Fall 2025 Operational Updates: Rate Changes, Enhancing Campus Mobility and Safety

  • by Transportation Services

Quick Summary

  • Update August 26: Daily parking rate increases previously scheduled to take effect on Sept. 2 have been postponed. Daily parking rates will remain unchanged for the Fall quarter.
  • HONK officially launches Sept. 2, an additional parking app offering an alternative to purchasing daily parking through AMP Park.

UC Davis Transportation Services remains committed to maintaining and improving the infrastructure that supports our campus community’s mobility needs.

Multiple initiatives are underway and several have already been successfully implemented to promote safe, sustainable and efficient transportation options for all.

Parking Rate Adjustments

Updated August 26

Daily parking rate increases previously scheduled to take effect on Sept. 2 have been postponed. Daily parking rates will remain unchanged for the Fall quarter.

As always, we will provide ample notice to the campus community before future parking rate adjustments. 

Note: To help reduce the cost of parking, consider paying with pre-tax dollars through UC Davis’ Commuter Card Program. This benefit allows eligible employees to use payroll deductions to pay for daily parking and transit.

  • Already enrolled?
    Now is a good time to review your current monthly contribution.
  • Given the upcoming rate increases, Commuter Card holders should consider whether they need to increase their pre-tax contributions to cover parking costs. 

    Important: The deadline to request a new card or make changes to an existing card is the 10th of the month to access those funds in the following “benefit” month (e.g., increase contributions between Aug. 1–10 to use those funds beginning Sept. 1).

Transportation Services Almost Entirely Self-supporting

We must generate parking revenue to:

  • Maintain parking areas and campus roadways
  • Improve pedestrian and bicycle pathways
  • Support programs like the UC Davis Bicycle Program, Mobility Assistance Shuttle, Causeway Connection and Traffic Ambassador Program.
  • Cover the annual debt on campus parking structures

  • Manage the SPIN shared bike and scooter program on campus

Technology Improvement

Transportation Services will officially launch HonkMobile in September—an additional parking app that offers an alternative to purchasing daily parking through AMP Park.

Already in use at Aggie Square, HonkMobile is available at no additional cost to parkers or the university, and offers functionality requested by campus users, including Apple Pay compatibility. Updated parking signage will begin appearing across campus, showing HonkMobile as another payment option. 

Infrastructure and Safety Enhancements

Transportation Services completed several projects to enhance campus safety and mobility:

  • New Stop Signs on La Rue Road: Installed at the intersections with Garrod Drive and Bioletti Way, converting them into all-way stops to improve safety for all road users.

  • High-Visibility Improvements: Upgraded lighting in parking lots and along major pathways to enhance visibility during low-light conditions.

  • Abandoned Bicycle Clearance and Waste Diversion: Cleared over 1,600 abandoned bicycles from campus racks, with more than 1,300 sold back to the community through public online auction, diverting approximately 57,000 pounds of waste from landfills.

Bicycle Programs and Education

Promoting bicycle safety and accessibility remains a priority:

  • Free Bike Index Registration: Encouraging all cyclists to register their transportation devices-including bikes and e-bikes, scooters, and skateboards-to aid in recovery if lost or stolen.

  • Helmet Hair, Don't Care: Providing free helmets to students and employees to promote safe riding practices.

  • Lit Not Hit Initiative: Distributing free bike lights to ensure cyclists are visible during dawn and dusk hours.

Support for Campus Events

Transportation Services is an important partner in major campus events, managing parking and transportation logistics for:

  • Moove-In and Moove-Out

  • Picnic Day

  • Whole Earth Festival

  • Commencements

  • Lawntopia

These efforts ensure smooth traffic flow and accessibility during high-attendance events.

Community Engagement and Services

  • Donations for Citations (2024): An initiative allowing individuals to donate non-perishable food items to The Pantry in lieu of paying certain parking citations, fostering community support and engagement.

  • Mobility Assistance Shuttle Upgrades: Enhanced services for students and employees with documented disabilities, providing reliable on-campus transportation.

  • Parking Invoice Program: Transportation Services’ invoice option offers flexibility for those who forgot to pay for parking or were unaware of permit requirements—allowing eligible individuals to pay the non-affiliate daily rate instead of a full citation fine.

  • Causeway Connection: Fully subsidized 78,175 rides between the Davis and Sacramento campuses, supporting sustainable and accessible intercampus commuting.

  • Transportation Impact Updates: Regular communications regarding parking and traffic impacts are available. Sign up to stay informed about campus transportation developments.

  • Moving Forward Together: Launched an effort in partnership with Campus Planning (Design and Construction Management) to explore attitudes on transportation safety on campus. Project delivery is expected in Spring 2026, with recommended infrastructure changes and programming to promote safety on campus.