No Car? No Problem?

UMBC offers a variety of great transportation options that are cost effective for the typical cost-conscious college student that includes carpooling, borrowing a Zipcar, and riding Transit shuttles or MTA’s public buses (in addition to walking, of course). Getting around without a car can be a breeze!

Whether living on campus of off, carpooling will help the community as well as yourself. Students can reduce out-of-pocket costs, park in designated carpool spots thereby avoiding the hassle of finding a parking spot. The UMBC carpooling community hosts lots of events to help students connect and start their carpooling adventures. There is even an upcoming Carpool Social on February 14th in Lower Flat Tuesdays in The Commons during free hour. You can join the UMBC carpooling community at http://my.umbc.edu/groups/casualcarpooling--thissite is a forum for discussing carpooling with students living in your area.

Zipcar is an inexpensive way to rent a car for students 18 years old or older. A Zipcar can be rented for an hour or a whole day at about $7.75/hour or $70/day. Students get special privileges when they sign up with Zipcar through the UMBC campus community: membership is $25 which entitles new members with a $35 driving credit. For more information, visithttp://www.zipcar.com/umbc.

Students also have the option of riding Transit shuttles. Transit shuttles are free for UMBC students when they swipe their UMBC IDs. The seven Transit Shuttles service Arbutus, Catonsville, Arundel Mills Mall, BWI, and the Marc train stations. These shuttles provide direct access to many of the apartment complexes and grocery stores surrounding the UMBC campus. The Wave ‘n Ride shuttle loops the campus and can be boarded by the wave of a hand. Each Transit Shuttle also provides free Wi-fi and a bike rack (except the Wave ‘n Ride). For more information on Transit shuttles or to download shuttle schedules, visit www.umbc.edu/transit.

For the students who want to venture to down town Baltimore, MTA #35 which goes to the heart of downtown also stops directly at the UMBC campus. Other buses that feed directly into the UMBC campus are buses #77 and #99. UMBC students can purchase an “All Access College Transit Pass” at a discounted price of $39 at Off-Campus Student Services. The pass provides unlimited access for one month on local buses, metro subway, and light rail. For students who are on an excursion, one-way tickets cost $1.60 or a day pass is $3.50. For more information please visit http://mta.maryland.gov/.