How will faculty/staff get to work safely?
We anticipate that faculty and staff will return to campus via all modes, including driving and parking, riding the Gainesville Regional Transit bus system, biking, walking and other travel alternatives. Those wishing to park on campus are encouraged to review their decal options, as lower-priced decals typically provide access to less proximate parking locations and may require a transit ride to your campus destination. Those choosing to ride public transit will recognize enhanced procedures and additional resources invested in cleaning and sanitizing vehicles and related facilities, as further described below. As a commuting choice where feasible or while on campus, faculty and staff are encouraged to take advantage of the university’s bicycle and pedestrian friendly campus. Lastly, Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) campus circulator transportation programs — including Campus Cab, Gator Lift and the Campus Connector — have implemented cleaning, sanitizing and physical distancing protocols to allow riders to return with confidence.
How will the university maximize parking availability?
UF believes the key to a successful parking experience is predictability. With this in mind, we will maintain multiple parking decal types to separate customer groups. This provides parking customers with a more precise target area for parking and a higher degree of predictability to find an available space. Garage 14 opened in February 2020, one month before the university migrated to online classes, adding 591 spaces to the campus parking supply for commuting faculty and staff members with Orange decals, and another 787 spaces for shared use by Orange and Blue decal holders. On the south side of campus, UF will offer approximately 150 new surface parking spaces near Animal Sciences and the College of Veterinary Medicine. In mid-September, after campus parking demand is known, UF will evaluate underutilized parking capacities across campus to determine whether any adjustments may be needed.
What will be the rules around public transportation?
UF Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) is taking the following steps to ensure the safety of our passengers on our transit services:
General Precautions
- All UF drivers and maintenance workers are required to wear masks or cloth face coverings at all times while on board UF public transit vehicles.
- Passengers are required to wear masks or cloth face coverings whenever riding with one of our services.
- Frequently contacted surfaces such as door handles, handrails, armrests, seat belt buckles and armrests are cleaned and sanitized every half hour (for our Campus Connector shuttles) and after every passenger trip (for our Campus Cab and Gator Lift vehicles) using EPA-approved products for removing coronavirus.
- All vehicle interiors are professionally sanitized at the end of each workday by UF Facilities Services dedicated COVID-19 cleaning team.
- Plexiglas barriers have been installed between the driver and passenger compartments in all transit vehicles.
- Drivers have access to gloves, hand sanitizer and cleaning products at all times.
Campus Cab
- Passenger trips with potentially compatible routes will no longer be combined for shared rides.
Campus Connector Shuttles
- Passenger capacity has been reduced to 50% (10 of 20 seats available) per shuttle bus to maintain physical distancing among riders; the remaining 50% of seats are identified as unavailable by signage.
- Drivers are required to use a mask or cloth face covering and gloves when assisting wheelchair users with embarking and disembarking the vehicle.
Gator Lift
- Drivers are required to use a mask or cloth face covering and gloves when assisting wheelchair users with embarking and disembarking the vehicle.
- Passenger trips with potentially compatible routes will no longer be combined for shared rides.
RTS
- Passenger capacity has been reduced to 50% (from 60 to 30 per bus). Passengers are asked via onboard signage to physically distance while riding.
- Passengers are required to enter the bus by the rear entrance only.
- All drivers are required to wear masks or cloth face coverings.
- Passengers are required to wear masks or cloth face coverings by county ordinance. Additional complimentary masks are available by request.
- Buses are cleaned after every other trip using AeroClaves (effective tool for cleaning and disinfecting), and additional cleaning measures have been enacted at bus stations, administration buildings and bus shelters.
- Temporary barriers have been installed between drivers and passengers.
- Hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed on buses.
For more on what RTS is doing to promote safety, view this video.
Adjustments will be made as may be required by changes in ridership demand.
Transportation and Parking Services is redesigning existing Campus Connector routes to provide better and more efficient service to be announced before the start of the spring semester at https://taps.ufl.edu/alternative-transportation/campus-connector/. This is a free walk-on public campus circulator shuttle service.
Lastly, UF is developing a Guaranteed Ride Home program for faculty and staff who use alternate modes of transportation and do not own a parking decal. Within some limitations, UF will provide a ride home when those unplanned or emergency situations come up while you are at work and you are unable to respond as-needed because transportation decision-making is out of your hands.
Frequently Asked Questions
- If my question isn't answered here, whom can I contact?
Please email reopen@ufl.edu for additional questions not answered here.
- My question is not addressed here. Where can I learn more?
UF Human Resources has assembled a comprehensive webpage of resources to support faculty and staff during this time.