The office is located in Manderino Library; hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Students who have questions or need assistance may stop by or call 724-938-4677. Read more information about parking

Yes, freshmen may bring a car to PennWest California. Like all students who wish to park on campus, they must purchase a parking permit for each semester.

Students may choose their parking permit level: Tier 1 parking, primarily for commuters, costs $100 per semester. Tier 2 parking, primarily for residence hall students, is $150 per semester. Permits are renewable online three to four weeks before the end of the semester. 

Student parking permits are valid for one semester, but they may be renewed each semester while the student is enrolled. Permits are not renewed automatically – you must apply to renew your parking permit each semester.

We strongly recommend that students renew their permits as soon as the renewal period opens. Failure to renew a permit renders it invalid, and the permit must be returned. Students with invalid permits must add their names to a waitlist if they want another opportunity to purchase a permit. 

If you’re planning a short visit, you may pay by the hour, using the pay-by-license meters in Lot 11 or Lot 17. If you expect to be on campus for longer than a day, you can visit the Parking Office to request a guest permit; cost is $5 per day.

Yes! Move-In Day is a special time on campus, and the parking lots near our residence halls will be set up to receive incoming students and their belongings. You will be directed to unload your vehicle near your student’s residence hall and then move your vehicle to Lot 4 (also called the River Lot). This allows us to accommodate everyone who is moving in.

Students who have purchased parking permits for specific parking lots may move back into their assigned parking areas by 4 p.m. Sunday on Move-In Weekend. 

Vulcan Village provides its residents with a Village parking permit, which allows them to park at Vulcan Village only. Students may ride the free Vulcan Flyer shuttle between Vulcan Village and the main campus, or they may purchase a permit to park on campus.

PennWest California has a partnership with Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority that allows all PennWest California students with a valid CalCard to access the system and travel free of charge. MMVTA buses travel to areas such as Belle Vernon and Pittsburgh; schedules can be found at www.mmvta.com.

The free Vulcan Flyer shuttles provide regular transportation between Vulcan Village and the main campus. Shuttles make 108 round trips per day and arrive about every 15 minutes. Once an hour the Vulcan Flyer “shopper” makes an extended run to the Walmart in West Brownsville. Vulcan Flyer shuttles also serve Adamson Stadium for both practices and home games, making it possible to travel from campus to the stadium free of charge.

There are no free places to park on campus; however, students can utilize the Park-and-Ride lot across Route 88 from Vulcan Village and use the Vulcan Flyer shuttles to reach campus. The Park-and-Ride lot is free; no overnight parking is allowed.

In general, no. PennWest California has a managed parking system, and we have extensive data that helps to determine the correct number of permits for each parking lot.

However, we have found that parking lots may be more crowded than usual during the first week or two of classes. Because we cannot predict human behavior, we suggest that you plan to arrive on campus at least 30 minutes before the start of your classes in case your assigned parking lot is congested.