The UW Carpool program provides extra support for UW and UW Health employees who regularly drive to and from work together.
You can register an existing carpool or apply for a carpool permit.
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Carpool program benefits
Save on parking
Split the cost of parking with carpool members.
Free daily passes
UW carpool members receive six daily campus parking passes per parking year for days when you can’t join the carpool.
Free rides home
UW carpoolers qualify for free emergency cab rides through the Emergency Ride Home program (ERH).
Carpool registration (groups of 2+)
If you are a UW or UW Health employee and commute with colleagues, you may be eligible to register as an official carpool.
Eligibility & restrictions
Who can join: At least two UW and/or UW Health employees who drive to campus together most days.
Requirement: One member must already have a base lot, Flex, or park & ride permit.
Student status: Students are not eligible for this program.
What happens to your permit options?
Once you join a registered carpool:
- Members other than the primary permit holder cannot apply for an individual base lot permit.
- You can still purchase a bus pass or a Flex, moped, motorcycle, afternoon, or night permit.
Carpool permits (groups of 3+)
Groups of three or more UW employees who commute together nearly every day are eligible for a dedicated carpool permit.
Why apply for a carpool permit?
Skip the waitlist: Carpool applications bypass the standard parking permit waiting list.
Who can join: At least three UW and/or UW Health employees who drive to campus together most days.
Student status: Students are not eligible for this program.
What happens to your permit options?
Once you join a carpool with a dedicated carpool permit:
- You cannot apply for an individual annual base lot permit.
- You can still purchase a bus pass or a Flex, moped, motorcycle, afternoon, or night permit.
Program comparison
| Feature | Registered carpool (option 1) | Carpool permit (option 2) |
| Group size | 2+ UW or UW Health employees | 3+ UW or UW Health employees |
| Waitlist | Subject to standard waiting lists | Bypasses the waiting list |
| Permit source | One member must already have a permit | One member applies for carpool permit |
| Daily passes | 6 free passes per member, per year | 6 free passes per member, per year |
| Emergency Ride Home | Eligible | Eligible |
| Lot choice | Any lot the permit holder is assigned to | Select specific lots (6, 7, 17, 29, 34, 36, 46, 60, or 76) |
| Cost | Split the cost of existing permit | Split cost of carpool permit (same cost as base lot) |
Which one should you choose?
Choose registered carpool (2+ people) if you and a coworker already have a parking spot and want the safety net of the Emergency Ride Home program and free daily passes for the days you can’t drive together.
Choose a carpool permit (3+ people) if you are currently on a long waiting list. This can be a much faster way to get a permit for parking on campus while splitting costs between three or more people.
Important note for both options
All members (except the primary permit holder) become ineligible for their own annual base lot permit. However, everyone remains eligible to purchase Flex, moped, motorcycle, afternoon, or night permits if needed.
Carpool membership
Add/remove carpool 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 primary permit holder’s name and contact information, and return the carpool permit to a Transportation Services office.
Need a ride? Find a carpool partner
If you want to carpool but don’t have a partner yet, you can use RoundTrip—a free ride-matching service for the greater Madison area.
How it works
Find matches: Register as a rider, a driver, or both.
Exclusive network: Use your UW-affiliated email to join the private UW-Madison network. This connects you specifically with other university employees, UW Health employees, and students.
Flexible search: You can search for partners based on your schedule and commute route.
Eligibility note
Employees: Can use RoundTrip to find partners and then apply for a UW registered carpool or carpool permit.
Students: Are welcome to use the RoundTrip app to find rides.
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.