Our carpool program offers benefits to UW faculty and staff who drive to campus together. Carpooling saves you money, decreases vehicle emissions, and reduces traffic congestion.
On this page, learn how to register an existing carpool or apply for a carpool permit.
Want to form a carpool? Connect with other carpoolers on RoundTrip, a free ride matching service operated by Greater Madison MPO. Learn more below.
Carpool Program Benefits
Members of carpools registered with Transportation Services or carpools with an official UW carpool permit receive these benefits:
Save on Parking
Split the cost of parking with the carpool group. One carpool member is designated to pay permit costs to Transportation Services.
Parking Passes
UW carpool members receive six daily parking passes per parking year to use when the permit is unavailable or when you can’t ride with the carpool.
ERH Eligibility
UW carpoolers qualify to have the cost of emergency cab rides covered by the Emergency Ride Home Program (ERH).
How to Join the UW Carpool Program
Option 1: Register a carpool
Carpools can be registered for two or more UW employees who drive to campus together nearly every day, and when one member has an annual parking permit.
Students are not eligible for UW carpools.
The other members of a registered carpool will become ineligible to apply for annual base lot permits, but they may still purchase afternoon, Flex, park and ride, moped, motorcycle and/or night permits.
Click the button below to register your carpool:
Option 2: Get a carpool permit
Carpool permits are available for three or more UW employees who drive to campus together nearly every day. Students are not eligible for UW carpools.
In addition to six daily parking passes and ERH eligibility, carpool permit applicants are prioritized when parking assignments are made. Applicants receive notice of their application status before annual base lot permit offers are sent.
Carpool permits are available in these UW parking lots:
| Lot 6 Lot 7 Lot 17 |
Lot 29 Lot 34 Lot 36 |
Lot 46 Lot 60 Lot 76 |
Click the button below to apply for a carpool permit. You will be contacted with more instructions after the form is submitted.
Form a Carpool
Looking for carpool members?
Register as a rider or driver (or both) through RoundTrip, a free ride matching service operated by Greater Madison MPO.
UW-Madison employees with a UW-affiliated email address can join the private UW-Madison RoundTrip network to find other employees interested in driving together. (UW students may also join the private UW-Madison network, but they are not eligible for UW registered carpools or carpool permits.)
Click the button below to join the private UW-Madison RoundTrip network:
You can also sign up for RoundTrip online, by phone (608-266-RIDE) or by email.
Other ways to form a carpool
- Additional ridematching websites can be found in the UW Carpool Handout (PDF).
- Commute with Enterprise, a group commute option.
- Ask coworkers or neighbors if they would be interested in carpooling.
- Transportation Services cannot suggest matches.
Carpool updates
Add/remove members
To add or remove a carpool member, the permit holder must email the Commuter Solutions Team and include:
- The member’s name
- The member’s email address
- Their UW employee or UW Health ID number
Cancel a carpool
To cancel a carpool, email the Commuter Solutions Team, include the captain’s name and contact information, and return the carpool permit to a Transportation Services office.