Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS)
Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) provides and manages access to the UC Santa Cruz campus, with a focus on sustainable transportation methods. By providing alternatives to bringing a car to campus, TAPS helps reduce the demand for on-campus parking, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigate the impacts of travel on the surrounding community. These efforts support the Campus Sustainability Plan, and are one of the reasons that UC Santa Cruz regularly ranks as one of the “greenest” colleges in the nation.
To support these efforts, parking for undergraduate students is either prohibited or extremely limited. Freshman and sophomore students who live on campus are not eligible to purchase parking permits. Those who are eligible to purchase permits (juniors and seniors who live on campus, as well as all commuting students) may apply for a permit; however, due to the limited number of parking spaces on campus, there is no guarantee of actually being able to purchase one. Historically, permits have sold out before the start of fall quarter, and have only been available through an appeals process for the remainder of the academic year. (Those with a documentable need for a parking permit, such as job or family responsibilities, or health-related needs, may use the appeal process to request a permit.)
Off-campus parking options are also extremely limited, and typically sold out before classes begin in fall quarter. If you will be living on campus, and are not eligible to purchase an on-campus parking permit, you should not expect to be able to park your vehicle anywhere nearby.
For additional information, visit the TAPS website.
Transportation Options
Airports and Long-Distance Bus Service: The nearest commercial airport is in San José, approximately 35 miles from Santa Cruz. The San Francisco Airport is about 70 miles from campus. Both airports are accessible by commercial van and limousine services. Santa Cruz is also served by commercial bus lines on a regularly scheduled basis.
Campus Transit: On-campus buses and paratransit services are provided on a no-fare basis; these services are supported by the mandatory Student Transit Fee. TAPS buses operate on campus from approx. 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 6:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on weekends. TAPS also operates a Night Owl service to transport UCSC affiliates between the campus and downtown Santa Cruz. The Night Owl operates until 2:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Metro Buses: Santa Cruz Metro Transit District is the bus service provider for Santa Cruz County. Metro operates more than 25 bus routes throughout the county, including five routes to and from UC Santa Cruz, and one route between the main UCSC campus and the Coastal Science Campus (CSC). UCSC students can ride Metro buses throughout the county by showing a student ID card with a current quarter validation sticker; no additional fare is required to ride.
Bike Program: TAPS offers a variety of programs to support those who choose bicycles as their main mode of travel, including over 3,500 bike-rack spaces, bike "fix-it" stations, quarterly bike helmet giveaways and morning bike shuttles that run from an off-campus location up to campus. Popular bike services include the Bike Library, which lends bikes for free on a quarterly basis, free weekly bike maintenance clinics, and free bike skills classes.
Car Sharing: Zipcar is a membership-based car share program that allows students 18 and over to rent cars on campus on an hourly or daily basis. Use fees start at $5.50 per hour and include all vehicle fees, gas, insurance, mileage, and reserved parking on campus. Members have access 24 hours per day to 24 vehicles—18 on campus and 7 at other nearby Santa Cruz locations. For detailed information, visit the campus Zipcar website.
Ridematching: Zimride is a social networking ridematching program exclusive to the UCSC community. You can find someone to share your regular commute or one-time trip through Zimride, even if you don’t have a car—just post the ride you need. If you have a car, you can share your Zipcar trip with others and save on costs. For more information, see the Zimride website.
Walking: UC Santa Cruz is one of the most beautiful campuses in the world, and the best way to experience it is on foot! Walking is the single most sustainable means of getting around (and often the most direct way, as well) so be sure to bring a pair of sturdy walking shoes. A walking map of the campus is provided to all new students.