A: There are many ways to efficiently get around University Park. Useful information can be found on the Penn State Transportation Services website at https://transportation.psu.edu/ online.
Students who wish to drive their vehicle to campus can register for a student parking pass. Parking pass registration occurs the week before the semester begins. There are numerous lots around campus in which students can park, including Jordan East and Stadium West, located by Beaver Stadium, and the HUB Lot, after 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
To become eligible to receive a parking permit, all students wishing to use parking facilities at University Park, including Innovation Park, must register their vehicle with the Parking Office. While parked on campus, authorized parking permits must be properly and visibly displayed in the vehicle.
For those who do not wish to travel to campus via car, the "RIDEpass" system is available to those who qualify. It is a mass transit program that provides access to all CATABUS routes to University Park faculty and staff for only $15 per month. The RIDEpass application and more information can be found on the Penn State Transportation Services website.
Students have many options when it comes to public transportation on campus. The CATABUS is the most commonly used mode of transportation. All LOOP and LINK services run on campus and downtown and are free through a partnership between Penn State and the Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA). Bus schedules can be found online and estimated departure times from every stop are available on the CATABUS locator app. A live update of CATABUS locations can be tracked using any of the CATA Real-Time apps.
CATABUS service also extends throughout the State College community. Rides heading outside of the downtown and campus area require a fare. Visit http://www.catabus.com/index.htm for more information.
Another bus service on campus is the Campus Shuttle. The shuttle provides no-fare transportation across campus for faculty, staff, students and visitors between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. The Campus Shuttle via College Avenue serves 23 stops with service every 15 minutes, while the Campus Shuttle via Beaver Avenue runs in the opposite direction, with service to 16 stops every 30 minutes. For more information about stops, schedules and how to download the real-time Campus Shuttle app, visit https://transportation.psu.edu/campus-shuttle online.
Another mode of transportation around campus and downtown is the Zagster Bike Share system. There are many bike pick-up and drop-off stations and various membership options. Faculty annual membership is $35 and student annual membership is $25. The hourly rate for those without memberships is $3, up to $27 per ride. Visit http://bike.zagster.com/psu/ for more information.
Another helpful tool is the new, enhanced online campus map, now available at map.psu.edu for both desktop and mobile platforms. The map includes 3D views of the University Park campus and integrates with Open Street Maps for areas around campus.
If you have a question for the Glad You Asked column, send it, along with your name and office phone number, via email to edrelations@psu.edu. For publication purposes, Connections will use the initials of the individuals sending the questions and their department, depending on the nature of the question. Submissions must include a contact name and telephone number so that Connections can verify the source. Requests for anonymity will be honored.