You are the road warriors of UF. Take time to make UF your home away from home. Below is some information to help you with your commuter student lifestyle.
Traffic Reports
See up-to-date traffic crash reports from the FHP at flhsmv.gov. Typically, University Avenue, Newberry Road, Archer Road, 34th Street and 13th Street have some congestion (especially in the morning from 7-9 a.m. and evening commute hours from 4– 7 p.m.). Plan around these high-volume times or take a different route to get to and from campus.
Parking Info
You must purchase a parking permit from Transportation and Parking Services to park on campus weekdays between 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. After 4:30 p.m. and all day on weekends, most, but not all, parking restrictions are lifted. Please note, there is no overnight or storage parking allowed for students living off-campus, even with a TAPS permit. For more information on parking decals, including purchasing info, as well as info on commuting options, go to taps.ufl.edu.
Most apartment complexes and rental houses provide parking. In some apartments, especially properties within close proximity to campus, parking is limited and will often require an additional monthly cost. There is City of Gainesville garage parking available that allows for storage and overnight parking. To learn more visit the City of Gainesville website by clicking here.
In addition to parking on campus, you can park at the Oaks Mall for free and then take an RTS bus to campus. Also, some businesses in the College Park area (the area north of University Avenue and close to campus) sell parking spots for either an entire semester or per day.
RTS Bus System
RTS, Gainesville’s local bus system, is available to UF students for free. Routes run all over campus and Gainesville. To ride for free, students must present their Gator-1 ID to the driver. For bus routes and maps, go to go-rts.com.
Scheduling
Try to arrange your class and work schedule so you don’t have long waiting time gaps between classes and shifts. If you can’t arrange your schedule this way, use the time efficiently by studying or doing homework. Avoid having to drive back and forth from home by making your schedule more compact. Many on-campus jobs will work around your class schedule, so look into this option if you want to gain work experience, make some cash, and get involved on campus.
Noteworthy Places On Campus
The UF libraries, Reitz Union, Newell Hall, and HUB are great spots to rest or do work in-between classes, bring your laptop and use the free Wi-Fi connections on campus.
Getting Connected
Get involved on campus by joining a student organization, getting a campus job, researching, etc. Go to campus-sponsored speakers, performances, museum exhibits, sporting events, the gym, etc. Investing time in UF will enrich your college experience, but remember not to spread yourself too thin. To search the more than 1,000 student organizations, go to studentinvolvement.ufl.edu. For more information about campus jobs, see jobs.ufl.edu.