Public Transportation
Kishwaukee College offers public transportation options to help students get to and from campus with ease. Through partnerships with local transit providers, students can access free or low-cost transportation throughout the surrounding communities.
Free Bus Pass
Kishwaukee College is pleased to offer free bus passes to students enrolled in at least three credit hours or signed up for GED®, ESL, or short-term training courses during the 2025–2026 academic year. Voluntary Action Center (TransVAC) and Reagan Mass Transit District (RMTD) buses will pick up and drop off riders on the south side of campus at Door 61.
DeKalb/Sycamore Bus Route (TransVAC)
Kishwaukee College, in cooperation with Voluntary Action Center of DeKalb, provides bus transportation between the College and the communities of DeKalb, Sycamore, Genoa, Kirkland, Shabbona and Somonauk. Buses will pick up and drop off riders on the south side of campus at Door 61.
All riders must be registered for TransVac to guarantee a Subscription Service (Subscription Services capped at 100 riders)
Employees must be registered and indicate that they are Kish employees. Each employee is responsible for paying their own fare of $1.00 each way.
Steps to complete for riders:
- Fill out the registration form, click here
- After completing the registration form fill out the Kishwaukee College Student Schedule
- You will receive an E-Pass once registered to use as your bus pass
If you have additional questions, please contact dispatch at 815-758-3932 or email dispatch@vacdk.org
TransVac provides a Subscription Service for riders who make the same trip repeatedly from the same origin to the same destination at the same time, over an extended period. With a subscription, riders do not need to call for each individual trip, making recurring travel easier and more predictable.
Subscriptions become available after two weeks of consistent ridership. During this initial period, riders must schedule trips by phone or email, up to six days in advance. Only riders who demonstrate reliability during this trial period will qualify for ongoing subscription service.
TransVac offers a maximum of 100 subscription spots. Riders who repeatedly no‑show will receive a warning, and continued violations may result in removal from the subscription list. When a subscription spot becomes available, it will be offered to the next eligible student on the waiting list. Students may decline a subscription if they choose; the opportunity will then move to the next person in line.
Riders who submit requests after all 100 subscriptions are filled may still schedule trips up to six days in advance, but service will depend on availability.
No-Show Policy
- Up to 4 no-shows: Warning issued via email or phone.
- 5th no-show: Subscription revoked or 7-day suspension for non-subscribers.
- 6th no-show: 14-day suspension.
- Subsequent violations: 30-day suspension per occurrence.
If you need to make changes to a scheduled Subscription Service trip, please cancel the specific trip and request a demand trip instead. To cancel an individual trip within your Subscription Service schedule, call the dispatch office at 815‑758‑3932. Only cancel the single trip you don’t need, do not cancel your entire Subscription Service.
All Subscription Service rides are automatically cancelled on the college holidays. Customers who wish to ride on these days must book a demand trip the day before with the appropriate area carrier.
TransVac – Frequently Asked Questions
Reagan Mass Transit District
Regan Mass Transit District (RMTD) will provide a route Monday through Thursday for an 8 am drop-off at the College and a 4:10 pm pick-up at Door 61. RMTD will also have their Demand/Response available as needed on Fridays. Riders must have a bus pass to ride the bus to and from Kishwaukee College for the semester in which they are enrolled. Bus passes are available in the Kishwaukee College Business Office, C2140.
When calling for a reservation, be prepared to give the following information:
- Name
- Address
- Single or multi-way trip
- Telephone number
- Time of pick up
- Address of destination including zip code
If you have any questions, please contact RMTD at 815-288-2117 or fill out our Contact Us Form.