Winter Break George Mason Shuttles Service Changes
George Mason shuttle service remains in operation until Friday, December 20. There will be no shuttle service between December 21 and January 5, 2025. All shuttle services will operate on winter break service hours starting Monday, January 6, 2025.
Parking & Transportation Quiz Now Available Online
Introducing the online quiz tool to provide recommendations on your parking permit options and the easiest ways to get around George Mason University.
Mason Commutes: Ridesharing at Mason
Make a difference, one commute at a time! Help MasonCommutes.com become the go-to place for Mason ridesharing and commuting of all types.
Capital Bikeshare Stations Now Available on Fairfax Campus
Biking around campus and the City of Fairfax is easier than ever. Ride and park your ebike at one of 700+ stations across Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Membership discounts are available for Mason students.
Transportation Guide
Find out the latest updates on transportation services, Mason shuttles, and parking information for the new semester.
Check Out the City of Fairfax CUE Bus
The CUE Bus is available to take you to many locations in the City of Fairfax and the Vienna Metro station. Free for the public. Just board and go!
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Bicycle/Scooter Registration
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Bicycle Commuter Choice (Faculty/Staff Only)
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Patriot Bicycle Checkout Program
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Biking Resources
How Do I Register My Bicycle/Scooter?
- Gather the following information about your bicycle/scooter: make, model, serial number, color, bike size, type, and any other identifiers (if you’re not sure where to find this info, contact our office).
- Fill out the Bicycle/Scooter Registration Form.
- You will complete the registration process by coming into one of the parking services offices. We will have a registration sticker, complimentary U-lock, bike safety information, and other biking-related giveaways available for you to pick up.
- Fairfax Campus – Nottoway Annex, Phone: (703) 993-2828
- Mason Square – Van Metre Hall, Room 219, Phone: (703) 993-8146
- Science and Technology Campus – Colgan Hall, Room 112, Phone: (703) 993-4808
- Once you pick up your bike kit, please place the registration sticker on your bike or scooter as directed in the diagrams below. All Mason registration stickers must be located in the same place for consistency across the program and ease of finding your registration sticker if needed.
Free Parking Passes
Students, faculty, and staff who live off-campus and do not own a parking permit will also receive 2 daily complimentary parking passes* per semester upon registering their bicycle or scooter. The 2 daily complimentary parking passes can be used for parking in general lots on campus. Please request your parking passes when you are picking up your bike kit. Complimentary daily passes cannot be given to another person for use.
* Virtual permits will not immediately impact these programs as we will continue to issue complimentary hangtags. This will be phased out over time, and we will eventually be issuing virtual permits/validations as the incentive. Please continue to check this space for updates.
How Long Are Registrations Valid?
- For students, the registration is valid for 5 years.
- For faculty and staff, the registration is valid for the duration of employment.
Benefits of Bicycle/Scooter Registration
- Bicycle/Scooter registration helps to keep track of how many bicycles and scooters are on campus, and it helps us provide you with more programs, racks, and infrastructure.
- If your bike/scooter is registered with us, we can assist you if you need to have your lock removed for any reason (e.g. it rusted, you forgot the combination, etc.). We cannot assist you if your bike/scooter is not registered with Mason.
- You can be contacted if your bicycle/scooter needs to be moved or if we have a special announcement for cyclists/scooters on campus.
- If a registered bike/scooter is stolen and recovered, it can more easily be returned to its owner.
- Having a registration sticker on your bicycle/scooter acts as a theft deterrent (the stickers are specially designed and are very difficult to remove).
The Bicycle Commuter Choice rewards Mason faculty and staff for cycling to work. To participate and receive these great incentives, please read the information on this page and complete the Bicycle Commuter Program Form.
What You Need to Know
Eligibility
All full-time and part-time faculty and staff are eligible. You must be actively employed at Mason at the time of the quarterly pay out to receive it.
Application Deadline
The Bicycle Commuter Program Form must be submitted quarterly and no later than the 15th of the month following the end of the quarter to receive the incentive for that quarter.
- Q1 (January 1 – March 31) – due by April 15
- Q2 (April 1 – June 30) – due by July 15
- Q3 (July 1 – September 30) – due by October 15
- Q4 (October 1 – December 31) – due by January 15 (following tax year)
Program Incentives
Incentives are processed through HR & Payroll and all incentives are taxable including:
- The quarterly financial incentive
- Complimentary parking passes/validations used (valued at $8 each)
- The funds for the complimentary bike check (Tiers 2 and 3 only). Please note: Funds for the complimentary bike check ($100 for Tier 2 and $200 for Tier 3) will be paid annually as part of the Q4 benefit.
- Quarter 4 (October through December) incentives will be part of the following year’s taxable income.
- Because the incentives must be administratively reconciled in Parking and Transportation and processed through HR & Payroll, we will not accept late submissions.
Program Opportunities
| Opportunities | Introductory Tier | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterly Required Rides for a Financial Incentive | 5 rides Ride #1 = $10 Rides #2-5 = $5 each Maximum: $30 | 15 rides ($50) | 24 rides ($90) | 36 rides ($140) |
| Annual Bike Check (Value $200) | N/A | N/A | 50% off (Value $100) | Free (Value $200) |
| Quarterly Complimentary Daily Parking Passes (Taxable item, request as needed) | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Quarterly Distance Bonus (> 10 miles One Way) | $5 | $15 | $30 | $45 |
| Complimentary Access to Showers Van Metre Hall, Merten Hall, Aquatics Fitness Center, RAC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum Annual Benefit Daily Parking Passes ($11) Financial Incentives Distance Bonus (if eligible) Bike Check Subsidy | $278 $138 $120 $20 N/A | $536 $276 $200 $60 N/A | $994 $414 $360 $120 $100 | $1,492 $552 $560 $180 $200 |
Complimentary Parking Passes
All Bike Commuter Choice participants are eligible to receive their tier level of daily parking passes or validations per quarter by emailing transpo@gmu.edu.
- Daily general passes* ($11.50 value) are good for one day in any general lot all day. Complimentary daily passes cannot be given to another person for use.
- Parking validation ($19) is also good for the day in any parking deck but does not allow reentry privileges. Once you leave before the time has expired, you lose the remaining time on the validation. Complimentary validations cannot be given to another person for use.
* Virtual permits will not immediately impact these programs as we will continue to issue complimentary hangtags. This will be phased out over time, and we will eventually be issuing virtual permits/validations as the incentive. Please continue to check this space for updates.
Register your bike to receive a free on-guard U-lock and bike lights.
| Level | Introductory Tier | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parking Passes per Year | 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 |
| Parking Pass Annual Value | $138 | $276 | $414 | $552 |
| Garage Validations per Year | 7 | 15 | 22 | 29 |
| Validation Annual Value | $138 | $276 | $414 | $552 |
Daily Permits Terms & Conditions
- Permits expire on August 31 of each year. Parking validations have no expiration date.
- You will be taxed in the quarter you request the permits or validations. To ensure that you are not taxed on passes/validations you do not use, please order them by emailing transpo@gmu.edu as you need them.
- Up to six introductory parking permits will be provided in your first quarter in the program (2 per month of the first quarter). The number you receive will be based upon when in the first quarter you apply to the program. After that, the number of parking permits will be based on the previous quarter’s report.
- If you would like to receive validations instead of general lot permits, please let us know. The number of validations received will be lower because the validation value is higher than the lot permit value.
- When using a permit, be sure to enter the date of the day on which you are parking on the permit. You will receive a citation if you do not enter the date when you are using the permit.
- Complimentary permits and validations cannot be given to another person for use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to participate in the Bike Commuter Choice Program?
All part- or full-time faculty and staff are eligible to participate.
Can I use Capital Bikeshare to ride a bike to work at Mason?
Yes. Your bike rides using Capital Bikeshare will count toward your BCC rides. The cost of the membership is not covered in the program.
Can I use a scooter to get to work?
You can definitely use a scooter to get to work but scooters are not included in the BCC Program.
Does a bike with an electric assist count as a bike?
Yes, rides using an electric assist bicycle do count in the BCC Program.
Can I participate in the Bike Commuter Choice Program and the Commuter Choice Program?
Yes, you can participate in both programs. They are two separate programs however and must remain separate because Bike Commuter Choice is taxable and Commuter Choice is tax-free.
How does the Bike Commuter Choice Program work in terms of receiving the financial incentives?
The Bike Commuter Choice Program is completely taxable. All the funds you receive for participating, along with the value of any complimentary parking passes/validations you receive as part of the program, are taxable. The amounts are submitted to HR and Payroll each quarter and are then added to your paycheck.
What if I ride my bike one way to work but not the other? How do I account for that?
If you record a day on your BCC as having ridden to work, it means you completed two legs of your journey – to and from work. If you only complete one, that’s ok, but you have to complete another leg, to or from work, to record the full day.
Each time you complete a box with a date on the form, you are certifying that you have ridden two legs of the journey. If the two legs of the journey are completed on two different dates, use the date of the second leg.
What if I ride my bike to a metro or bus stop and then ride to work?
Using a multi-modal route to work is terrific. But, you can’t receive support from two different programs for the same commute. You will have to decide whether to report the trip through the Commuter Choice program and receive funds to cover the cost of the public transportation portion of your trip (Note the IRS limit of $300/month) or report your trip as a Bike Commuter Choice trip.
This pilot is brought to the Mason community by Mason Recreation, the Office of Sustainability, and Parking & Transportation. The Recreation & Athletic Complex (RAC) and Aquatics Center (AFC) have 20 bikes available for checkout at no cost with your valid Mason ID.
Checkout & Return Locations
The Recreation & Athletic Complex (RAC)
Aquatics Center (AFC)
One-day Checkout
Monday – Thursday
Overnight Checkout
Friday – Sunday (Return Sunday evening)
Unavailable Dates:
Third Tuesday and Wednesday of each month (Bike Maintenance)
How to Apply
- Complete a one-time initial agreement online. The terms of the agreement are in effect each time you ride.
- Submit bike checkout online and pick up the bike at RAC or AFC.
- Track bike availability and your user history online.
- Return the bike at RAC or AFC before the expiration time.
- Since this is a pilot program, your feedback is invaluable. Please share your experience with us at transpo@gmu.edu.
Bike Volunteer Program
For campus community members who need assistance in mapping a bike route to Mason, please contact our bike volunteers for help. To sign up to volunteer, email transpo@gmu.edu.
Bike Volunteer Contacts
| Name | Bike Route Area | |
|---|---|---|
| Bine, Kathy | kbine@gmu.edu | ZIP Code 22031 (near the Vienna and Dunn Loring Metro Stations to the Fairfax Campus) |
| Herin, Greta Ann | gherin@gmu.edu | ZIP Codes 22032 and 22015 |
| Kargbo, Ibrahim | ikargbo1@gmu.edu | Reston area |
| Kwartin, Bob | rkwartin@gmu.edu | ZIP Code 22182 (Wolf Trap and North Vienna area) |
| Rebhuhn-glanz, Rebecca | rrebhuhn@gmu.edu | Between West Drive (off Route 123 in Fairfax City) and the Fairfax Campus |
| Snodgrass, Paul | psnodgra@gmu.edu | Assistance to Mason Square (Arlington) from South Arlington, Alexandria, as well as points west using the W&OD trail. Can assist riders from North Arlington and DC as well. |
| Sokolov, Vadim | vsokolov@gmu.edu | ZIP Code 22032 (near Twinbrook and Braddock) |
| White, Dominic | dwhite34@gmu.edu | To the Fairfax campus from southern Alexandria, Springfield, and Huntington |
For All Cyclists
Biking Resources at Mason
- All public buses and Mason Shuttles are outfitted with bike racks.
- There is a map of bike lanes, racks, shelters, and pumps located on the Fairfax campus, a map of bike racks on the SciTech Campus (PDF) and Mason Square (PDF), and biking resources for all bicyclists, including bike pumps and fix-it stations, bike trails, biking tips, and local groups.
- A Capital Bikeshare station is located on Mason Square.
- Mason has a Bicycle Advisory Committee that meets each spring and fall to provide feedback and collaborate on enhancing the biking culture at the University. If you would like to be a member of the committee, please email transpo@gmu.edu.
- Recorded Session: Bicycle Commuting 101 (November 2023)
Using a Bike Rack on Transit
- Metro Bus: Taking Your Bike on Metrobus
- CUE Bus: Bicycle Racks on the City of Fairfax CUE Bus
- Mason Shuttles: Bicycle Racks on Mason Shuttles
Bike Trails and Maps
- Arlington Maps and Routes
- Fairfax City: Cycling in the City
- Fairfax County: Active Transportation Program
- Fairfax County Park Authority: Bike Trails and Biking
- Prince William County Bicycle and Pedestrian
- Virginia State Bicycling Map
- Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling Advisor Program: Bike Commuting
Riding Safely
- Smart Cycling Videos – League of American Bicyclists
Bike Pumps and Bike Fix It Stations
Mason Square
- Van Metre Hall (at the bike rack on the B2 level of Van Metre garage)*
Fairfax Campus
- Commonwealth (west side, next to bike shelter)*
- Field House (north side, in the bike shelter)
- Innovation Hall (south side of the building)*
- Johnson Center (east side, not far from Panera)
- Mason Pond Parking Deck (east side, level 3, near the bike shelter)
- Northern Neck (near Starbucks)
- Sandy Creek Transit Center
SciTech Campus
- Colgan Hall (south side near the exit by Mercer Library)*
An asterisk means there is both a bike pump and a bike fix-it station at the location.
Reporting an Issue
Report repairs needed to bike lanes:
E-Bike Cyclists & Scooter Riders
University Policies
Riding, storing, or charging personally owned transportation devices indoors at Mason is prohibited by:
Charging Outlets
No outdoor outlet can be used for charging unless it is specifically signed for use.
There are nine (9) approved outdoor outlets on the Fairfax Campus where these devices may be charged. Conditions apply:
- You must register your vehicle with Parking and Transportation to use any of the approved outlets. Visit the Bicycle/Scooter Registration tab for registration details.
- Outlets are used at your own risk.
- Stay with your vehicle when charging.
- Unattended and/or unregistered vehicles will be impounded.
The approved locations for charging are identified with signage, and they are:
Nottoway Annex (Parking Lot C; east end of the building)
Commonwealth Hall (east end of the building)
Between Rogers and Whitetop (low wall)
Whitetop Loading Area
Whitetop (lamp post adjacent to Lot I)
Liberty Hall (north end of the building)
Potomac Heights (West end of the building)
Global Center (Garage under building)
Shenandoah Parking Deck (Level 3 near vehicle entrance)
New to Biking
Taking Those First Steps
Bike Arlington: Beginner Biking Program
Bike Trails and Maps
- Visit our volunteer list for assistance.
- Additional mapping resources:
Riding Safely
- Smart Cycling Videos – League of American Bicyclists