EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) The new Blugold Saturday Night Shuttle took its first ride through Eau Claire Saturday night.

The free shuttle allows University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire students to take a break from studying and explore the town, taking them to restaurants, shopping and entertainment.

Before the new shuttle launched on Saturday, WEAU 13 News spoke with those behind the new way to get around the city.

Starting this fall semester, an Eau Claire Area School District bus will be the new ride of hundreds of UW-Eau Claire students.

“Students tell us they’ve been looking for these kinds of options. They want to get off campus on a weekend night and blow off some steam. They want to get to some entertainment options that were previously unavailable because they were too far away,” said Jennifer Lee of the UWEC Alcohol Safety Team.

By showing a student ID, Lee said students will be able to use the shuttle, which runs from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. every Saturday night.

“The biggest question we get at orientation is ‘what is there to do in Eau Claire?’ So this gives them an opportunity to see those locations and different things,” said shuttle staff member Matt Winarski.

Winarksi said the bus will drop off students at hot spots all over town, including the Action City water park, Downtown Eau Claire and the Oakwood Mall for one hour.

“Maybe they’d have to rely on an RA or a friend with a car. This way, they know it’s reliable and they know when they’re going to be picked up,” Winarski said.

Staff members said the shuttle provides students with an alternative to drinking.

“This is a great alternative to staying on campus or staying in your dorm room or since we're on a college campus, to drinking. This is a safer alternative and a lot of fun too,” Winarski said.

Lee said it’s important to know the shuttle does not assist in taking students to and from bars, and there is no alcohol allowed on the bus.

“We refuse service to anyone who potentially could cause a disruption on the bus,” Lee said.

UWEC Freshman Heather Williquette said the shuttle will help her get to know Eau Claire.

“It seems like a good idea to go to all these different places so you can get to know campus a little bit more,” Williquette said.

Winarski said the Blugold Saturday Night Shuttle is funded through the UWEC Student Senate and a grant from the Department of Transportation.

He said it will continue through the fall semester, except Thanksgiving weekend.

A link to the shuttle’s schedule is posted below.