Washington University in St. Louis announced that eligible individuals can now purchase Occasional Parking Program (OPP) or Bearly Drivers Carpool permits for the 2018-19 academic year by applying online at Occasional Parking Program or Bearly Drivers Carpool.
“Our goal is to ensure these programs meet the needs of our community while being as simple and easy to use as possible,” said Gwen Bolden, director of parking and transportation. “Please carefully review the information on our website about these programs and other options before making a decision for the coming year.”
All other annual permits, including red, yellow, evening and ParkSmart, must be purchased on the parking permit site using a WUSTLkey password. Those without a WUSTLkey can visit the Parking and Transportation office at North Campus to purchase permits.
As a reminder, any individual who plans to park on campus during the 2018-19 academic year must purchase a new 2018-19 parking permit. This includes undergraduate students with a junior or higher standing; graduate students; full- or part-time employees; and basic services contractors (employees of Allied Universal, Aramark, Bon Appetit, Catering St. Louis, Focal Pointe, Follett, Huntleigh and WFF) who work at the Danforth, North and West campuses. Other vendors who require access to campus can purchase a vendor permit.
“Even if you have a current permit from the 2017-18 academic year, you need to go online to order a permit for the upcoming year, which begins August 1,” Bolden said. “Current permits expire July 31. However, we will have a period of relaxed citing to give the campus community a chance to get new permits for the 2018-19 year.”
Occasional Parking Program (OPP)
The Occasional Parking Program is available to full- and part-time faculty and staff, graduate students, and eligible basic service contractors who occasionally park on campus.
FY19 Program Changes: Previously available only to those who use alternative transportation, the 2018-19 program provides options for part-time employees or adjuncts who spend limited time on campus as well as those who rarely drive.
Important updates:
- OPP permits are tied to an assigned zone and pre-loaded with the number of hours designated by one of four levels.
- Usage is only deducted when parked between the hours of 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- When all time on the permit is used, participants can buy additional time based on eligibility; purchases for part-time employees may not exceed 24 days and full-time employees may not exceed 48 days per year.
- After eligible days, individuals can pay the public parking rates for the remainder of the year or can opt to purchase a ParkSmart permit if available. Community members using the maximum days on an OPP permit are not eligible to purchase another permit or extend their OPP.
- Any unused time expires on July 31, 2019. The unused time will not roll over or be refunded.
Interested participants will have up to one month to try the program. Within the one-month trial, these individuals can return the permit for a refund of any unused time. They then have the option to purchase any available permit or pay public parking rates.
To learn more about each of the four levels including cost, eligibility, availability and payment options as well as to apply, visit the Occasional Parking Program page.
Bearly Drivers Carpool
Bearly Drivers Carpool allows full-time Danforth faculty and staff to share the cost of a significantly reduced parking permit to park in premier designated Bearly Drivers parking spaces within the team’s assigned zone.
FY19 Program Changes: To participate, each member of a carpool team must enroll in the program and members must pay their portion via payroll deduction. Rates for 2018-19 include: $240 per four-person carpool; $360 per three-person carpool; and $540 per two-person carpool.
Visit the Bearly Drivers Carpool page to learn more and apply for the program.
Gate-arm technology
The new gates installed at the Danforth University Center (DUC) garage (Zone 2), Millbrook and Snow Way garages (Zone 3) and West Campus garage (Zone 5) are fully operational and in the down position at all times.
These garages rely on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology embedded in university parking permits to automatically activate the gate arms at both the entrance and exit. All individuals parking in these garages must now have a valid parking permit both to enter and to exit.
Starting this fall, permits will require an entry followed by an exit in order to function properly. A permit that is not first read by the RFID technology at the entrance will not activate the gate arms when a parker is ready to exit. Those who pull a ticket to gain entry are responsible for the payment of that ticket.
“This policy will help our team maintain accurate data on usage and visitor access at these locations to ensure we are able to provide as many parking permits as possible to our campus community and keep waitlist volume low,” Bolden said. “Our goal is to continue to work to improve service options and availability of spaces for our community and guests.”
Any individual who needs support can press a help button on the pay station that will alert staff to provide assistance. Learn more about parking in WashU garages.
Permit holds
As a reminder, individuals who need to place a permit on hold due to medical reasons or an academic sabbatical/approved leave are able to do so in 90-day increments, with the option to renew the hold for up to 180 days. To request a permit hold, employees must print and fill out the Permit Hold Request Form (PDF) and take it, along with their parking permit, to the Parking and Transportation Services office at North Campus.
Learn more about parking permits and regulations on the Parking Permits webpage.
Metro
Metro St. Louis provides transportation around the St. Louis region by bus, MetroLink light rail and special services for registered ADA-eligible customers. Starting July 31, Metro is expanding service to include the Cortex Metro Station. A current U-Pass and WashU ID, or payment of applicable fares, are required to ride all Metro St. Louis transit services.
For additional details, visit parking.wustl.edu. The Parking and Transportation office is at North Campus, 700 Rosedale, at the corner of Skinker and Enright. To contact the office, call 314-935-5601 or email ParkTrans@wustl.edu.
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