Transportation

BIKING

Biking to/from and around campus is one of the most popular modes of transportation for CSU students. CSU continues to be rated as a Platinum level Bicycle Friendly University (one of only a few in the country!) by the League of American Bicyclists. 

Colorado State University continues to invest in cycling infrastructure. Bicycling offers a fun and convenient way to get to the CSU campus.

  • You benefit your own health by getting exercise while bicycling, and save time and money.
  • Cycling creates no pollution, improves your health, and provides a flexible commuting option.
  • Bicycles are easy and cheap to maintain, especially compared to an automobile, and parking is more convenient through the multiple bike racks located throughout campus.
  • And, you are helping CSU out by taking a car off the road. Try bicycling to campus today and take the stress of driving out of your daily commute.

Take a few minutes to learn more about biking on campus, how to register your bike with CSUPD (required for all bikes coming onto campus), bike safety, and the different bike paths on campus and around town here.

DRIVING

Efficient and convenient parking starts with learning about parking options on campus. Parking opportunities on campus are balanced with the size of campus and our alternative transportation options available to students, faculty and staff.

All vehicles parked on campus must have a valid CSU parking permit or park in designated hourly parking spaces and pay at a pay station. Vehicles must be parked so that a valid license plate or temporary registration is clearly visible from the drive lane.

Parking and Transportation Services coordinates parking options on campus and with the Parking Services Committee. Together, we determine the optimum arrangement for campus parking options to help accommodate the maximum number of vehicles on campus. Campus parking regulations are updated periodically to reflect changes.

Read more about parking permit options here.

Wanting to park in a neighborhood near campus? Read more about the Residential Parking Permit Program (RP3) here

CARPOOL

What is a carpool?

A carpool is a group of two or more employees who use their personal vehicles to commute to Colorado State University. Typically, a CSU carpool travels from a similar neighborhood of Fort Collins, or city or town to a carpool parking space on campus.

Carpools meet the university’s climate action plan by helping reduce parking space demand on campus while relieving vehicle congestion and greenhouse gas emissions in northern Colorado.

Why should I carpool?

Carpoolers save money by sharing the costs of driving, such as gas, and parking at CSU. They reduce the wear and tear on their vehicle because they drive less miles annually, save time by parking in a carpool parking space, and each get a turn to relax rather than drive.

What happens if I have an emergency and I do not have my car?

In case of emergency, we provide registered carpoolers with an emergency ride home twice per year should you need a ride home and you don’t have a car available to you.

When can I start carpooling?

A carpool permit can be requested during the first two weeks of each semester (fall, spring, and summer) to ensure the parking supply for carpool spaces is sufficient across the university.

Complete a carpool permit application:

  • All carpoolers must complete a Carpool Agreement Form and return it to Parking and Transportation Services in the Lake Street Garage.
  • The application must have a minimum of two participants for the permit.
  • All carpoolers will be billed monthly through payroll deduction based on the number of carpoolers (50 percent of the total billed to each carpooler if there are two, 33 percent for three participants, etc.)
  • All vehicles to be driven as part of the carpool should be registered in the Parking and Transportation Services permit database. The vehicles will then be recognized through the license plate permit system as being a carpool vehicle.

Where would I park?

When registering your carpool with Parking and Transportation Services, carpoolers request a parking location on campus. An approved carpool permit will be designated a parking lot and sign will be placed in the lot selected for the carpool, depending on the capacity of the lot, we will make every attempt to place you in the lot requested. The carpool parking spaces will be available until 4 p.m. daily when it will become available to all parking on campus.

Only one vehicle on a group’s carpool permit can be parked on a campus permit lot at one time. Multiple carpool vehicles under the same permit parked on campus at the same time will initiate a parking citation for permit misuse.

How can I find a carpool?

Parking and Transportation Service can help you get started.

  • Our department will host a carpool formation meeting for you. Call Parking and Transportation Services to request a meeting and we’ll contact employees that live near you about carpooling. Call (970) 491-2492 to get started.
  • Ridesharing websites allow you to find carpoolers near your home with similar commutes to Colorado State University.

Visit here for more information about carpooling.

OTHER TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

For more transportation options, please visit Parking and Transportation Services.