While some faculty and staff have been on campus throughout the pandemic, many of you might be planning your transition back to campus in August. Parking and Transportation has put together some information to assist you as you plan your return. We hope you will consider commuting using a new mode for some or all of your journey! If you have any questions, reach out to us at 3-2828 or via email at transpo@gmu.edu.
Car and Vanpool
Are you looking for some insight on how you will commute to and from campus during the fall semester? Ridesharing is a great option for those looking to potentially save at least $1000 a year, shave time from their commute, help reduce traffic for their community, and shrink their carbon footprint. For some background information, visit Is Ridesharing a Commuting Option for You?
When choosing to vanpool you can also utilize Mason’s Commuter Choice subsidy that provides up to $270/month for your vanpool monthly costs.
Carpool/Vanpool Q&A Session: July 27
If you have questions about ridesharing, join Katie Thompson, Transit Consultant with Commute 66, James Davenport, TDM Employer Outreach Coordinator with Transform 66, Holly Morello, TDM Program Manager with OmniRide as well as Josh Cantor and Janet Walker of Mason Parking and Transportation at a casual, drop in session on Tuesday, July 27 from 10-11:30am. Drop by to ask questions on commuting and learn about the resources that are available in the region. No need to register, just join them on July 27 at https://gmu.zoom.us/j/94993575101?pwd=d1RQbTVRTzRFY1kwUkJHbmxDR1N4UT09
Recruiting Vanpool Riders from the Fredericksburg, VA Area
Are you a full-time faculty/staff member who lives in the Fredericksburg, VA area? Would you like to have your commute costs reimbursed up to $270/month, tax-free, not have to do all the driving, park free at Mason, and reduce carbon emissions? If so, consider vanpooling. Parking and Transportation is starting with the Fredericksburg area and has developed a short vanpool match survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FredVanpool. We’ll be recruiting for other vanpools in the future.
Biking
Do you live within a few miles of a Mason campus and think biking to work could be good for your well-being? All faculty and staff are eligible to participate in the Bike Commuter Choice Program. The program now has four tiers of support. The more you ride, the greater the financial incentive. The new introductory tier is just 5 rides per quarter. For details, please visit http://bike.gmu.edu and scroll to the Faculty/Staff Bike Commuter Choice Program. Need help planning your route? Visit Community Biking Resources and scroll to the bottom.
Mason Shuttles
For those faculty/staff planning a return to campus in August, a reminder that Mason Shuttles is operating on a summer schedule for most of August. There are two routes operating this summer – Fairfax to SciTech (on a COVID-19/Summer reduced operating schedule) and the On-Demand Shuttle which serves stops in and around the Fairfax Campus. The CUE bus is operating on its regular schedule with service to Vienna Metro. For details on the Mason Shuttles summer schedule, please see http://shuttle.gmu.edu. Schedules for fall will be posted in early August. Although service will be much more robust than last year, it will not be at pre-pandemic levels. Fall service is scheduled to begin on Friday, August 20 or Monday, August 23 depending upon the route.
COVID Response on Mason Shuttles
- A reminder that a valid Mason ID is required to ride Mason Shuttles.
- Masks continue to be required to ride Mason Shuttles by all passengers – regardless of vaccination status.
- Mason and CUE follow the CDC Order regarding buses.
- Due to COVID-19, guests are not permitted to ride on Mason Shuttles until further notice.
On-Demand Shuttle
Mason Shuttles is offering an on-demand shuttle service on and around the Fairfax campus. This is a shared ride service with designated pick-up and drop-off locations on the Fairfax campus and at nearby locations off-campus. Waits to be picked up vary depending upon how many people have requested the service. For details, please visit http://shuttle.gmu.edu and select the On-Demand Shuttle.
Commuter Choice
If you’re a full-time faculty or staff member who uses public transportation to come to and from work, you can use the Commuter Choice program which covers qualified transportation expenses (not parking) up to the IRS limit of $270/month based upon your actual commuting costs. For details, please visit Commuter Choice. The deadline to request September benefits (the deadline for August has passed) is Tuesday, August 10.
SmarTrip Cards and WMATA Improvements
Metro (WMATA) is installing new fare gates at their Metro stops over the next year. The new fare gates will not accept older SmarTrip cards (purchased before 2012). If you are a current or future participant in Mason’s Commuter Choice program, please visit Commuter Choice and Metro Fare Gates Update for information on how to check your SmarTrip card and replace it if needed.
Parking
Fall 2021 parking passes go on sale online on Monday, August 2. Hang tags will be returning but annual permits will not be sold for academic year, 2021-22. The longest duration is a semester pass. There are also daily, weekly, and monthly options. Visit http://parking.gmu.edu and select “Faculty and Staff Parking.”
Payroll Deduction Permits
Are you a full-time faculty/staff member who is planning to return to campus and wants to reinstate your payroll deduction permit? If so, please complete a Payroll Deduction form located at http://transportation.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021-22-Payroll-Parking-Permit-Application.pdf (Fairfax/SciTech) or http://transportation.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021-22-Arlington-Payroll-Deduction-Application.pdf (Arlington). Questions? Please call Parking Services at 3-2710 (Fairfax), 3-8007 (Arlington), or 703-582-4698 (SciTech).
ParkMobile at Mason
If you’re coming to campus and looking for a convenient way to park, some areas of the Fairfax and SciTech campuses are linked to the ParkMobile app. For locations and codes, please visit Quick Links on https://transportation.gmu.edu/parking-services/ or directly at http://transportation.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/Mason-ParkMobile-Information-Sheet.pdf. If you have questions, please call 3-2710 or email parking@gmu.edu.