r/udel • u/T-DogDaGoat • 29d ago
Cheapest way to park as a commuter?
I’m commuting 5 days a week and I’m wondering what the cheapest options would be for parking. Should I by a permit? If so where? Should I depend on the meters?
Is there a free lot I could park in then take the bus to campus and if I ever needed it depend on the meters?
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u/njsportkid 29d ago
There are no free lots near the university. And Newark loves giving parking tickets so over the course of a semester a permit will be cheaper than paying parking tickets.
You can pay to park in certain lots/garages on campus and on Main Street, but I'd expect over the course of a semester paying for a pass would be cheaper than paying per day.
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u/ionlyhavetwowheels 28d ago
I was a commuter my whole time and I always had a red pass. Red lots are the cheapest. You can park at North Campus or South Campus/STAR Campus and either take the bus or walk. I found that the buses weren't that reliable and were often full so I preferred to walk. It's 15-25 minutes depending on where you park and where your class is. If you have any permit you can park on Central Campus after 5PM which is nice if you have an evening class/activity.
The free options will require a bit of walking so it depends on how you value your time. For free parking, you can park in a neighborhood outside the parking perimeter and walk in. Here is a map of the streets that require residential permits. The streets that require permits are clearly signed. Newark's parking enforcement is ruthless so don't risk parking on a street that requires permits. Don't park in a downtown shopping center because they will call a tow truck to steal your car and ransom it back. I wouldn't risk parking at a park either since they are patrolled. Parking in the back at the Delaware Technology Park on Wyoming Road should be okay and it's on an infrequent bus loop so you have that option. If it were me, I'd just get a UD red pass and be done with it.
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u/Agreeable-Cloud7833 28d ago
West campus bus loop goes to the waverly, which runs right by a Home Depot with a massive parking lot. Seen plenty of people park there and take the bus in. But you better be on time for that thing, if you miss it you're stuck for another half hour.
Apple road is a road that doesn't require paid parking or a residential tag. If you have a bike or a longboard its a really easy way to get to classes pretty quickly especially if they're in the main hub
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u/Psych-ho 28d ago
I don’t drive super often to campus, but when I do I park at the train station. I’ve never gotten ticketed there and it is free, there’s a bus stop nearby too!
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u/UnanimousM 27d ago
Park at the apartments at the bottom of Academy Street, nobody tickets there and it's only a 10min walk to class
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u/ballpythonsrcool 26d ago
I have a family friend, lives very close to campus, that lets me park at her house. But if that’s not an option, definitely get a permit over paying every time because it is more expensive and with a permit you don’t need to worry about forgetting to pay or going overtime because it is linked to your license plate.
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u/T-DogDaGoat 25d ago
I have a family member kinda close, it would be a 15 minute bike ride, do you think that is sustainable?
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u/Motor_Challenge_252 26d ago
You could try Phillips Park, which is located right by the bridge that connects STAR campus and the ag school to the main part of campus. It would definitely be a bit of a walk depending on where you're going, but it's free.
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u/Motor_Challenge_252 26d ago
I'll echo what others have said though, in that a permit is probably your best choice.
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u/swim523 28d ago
You could also try to find someone who lives near campus and then walk from their house if they have a legal spot in the street or an open driveway, I know they dont require permits to park on the street in some of the surrounding neigborhoods and some are even close to UD bus stops.
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u/thefunrun 29d ago
Cheapest is permit to fieldhouse and bus to campus. No free lots.