Frequently Asked Questions
Driving Change: UT's Big Plans forParking and Campus Growth
At the University of Tennessee, we’re revamping our campus to keep up with growth, spark innovation, and make sure everyone gets the full Volunteer experience. This includes everything from new buildings to parking strategies that support our academics and research.
We’re rolling out some new parking initiatives starting this spring, with most changes kicking in by Fall 2024. The plan? To make your life easier by cutting down on parking competition, making your commute more predictable, and improving transportation options. Our goal is to streamline how you get to and interact with campus, so it’s all smooth sailing.
What are core, intermediate, and remote parking zones?
Parking zones are a way to classify parking in and around campus and establish a priority for access to each zone. For Commuter parking, core parking is located in central areas on campus and is the most limited and in-demand zone. Intermediate parking is located on campus but is less centrally located than in core areas. Remote lots are located adjacent to campus or off campus and serviced by T buses. For Non-Commuter parking, core parking is located near or adjacent to housing areas, and remote parking is located adjacent to campus or off campus and serviced by T buses; there are no intermediate parking zones for non-commuter parking. Zones in the core of campus are more expensive than intermediate and remote lots.
When can I buy a permit?
Parking permits will be sold by academic classification with graduate students and upperclassmen having the first opportunities, followed by juniors, sophomores, and first-year students. The permit sales process will begin in late July. Communications detailing when and how to purchase a permit will be sent to your UT email address.
How will the order of priority be determined for student permit sales?
Students will be able to purchase parking permits in zone areas based on availability and a tiered system that prioritizes academic credit hours earned. Graduate students and seniors will be able to choose parking options first, followed by juniors, then sophomores, and then first-year students. Eligibility will be determined by the number of hours completed as of July 1, 2024.
How will I get around campus and the community without a car?
As part of your student fees, you have access to no-cost transportation via the T bus. The T serves campus seven days a week with a fleet of 31 buses, nine fixed routes, and on-demand accessible transportation via the T: Access and T: Link. Live routes and bus locations can be viewed online.
Students are also encouraged to utilize alternative means of transportation on campus, such as bicycles, scooters, and carpooling. Bicycles and e-scooters are available for rent on campus.
What are some sustainable transportation options?
- Bicycles – UT is a Bronze-level Bike Friendly campus and biking can get you from one end of campus to the other in ten minutes. Bicycles are available for short-term and long-term rental from TRECS.
- KAT bus – public transit operated by Knoxville Area Transit and the City of Knoxville.
- Electric scooters – e-scooters are available for rent via an app and are placed strategically throughout campus and downtown by an approved vendor.
- Carpooling with friends – Coordinate your schedules with friends to ride together onto campus. Reducing the number of Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) is a sustainable goal for Parking and Transportation.
What if I need to unload items at my dorm?
There are designated loading spaces throughout campus that provide short-term access to residential buildings and academic housing. Additionally, several new locations around campus will offer hourly parking options for longer duration stays (beginning Aug 1, 2024).
Who can park in the Park & Ride lot?
The Park and Ride lot will be an affordable parking option available to all commuting students, faculty, and staff. Park and Ride permits are not an option for on-campus residents who must utilize available non-commuter parking.
What are the hours and drop-off location of the Park & Ride shuttles?
T buses will run from the Park and Ride location to Gate 21 Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Location to be announced by the end of May.) Similar to events and gamedays on campus, there will be occasions when the location will close early due to evening events. Please look for informational signage when using the Park and Ride lot.
What if I park in the Park & Ride lot but remain on campus beyond 5 p.m.?
Three T buses will run from Gate 21 to the Park and Ride lot continuously from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. More information will be announced shortly.
Can I park in the Park & Ride lot overnight?
Overnight parking is not permitted in the Park and Ride lot.
I have a state-issued accessible placard or license plate, do I still need a permit to park on campus?
Yes. Vehicles parked in an accessible space must have valid university parking credentials. Mobility-impaired faculty, staff, and students with a valid state-issued placard must complete an application for a permit and submit a copy of their placard. Click here for more information.
Where can daytime/daily visitors park?
Starting Aug 1, 2024, there are many new options for hourly/visitor parking, including at the following locations:
- West Campus Parking Garage (G7 – top level)
- Neyland Parking Garage (G10 – portions of the top level off Fulmer and portions of the first level off Neyland)
- Vol Hall Parking Garage (G15 – levels 1 and 2)
- Circle Park
- On-street parking on Volunteer Blvd, Todd Helton Dr, Chamique Holdsclaw Dr, and Philip Fulmer Way
Where can overnight visitors park?
Overnight visitors can park in hourly parking spaces. These spaces will be mobile pay 24/7.
What limitations will impact hourly parking?
Special events, including football, may limit the hourly paid options. Also, rates for game days will be different than normal hourly rates.
Who can use hourly/visitor parking?
Hourly parking is first-come, first-serve, and open to students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
Can I reserve hourly parking ahead of time?
Hourly parking is designed to meet on-demand needs, so spaces cannot be reserved ahead of time. However, colleges and departments may purchase validation codes that can be sent to visitors ahead of their arrival on campus to allow them to park in any unoccupied hourly space.
Can I still purchase an evening permit?
Yes, evening permits will be available.
I didn’t get the staff lot that I wanted, can I buy an Orange Dot?
The Orange Dot permit was created several years ago to allow staff and faculty flexibility to move around campus and park in any unreserved staff parking space for business purposes. However, our core parking inventory continues to diminish while our campus population increases, making the program unsustainable in its original form. To ensure enough space for permitted vehicles, the number of Orange Dots issued will be drastically reduced beginning with the fall 2024 semester. Faculty and staff are encouraged to park once and walk, bike, or ride the T when traveling between buildings on campus.
Is there a way to see available parking where I have a permit?
The university is in the process of implementing new parking technologies intended to provide better information about available parking so that commuting students and staff can make better-informed decisions before departing for campus. Several tools will be used to improve the information gathered and provided. All information will be provided in one app (VolPark) to help define where parking is available within a given permit zone or area on campus.
What happens if I don’t have a parking permit or park in a different zone than my permit?
Parking enforcement will be issuing warnings to help ease the transition into this new parking system. If you don’t have a parking permit, you can utilize hourly parking options to park on campus as available. If you park in the wrong zone, you may receive a warning initially indicating where to park. After initial warnings, parking citations will be issued, and associated fines and violations will be the responsibility of the driver.
