Skip to main content
Transportation Services Transportation Services
  1. HOME
  2. Return to Campus

Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Current System Status

Parking

  • Parking payment is required; however, we are providing discounted rates and additional flexibility to our customers through summer quarter.
  • A, B, S and D permits are interchangeable in regular spaces. This means that:
    • A, B, S and D permits are interchangeable; A, B, S, D, Night/Weekend and Off-Peak Hours permits upgrade for use in V (visitor) spaces at 4 p.m. daily except in spaces located at the Gilman Parking Structure and Patient/Visitor spaces at UC San Diego Health.
    • Restrictions remain where posted, "A permit required 24 hours a day/7 days a week".
  • Weekend parking rates will apply during the week. This means that at campus locations (excluding medical centers):
    • Faculty, staff and students can park for $4 using the Parkmobile app and parking zone number 4762.
    • Individuals coming to campus for one hour or less can park for free using the Parkmobile app and the parking zone number posted where they park.
    • After the first free hour, campus visitors may park for $1.50/hour with a daily maximum charge of $6.
  • You can cancel your payroll deduction or prepaid monthly, quarterly or annual parking permit and receive a prorated refund.
    • Cut your permit in half and send a photo to parking@ucsd.edu with the subject "Cancel My Deduction" or "Refund My Permit."
    • We are working on a way to address prepaid scratch-off permits with unused days that will expire and will share that solution soon.
  • Compliance officers are enforcing safety and access regulations (e.g., fire lanes, patient parking restrictions, loading zones, reserved lots and time-limited spaces).
  • Commuter and Visitor Information Centers remain closed. Our virtual office provides most services online, by telephone, or by email from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekdays, excluding university holidays.
  • Campus valet operations remain suspended. Health System patient valet operations continue.
  • Limited construction parking is available on the central campus. To eliminate shuttling contractors to construction sites, which has proven impractical within social distancing guidelines, contractors from NTPLLN are parking in the Pangea Structure and contractors from Franklin Antonio Hall are parking in the Hopkins Structure.

Triton Transit & Mobility

If you must travel within the campus, we recommend that you maintain social distance by walking, bicycling or using private or university automobiles. If you do not have any other intra-campus mobility option, limited on-demand transportation may be available.

  • Triton Transit is providing significantly reduced service. Riders must show a UC San Diego ID when boarding. This means that:
    • Medical Center Shuttle is operating a regular schedule with reduced capacity to support social distancing.
    • Grocery Shuttle will continue until further notice with limited capacity to support social distancing.
    • Weekend Loop is not running.
    • All other routes have moved to on-demand service to conserve resources and reduce carbon emissions. Call (858) 534-7422 between 5:30 a.m. and 10 p.m. for service.
  • Triton Mobility (ADA) service is operating between 5:30 a.m. and 10 p.m. Use the online reservation system or call (858) 822-2603 for service.
  • ProRide service is suspended.

Why are you charging for parking?

Transportation Services recently paused paid parking on campus while we assessed the parking and transportation needs of those students who would remain on campus during UC San Diego’s first virtual academic quarter. We also evaluated the needs of faculty and staff in essential services positions who would remain on campus or return intermittently.

Like all auxiliaries, we examined every reasonable opportunity to reduce operating expenses for spring quarter; however, we still have significant fixed costs associated with debt on parking facilities. Even with our efforts to conserve resources, we anticipate a severe deficit that will exhaust our reserves before operations return to normal.

We sent an overview of our spring quarter operations to the university community on Thursday, March 26, 2020, which prioritizes support for patients, individuals with limited mobility and the faculty, staff and students who are ensuring continuity of education and patient care. It includes a temporary reduction in parking cost for all faculty, staff and student parking to our D (discount) permit rate for spring quarter and provides improved proximity for essential staff. The $65/month discount permit and $4/day parking rate are less than the MTS current $72/month and $6/day rates. We are extending these discounts through summer quarter, 2020.

We appreciate the understanding of our colleagues who continue to come to campus and pay for parking. We’re grateful for your efforts to fight COVID-19 and support the university community and region through this crisis. We’re in this together and Transportation Services will continue to support you and our fellow Tritons to the very best of our ability.

How are you keeping passengers safe during COVID-19?

Limiting Service

Triton Transit has limited service to essential trips only and now requires university ID when boarding on all routes.

Face Masks Required

Triton Transit & Mobility requires that drivers and passengers wear face masks when onboard busses, carts and vans.

Physical Distancing

Triton Transit was an early adopter of rear-door boarding to separate passengers and drivers. We’ve also taped off seats and limited the total number of passengers to enforce physical distancing between passengers.

Protective Barriers

We’ve added Plexiglas protective barriers between the driver and passengers in our carts and vans. Work is underway to design, fabricate and install a barrier system for full-size shuttles before fall quarter.

Enhanced Sanitation

Our staff spray bus, cart and van interiors with sanitizing solution each night. Drivers treat cart and van interiors with sanitizing solution between trips and clean high-touch surfaces on busses throughout the day.