Alternative Transportation

Commuter Alternatives Program (CAP)

CAP has two permit programs to fit your commuting needs: Carpool Programs and Bike, Bus, & Walk (BB&W). You can find the CAP Registration Form online but you must register in person with Parking Services.

Carpool Programs

Carpooling will save you money on parking and gas AND it's the closest thing you can get to RESERVED PARKING at Virginia Tech. Registration with RIDE Solutions is strongly encouraged as part of your application for a carpool parking permit and is free. When you register with RIDE Solutions you will receive expanded benefits. RIDE Solutions can help you find members to join your carpool or simply expand your emergency ride home benefit to a 24-hour service.Virginia Tech is a RIDE Solutions Workplace member.

Student Carpool Program

• Two or more commuter/graduate students who choose to ride together may register to be in a carpool.
• Carpoolers must register together. Each person in the carpool must complete a Commuter Alternatives Program form with the carpool box checked and present a Hokie ID.
• Each carpool applicant must provide proof of separate vehicle ownership.
• Graduate students with carpool permits will receive a special parking permit allowing them to park on the Drillfield from 5-8 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Carpool permits may take up to two business days to process.
• Students must have the majority of their classes held at an on-campus building. On-campus buildings have parking facilities that require a VT parking permit.

If approved for a carpool permit, participants receive:

• One Carpool permit - $90/year, $45/semester
• Reserved Carpool spaces in the front student areas of most of the large parking lots. The Carpool Permit may be used to park in a regular commuter parking space if it is more convenient or if all student carpool spaces are taken. Student Carpool Permits are not valid for parking in F/S carpool spaces.
• Five free daily permits/semester (for days that carpooling won't work).
• Emergency Ride Home available through Parking Services. This provides carpoolers with a ride to their vehicle or local residence in case of an emergency. The service is available Monday - Friday, from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Carpool participants are not eligible to purchase other parking permits, except extra daily permits.

Faculty/Staff Carpool Program

• Two or more faculty/staff employees who choose to ride together and share one permit may register to be in a carpool.
• Carpools must register together. Each person in the carpool must complete a Commuter Alternatives Program form with the carpool box checked and present a Faculty/Staff ID
• Each registrant must provide proof of separate vehicle ownership.
• Each carpool participant must have an on-campus or CRC office address.
• Registration for the carpool program can be done at 455 Tech Center Drive or at the Student Services Building.

If approved for a Faculty/Staff Carpool Permit, participants will receive the following:

• One Faculty/Staff Carpool Permit -- $120/year, $60/semester
• Identified F/S carpool spaces in the front of the following faculty/staff parking areas:
  • Pamplin
  • Upper Stanger
  • Shultz
  • Architecture Annex
  • Engel
  • Price
  • Coliseum
  • Southgate Center.
  (Subject to change depending upon preferences of participants) The F/S Carpool permit may also be used to park in the regular F/S spaces or the student carpool spaces if it is more convenient or if all F/S carpool spaces are taken.
• Five free daily permits per participant per semester.
• Emergency Ride Home Service available through Parking Services. This service provides carpoolers with a ride to their vehicle or local residence in case of an emergency. The service is available Monday-Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Carpool participants are not eligible for any other parking permit, but may purchase daily permits.

Rideshare Matching: If you would like to find people to form a carpool, try GoLoco or RIDE Solutions.

Bike, Bus, & Walk (BB&W)

BB&W is available to Virginia Tech faculty, staff, and students who use alternative transportation methods as their primary means of commuting to campus (i.e. riding the BT or SmartWay bus, bicycling, and/or walking).

• Register for BB&W with the Commuter Alternatives form. F/S and student registration forms for BB&W are available online, at 455 Tech Center Drive, and at the Student Services Building.
• BB&W permits will be available for the first and second summer sessions. There will be five daily permits per summer session. The above rules and regulations apply to the summer BB&W program.
• BB&W participants are not eligible for any other parking permits, except additional daily parking permits for $2/day.
• Faculty and staff members must have an on-campus office address to register for BB&W.

Those who register for BB&W will receive:

• FIFTEEN FREE DAILY PERMITS FOR THE FALL SEMESTER. Additional daily permits are available for $2/day.
• Access to Emergency Ride Home Service, which provides BB&W participants with a ride to their vehicle or local residence in case of an emergency. The service is available Monday - Friday, from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. for the Blacksburg campus only.
• The replacement cost for lost or stolen BB&W permits is $5.

Questions? Comments?

Contact us at dfreed@vt.edu or 231-0248.