A carpool is when two or more people commute together using a personal vehicle in a mutually beneficial arrangement. They are often formed between co-workers that live near each other or friends and family that also work at UVA. While carpooling incurs the same expenses as driving alone (vehicle fuel, wear and tear, parking permit), savings come from the participants splitting those costs. Carpools also have the added benefits of increasing social interaction, giving passengers a reprieve from driving, and helping the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions with less cars on the road.
Carpool Permit
Employees wishing to carpool together for their commute to Grounds can apply for a carpool permit, which is a type of parking permit. While a carpool permit is not necessary to form a carpool, the carpool permit offers benefits that make carpooling easier and more worthwhile than just using a traditional parking permit.
Benefits
The primary benefit of getting a carpool permit is the ability to join Wahoo Commute. Wahoo Commute is Parking and Transportation’s commuter incentive program that offers cash incentives to eligible employees that use alternative transportation to commute to work. Normally, employees must return their parking permit to join Wahoo Commute, but that requirement does not apply to carpool permits since carpooling is one of the supported alternative commute options. Each carpooler will earn $1 per day they log their commute plus are eligible for $500 monthly commute raffles and can earn a $400 e-bike rebate.
Other benefits of a carpool permit include:
- Multiple employees can be linked to a carpool permit. This means each employee’s vehicles are valid in the parking location so they can freely alternate whose vehicle is used for the carpool. Note: The carpool permit, like other permits, still only allows one vehicle to be parked in the location at a time.
- The carpool permit cost is split equally amongst the participants. As a result, employees do not have to worry about reimbursing each other for the cost of parking.
Cost
A carpool permit costs the same as a traditional parking permit, which is dependent on location. Refer to the Parking Locations section regarding available options. Pricing can be found at https://parking.virginia.edu/facultystaff.
Eligibility
A carpool must consist of at least two full-time UVA employees to get a carpool permit. The carpool members must carpool at least three days per week on average.
Carpool Permit Application
Employees must submit a carpool permit application to get a carpool permit. Only one employee needs to initiate the application. When filling it out, the initiator will identify the other employee(s) that will participate in the carpool. These employees will be emailed the partially completed application to fill in and sign their sections.
Carpool Permit Application (completed via Docusign)
Parking Locations
As part of the carpool permit application, employees will indicate their desired parking location. If one of the employees has a parking permit, its parking location can be applied to the carpool permit. If none of the employees have a parking permit, the employees can select a parking location from those listed below. Consult P&T’s parking locations map for permit locations.
- John Paul Jones Arena (JPJ) Lots & Garage
- Ivy 1-4 along Old Ivy Rd
- Y1 at Carruthers Hall
- U6 at Northridge Medical Park
- U7 at Orthopedic Center
- U9 at Fontaine Research Park
Frequently Asked Questions
- I’ve never had a parking permit before. What parking location makes the most sense for the carpool permit?
The John Paul Jones Arena serves as a commuter parking lot and is the best location unless you work at one of the other locations listed. JPJ is served by University Transit Service (UTS) so carpoolers can ride the Gold or Silver lines to access most major areas of Grounds.
- I am interested in carpooling but do not have a carpool partner. Is there a way to connect with others interested in carpooling?
Yes. In Luum, the platform that hosts the Wahoo Commute program, there is the Find Carpool feature. You can input your commute information and Luum will display others in your area that may be a good match. If there isn’t a match, you can register your interest so others can find you. Since Luum is a closed network, you will only ever match with fellow UVA employees.
- I am a UVA employee but carpool with a non-UVA employee. Do I need a carpool permit?
No. If you carpool with a non-UVA employee and they drop you off on Grounds before going to their work location, then you do not need any permit and you are eligible to join Wahoo Commute. If you carpool with a non-UVA employee and you drop them off before parking on Grounds, then you need a regular parking permit and are not eligible to join Wahoo Commute.
- We regularly carpool, but we need to drive separately sometimes. What should we do?
Having two vehicles using the same permit to park in one location is considered a shared permit violation and both vehicles would receive a citation. See P&T’s parking regulations for more information.
When driving separately, one vehicle can park using the carpool permit, but the other needs to make alternative parking arrangements. This can be accomplished by purchasing parking for a single day via the P&T’s Parking Portal or via ParkMobile.
- Our carpool’s situation has changed, and we can no longer carpool together. What should we do?
Please email P&T at [email protected] regarding the change. If the change means the carpool will disband entirely, then we can assist with returning the carpool permit and getting employees new parking permits if necessary. If one carpool member is leaving but the carpool will still operate, then the one employee can be removed.