transit point nearby campus, Decatur Moves is able to pick up students and get them where they need to be much quicker. This is a huge benefit for students that live on campus and might now always be near a bus stop or have other options that work for them. Beyond its price and speed, Decatur Moves is an extremely accessible and reliable option for those with specific mobility needs. “It is very accessible. They open the doors and it's accessible for people who may have like some physical disabilities or difficulties,” she says. “I would say that there’s room enough for people with wheelchairs even, so that’s very convenient as well.” 

While the shared rides might take a little extra time to reach you if it's a particularly busy day, Ruiz Santamaria says, “Most of the times it’s been good and fast enough.” 

Sometimes, like any other transportation option, there can be a few challenges while using Decatur Moves. Shared rides can cause a bit of a delay on days and hours that are particularly busy, since the app will sometimes group multiple riders into one vehicle for the same ride to keep the costs very low for people. She says, “You may have to share your ride with a lot of people because it’s like, you know, a busy time and then you have to wait for those people to be delivered.” This can add a few extra minutes to your trip, and depending on where you have to go and the urgency, this can be extremely inconvenient.

If you are looking for late-night services, there is a possibility there may be less frequent Decatur Moves vehicles around. “I have never tried to, for example, request a ride during the night, right?” she says. “So, I don’t know if that’s an actual challenge. Maybe after some time they don’t have as many rides.” Decatur Moves operates between 5am-8pm on Mondays-Fridays, so if students need to travel somewhere after 8pm, they will need to plan ahead and see what other travel options are available.

Still, these challenges are fairly minor in the grand scheme of things, especially when you compare Decatur Moves to other rideshare apps available. Decatur Moves’ convenience, affordability, and accessibility are all factors that make this transportation option one of the best available for all students and faculty here at Millikin. For those without a car looking for easy transportation, look to Decatur Moves to get you around town!