<p>Hey there everyone,</p>
<p>From my recent understanding, freshmen are not eligible for parking permits.
However, if am planning not to use my car frquently, what options are available in the city. </p>
<p>Thanks in advance</p>
<p>you can pretty much walk to your destination on central campus. Buses are also available and free for students, just have your mcard ready and. If your an engineer and your classes are up in North, buses are probably your best bet.</p>
<p>If you're up on North, you can buy a pass for a certain amount and park there</p>
<p>If you're on north campus, you can apply for the lottery to get one of a limited number of spots (seniority helps this year, so no help for freshmen). If chosen, you must pay $120 for the year pass. Beware that the application IS binding (if you ARE chosen, you MUST buy it). Otherwise you will have to rent a spot from someone's house...upwards of $50 a month.</p>
<p>Just for clarification on the buses...the "Michigan" blue buses do not require an mcard and you can just get right on. It is the city (AATA) buses that require an Mcard...these go to Meijer, Target, Briarwood Mall, etc.</p>
<p>First of all, if you just need your car for getting around the city, the buses work just fine. Otherwise...</p>
<p>There's free street parking on south campus off of white/granger. Not sure how well this works as a long-term parking option, but I think you could make it work. Other option is getting parking at someone's house/apartment complex. There are listings online for parking spaces (<a href="http://www.offcampus.housing.umich.edu/lt/parking_listings.cfm)%5B/url%5D">http://www.offcampus.housing.umich.edu/lt/parking_listings.cfm)</a>, or you could happen to work something out with someone you meet on campus. Last year my friend's apartment came with a parking spot, but she didn't keep a car on campus, so she let me use it for free as long as I drove her for small errands every so often.</p>
<p>the best option is to get parking at someone's house/apartment.</p>
<p>If you live on North Campus, you may have a shot at a parking space. Otherwise, you might have to rent one. You really don't need a car.</p>