Transportation

DOTS offers Terp Ride, an app that provides paratransit services to the University of Maryland community. Terp Ride is available for download for Apple and Android. Riders can also contact shuttledrm@umd.edu or call 301-314-2660 to schedule a ride. For more information on Terp Ride, visit DOTS.

Shuttle-UM offers Paratransit as its curb-to-curb, on-demand shuttle subscription service available to students, faculty and staff with temporary and permanent disabilities.

• Those with temporary disabilities (impact of less than six weeks) who wish to use this service must register with the University Health Center (UHC).
• Students with permanent disabilities and temporary disabilities lasting for more than six weeks must be registered with Accessibility and Disability Services (ADS).
• Faculty and Staff with permanent disabilities and temporary disabilities lasting for more than six weeks must be registered with University Human Resources (UHR).
• Paratransit is also available for campus guests who schedule their rides directly with Shuttle-UM.

Accessible parking is available in most lots on campus. We ask that you display your state-issued hanging permit from your vehicle’s rear view mirror. If applicable, please display your DOTS parking permit on the driver’s side of your vehicle’s dashboard with the lot assignment and control number facing the window.

Parking spaces in campus lots that begin with a letter or number are restricted to vehicles with a current, valid DOTS permit. This includes all ADA accessible parking spaces within these lots.

Guests with state-issued disability placards or license plates can park up to 4 hours for free in any individual metered space. Guests may also park in any pay station space but payment is required.

We encourage anyone coming to campus for a special event to contact the event coordinators to see if additional arrangements have been made for ADA access if existing parking does not suffice.

All vehicles parking in marked ADA accessible parking spaces must display a disability placard or plate issued by the state; DOTS does not issue these parking credentials nor are we permitted to grant temporary or permanent access to these spaces. Accessible parking credentials including state issued disability placards or plates may be requested through the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration Disability Parking. The MVA offers accommodations for permanent as well as temporary (three weeks to six months) disabilities.

Receive information about impacts to ADA accessible parking on campus by opting in to the ADA parking email list.

All of our transit buses typically have ADA seating located at the very front of the bus and are equipped with wheelchair ramps. For a passenger that requires ADA seating, drivers are trained to fold the seats in the front, deploy the ramp and secure the passenger. Once the passenger has reached their destination, the driver will release the securments and deploy the ramp.

“Will You Stand Up for Me?” is a campaign launched in 2019 to raise awareness about invisible disabilities. It asks passengers to think about individuals living with invisible disabilities who face unique challenges while riding transit. Since passengers may not realize that another rider needs to sit and asking for a seat can feel uncomfortable, the campaign works to make these considerations a reflex.

Note: Click on the "Accessible Pathways" box under the directions tab.

BikeUMD and our campus community have seen a recent uptick in bikes and e-scooters that are improperly parked, and locked to handrails along ramps and stairways. Obstructions along handrails specifically impact individuals with disabilities who need a clear and accessible path of travel. Handrails that are clear from obstructions are a safety requirement and are necessary to ensure that people can navigate campus as easily as possible.

Additionally, when bikes and e-scooters are parked in pedestrian zones, they obstruct building egress and pose a serious risk in the event of a fire or other building emergency.

Remember: Bikes and e-scooters should only be parked at bike racks on campus. Personal bicycles, e-scooters, or e-bikes that are locked to trees or handrails or are parked in resident halls will be subject to impoundment by university personnel. Relocation, impound, and/or storage fees may apply. They should not be locked to handrails, trees, or parked inside residence halls. Do your part, Terps!