Student Transportation and Parking Information for 2026-2027

CMU’s long-term vision for campus mobility prioritizes sustainability, flexibility and efficiency in our transportation services. Please read important student transportation and parking information for the coming year below. For questions, contact Transportation Services.

Shuttles

• Continued Pitt Collaboration: Students and benefits-eligible faculty and staff can ride CMU and University of Pittsburgh shuttles for free using their CMU ID. Both schools are continuing to synchronize route coverage and will introduce co-branded shuttles later this year.

Bikes and Personal Wheeled Vehicles

• Bike shop: Check out the Tartan Bike Project, CMU's student-led on-campus bike shop.

• Dismount zones and paths: Be sure to observe campus dismount zones — areas where riders should walk their vehicles — Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Riders may also use the wheels-only path along the Cohon University Center and the shared path around the Cut.

Parking

• Permit rates: View the 2026-2027 parking permit rates, effective Aug. 24.
  
• Student permit application: Student permits do not automatically renew and must be purchased each year. Students can purchase 2026-2027 parking permits by logging into the CMU Parking Portal starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, July 21, through 5 p.m. on Friday, July 31. Purchased permits will be available for pickup at the Transportation Services office Aug. 21-28 during regular office hours. All student permits are available on a first-come, first-served basis and must be paid for online at the time of purchase. Once permits are sold out, your request will automatically be added to a waitlist.
• New Chatham Eastside lot: More than 300 parking permits for this remote lot at 6585 Penn Ave. will be available this year to faculty, staff and students. The five-day-per-week lease is $50 per month. In addition to regular Pittsburgh Regional Transit service, dedicated CMU shuttle service to and from main campus will run approximately every 20 minutes from 7-9:30 a.m. and 3-5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding holidays and university closures).
• Discount at East Campus Garage: Starting Aug. 24, CMU affiliates will receive a discounted rate for hourly parking at East Campus Garage, with a maximum daily rate of $15 (compared to the current $22 daily rate). Additional details will be available on the Visitor Parking webpage later this summer.

Other Important Parking Reminders

• Parking Portal information: Log into the CMU Parking Portal to request, view, change or cancel a parking permit location, update information about your registered vehicle(s), or add or change a permit waitlist. Changes to permits and waitlists can be made at any time during the year.

• Garage/lot access: Permit holders parking at non-gated facilities will receive a hangtag – please hang the tag on your rearview mirror when parking in your garage/lot. Permit holders who park at gated facilities are issued an automatic vehicle identification (AVI) tag for no-contact entry/exit. If you do not have your AVI tag, you can use your CMU ID card at the gate to enter/exit.

• Free night and weekend parking: CMU offers free parking in the East Campus Garage to CMU ID card holders from 6-11 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Individuals with active CMU parking permits (for any location) already have access to the free night/weekend parking using their CMU ID card. Those without a CMU parking permit must opt into it for the parking year by purchasing a $0 Nights/Weekends permit in the CMU Parking Portal on or after Sept. 1. You can then use your CMU ID card to enter/exit during the free hours.
  

• Head-in parking requirement: All vehicles must park “head in” in CMU garages/lots (i.e., pull forward into the spot so your rear license plate is visible) to allow our license plate recognition software to monitor the vehicles in our parking areas.
  

• Pre-paid visitor parking: Campus visitors can pre-book parking spaces in the East Campus Garage and the Morewood Lot via the ParkMobile app — just pre-pay for your spot online and scan the app’s QR code at the entrance gate.