Rochester Institute of Technology - Parking

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

Parking on campus has been an area of hot debate on RIT’s campus for quite some time. On the outside, the parking situation at RIT seems too good to be true. Every student, regardless of their class rank, is allowed to have a car on campus. The difficult part, as most students find out, is figuring out where they can park and when they can park there. Depending on your status, living accommodations, and sticker type, you are allowed to park in a varying number of lots at different times throughout the day. If you are not satisfied with this parking system, you can purchase a reserved parking sticker through Campus Safety, which allows you access to better parking spaces in various lots, depending on your needs.

Overall, there really are enough parking spots for students to use without purchasing the reserved parking passes. When it comes down to it, if a student arrives on campus before 11 a.m., they will have little problem finding a parking space in a non-restricted lot. Parking for dorms and apartment complexes is usually relatively easy as well. There are not many parking spots that are very far away from any apartment or dorm. An exception is Colony Manor. There are not enough parking spaces for all of the residents in this complex, and on weekends, it can be impossible to find parking because of the number of students who drive over to find parties to go to. Parking on the academic side of campus is harder, due to the lots that students are allowed to park in and the varying hours when the lots are open for students to park. The number of commuter students at RIT is also a factor in the availability of parking spaces. Commuter students have no real choice when it comes to how they get to class. While it is possible for off-campus students to use the bus system, most students drive to campus simply because it is a more reliable means of transportation. If you are looking for parking on the academic side, your best bet is to get there early, and try the U lot first. Trust me, you’ll find a spot here, although I can’t guarantee that you won’t be falsely ticketed by hostile, near-sighted Campus Security officers.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

Parking is something RIT is... Parking is something RIT is constantly trying to improve on, and like everything that RIT tries to improve on, ultimately all that it results in is a bunch of surveys going out to the students, and a bunch of committees appointed to study the problem. I have a suggestion—just build more lots or a parking garage! 12345 Report

Anonymous says:

Everyone complains about parking... Everyone complains about parking at RIT, and it is a bit of a pain, but at least we don’t pay for it. If you are that worried about getting a parking spot, get up and go over to campus earlier. If you get to campus before noon, there are usually spaces. It is the kids who don’t have anything until two in the afternoon that have a problem finding spaces to park because the rest of the world took the spots while they were sleeping! People are just lazy. 12345 Report

Anonymous says:

When I first came to RIT, I... When I first came to RIT, I thought it was great that I didn’t have to pay for parking. Then I realized that’s because parking at RIT is theoretical only—there are no real parking lots. Besides, they make enough money off of the tickets they give out to cover the cost of parking. 12345 Report

Anonymous says:

I brought my car to school with me... I brought my car to school with me to have freedom—so I could go where I wanted, when I wanted. That works fine as long as I don’t want to go anywhere on campus. Parking here is insane! There are never any parking spots, and you get ticketed if you park in ones that are available. 12345 Report

Anonymous says:

Unless you are a commuter, you... Unless you are a commuter, you really shouldn’t drive your car to class. Any on-campus housing is within walking distance. If less people who lived on campus drove to class, there wouldn’t be a parking problem. 12345 Report

Did You Know?

Best Places to Find a Parking Spot
Get to the U lot early, and you’ll be able to get a decent parking space, or you can cheat and park in Riverknoll visitor’s parking or UC visitor parking. Parking is usually available on the Jefferson Road side of campus, though it is a further walk than the U lot.

Good Luck Getting a Parking Spot Here!
If you get to U lot later in the day, there is a pretty good shot you won’t get parking unless you want to risk getting a ticket, or have a short-term parking pass.

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