Frequently Asked Questions

• What options do commuting employees and students have other than driving alone to campus?
  CSUDH offers several alternatives to driving to campus alone, which include ridesharing, carpooling, vanpooling, biking and regional transportation.

• What is a ridesharing arrangement?
  A ridesharing arrangement is defined as two commuting individuals sharing one permit and dividing the cost of gas, parking, or permit equally.

• How does CSUDH define a carpool?
  A carpool is a vehicle occupied by two to six people traveling together between their residences and their worksites or destinations for the majority of the total trip distance. employees, who work for different employers, as well as non-employed people, are included within this definition as long as they are in the vehicle 51% of the total trip distance.

• What is a vanpool? A vanpool is a vehicle that is employer-owned, third-party leased or employee leased  which occupied 7 to 15 people traveling together between their residence, park & ride lot, or agreeable starting point to the worksite.

• How do I find people interested in ridesharing, carpooling or vanpooling?
  CSUDH has an exclusive matching program that can identify commuters in your neighborhood who are interested in ridesharing, carpooling or establishing a vanpool. 

• What if I rideshare, carpool or vanpool and I have to drive to campus occasionally?
  CSUDH provides up to 4 daily parking passes for those times when you might have to drive to campus. 

• What if I rideshare, carpool or vanpool and I have an emergency that requires me to go home early?
  By registering you are Guaranteed emergency ride home, you can be assured of reliable transportation home should an emergency arise.

• How is parking assigned for commuters who rideshare, carpool or vanpool?
  Carpool participants utilizing alternative transportation methods are given preferential parking tag which must be displayed with their current campus permit.  Vanpool participants park free of charge.

• Can those who commute to campus by bicycle receive occasional parking passes?
  Yes.  Please apply for commuter bicycle benefits.