Penn Parking rolls out new initiatives and renames facilities

Penn Parking Services is rolling out a few new programs this spring for faculty and staff.

On Monday, April 9, an occasional parking program will begin, allowing employees to park in the Penn Park parking lot for free twice a year, with up to 10 additional uses at 50 percent of the daily maximum rate, currently $8. After the two free uses, occasional parking passes can be purchased for only $4.

The occasional parking program is designed for employees who normally get to work by bike or by using Penn’s commuter, vanpool, or carpool programs, but every so often, may need to drive. The program is not open to parking permit-holders.

Occasional parking passes are available only through payroll deduction. To sign up, visit the Penn Parking website. Bicyclists must register their bikes with the Division of Public Safety in order to qualify.

Parking permit-holders can form a carpool with fellow permit parkers and take advantage of reduced University parking rates.

Discounts are 25 percent off for a two-person carpool, 50 percent off for a three-person carpool, and 75 percent off for a four-person carpool. Permit-holders must sign up for a full year; each carpool member will receive a pre-tax deduction via payroll. Signups begin on April 9, on the Parking website.  

Permit-holders who are already carpooling can contact Penn Parking by Monday, April 30, by emailing parking@exchange.upenn.edu.

In a separate initiative, Penn Parking is renaming its parking facilities—replacing the current number system with descriptive names that correspond to the facilities’ geographic locations—to help faculty and staff better remember where they parked. For instance, Lot 19, located at 34th and Chestnut streets, will be renamed “Law” to reflect its proximity to Penn Law School.   

In May, floors in all Penn garages will also sport new names based on University icons and traditions. First floors will be called the “Franklin Floor,” second floors, “Quaker,” and third floors, “Ivy Day.”

Signage depicting the new names should be installed in time for Commencement on Monday, May 14.

Penn Parking