It seems like yesterday that students were moving into the residence halls and the semester was beginning. Now it’s almost Halloween and before we know it, Thanksgiving. Thus, it’s not too early to begin thinking about travel plans for your student during Thanksgiving Break. To help with this transportation, Mason’s Parking & Transportation department offers several different options.
Mason offers low-cost shuttles to Dulles Airport during the afternoon and evening of Tuesday, November 26 as well as during the morning of Wednesday, November 27. After Thanksgiving, there will be shuttles back to the Fairfax campus from Dulles Airport on Sunday, December 1. Shuttles are $10 each way. Reservations and payment are required in advance. The reservation links will be posted on shuttle.gmu.edu and also emailed to all resident students early in November.
Other airport transportation options include Super Shuttle and Washington Flyer shuttle taxis. Super Shuttle is offering a discount to students through the discount code: MASON. Through the use of this code, students will receive $5 off a round-trip booking or $2 off a one-way reservation. Click here for more information on options including transportation to Reagan National and BWI airports.
There will also be shuttles to regional cities for Thanksgiving Break, including Fredericksburg, Richmond, Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York City. Tickets are $20 one-way or $30 round trip. Information about these shuttles will be made available along with the airport shuttles in early November.
Besides the shuttles, a great option for students looking to share a ride or find a ride home is to use Zimride, Mason’s ridesharing network. Students can sign up hereusing their Patriot Pass login and password. Zimride is free to use and a great way to carpool, whether it’s for one-time trips home or back to campus around Thanksgiving, winter, or spring breaks! Students willing to share a ride can state how much gas money they want from other riders to help defray their costs.
For any student bringing their vehicles to campus after Thanksgiving Break for the first time, monthly passes for the Field House general lots, as well as for reserved lots I and J, are available in person at the Parking Services office. Spring 2014 semester permits will be available for purchase online only at parking.gmu.edu.
Of course it is not necessary for students to have a car with all of the transportation options Mason provides. Encourage your student to visit zipcar.com/gmu for more information on renting cars by the hour and an opportunity to get a special $15 registration rate. Also encourage your student to visit parking.gmu.edu, transportation.gmu.edu, and shuttles.gmu.edu, “like” Mason Parking & Transportation on Facebook, and “follow” @MasonParking and @MasonShuttles on Twitter.
Josh Cantor
Director
Parking & Transportation