How the University of Illinois streamlines faculty travel with Uber

35,000 faculty members. 

Three campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Springfield, and Chicago. 

For the University of Illinois System, managing business travel is no small feat.

At U of I, coordinating faculty travel was once a challenge involving hours of processing expense reports, juggling reimbursements, and enforcing administrative travel policies, all while maintaining accurate records across the entire university system. The process was time-consuming for administrators and the faculty on the go. 

Enter Uber.

Today, with the support of the Uber platform, the University of Illinois’s faculty travel process is streamlined from start to finish, saving valuable time for everyone involved. Let’s take a closer look.

For faculty travelers, attending conferences and seminars can be a logistical challenge. Out-of-pocket payments, hunting for receipts, and lengthy waits for reimbursements are all too common—and stressful.

Within the University of Illinois System, travel expense reporting takes just a few steps. 

With Uber’s Travel program tool, U of I administrators can easily invite eligible faculty to join their institution’s business profile with Uber. When a faculty member is ready to head to a conference, seminar, or professional event, they simply switch to the university’s business profile in the Uber app and request their ride. 

Trip costs are automatically billed to the institution, and all transaction details flow right into the integrated expense reporting system. At monthend, faculty assign the appropriate expense code to their rides and submit their reports. No spreadsheets, no receipt hunts, and no stress.  

“Honestly, it’s one of the easiest programs we’ve ever launched—and our faculty aren’t shy with feedback.” said Melissa Plotner, Senior Director of University Payables.

For U of I administrators like Plotner, the Uber for Business dashboard makes it simple to manage a program that keeps thousands of faculty members on the move. 

In the dashboard, higher education administrators can:  

“Once the program is configured, it requires very little ongoing management,” said Plotner. “Faculty get onboarding communications directly from Uber, and the program really runs itself.”

And with centralized oversight and data reporting, the U of I System has full visibility into travel activity across all campuses, making it easier to assess program performance. 

“I have data readily available to provide updates to senior leadership on spend and rider activity.” Plotner stated.

Since partnering with Uber Higher Education, the University of Illinois System has expanded its use of the platform for its ground transportation needs. Uber now supports Bowl Week travel for athletes and coaches, symposium travel for the Office of the President, and campus visits for prospective faculty and graduate students.

For leading institutions like the University of Illinois System, academic and research travel are vital aspects of campus life. With an efficient business travel program, advancing innovation becomes that much easier. 

Uber for Business is proud to partner with the University of Illinois on its mission to keep its faculty—and their ideas—on the move.

Interested in supporting rides or meal delivery to your faculty, students, or staff with Uber? Uber for Business Higher Education can help you create a program tailored to your needs. 

Visit uber.com/higher-education to learn more.