For first-year students, finding a friend with a car won’t be quite as easy this upcoming school year, since Clemson University has changed its on-campus parking policies.
Previously, about 50% of freshmen brought a car to campus. With the new policy, the number of students parking on campus will be managed through a waiver system.
The University hopes to better steward available resources while maintaining the No. 1 student experience, according to a press release published in October 2025.
Students interested in applying for an exception or waiver may visit the Parking and Transportation Services website for more information.
Becoming familiar with free, accessible Clemson transportation is a great first step toward building confidence and independence for new students.
CATbus
Clemson Area Transit, the free bus system local to Clemson, services the city and surrounding areas. For first-year students wanting to get off campus, this is the most convenient and low-cost way to get around.
Although the bus does not go everywhere, there are multiple routes that can take you to many popular places.
One of the most popular routes is the Clemson/Central Red route, which travels from the CATbus headquarters in Clemson to Southern Wesleyan University in Central, South Carolina.
During peak hours Monday through Thursday, the bus runs every 15 minutes. Other times, it picks up passengers every half hour or every hour.
Headed toward Central, the closest campus stop is at Sikes Hall. If you want to go toward Clemson, it picks up at the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business.
The Highpointe/Pier — CU — Downtown route services locations such as The Pier, a popular student living complex, and the Madren Center, as well as all around campus and downtown Clemson. Its campus pickup location is outside the Strom Thurmond Institute.
For students heading to Food Lion or the Tri-County Technical College location in Pendleton, South Carolina, the Pendleton route departs campus hourly — specifically, at a stop outside Douthit Hills.
Campus, Park-N-Ride routes
For commuters, the University operates various campus routes. However, these routes don’t only benefit students who drive their own vehicles to campus. Even for campus residents, buses are useful for traveling to distant campus buildings in the heat or cold.
During the school year, the University operates three Tiger Transit campus routes, the Purple, Blue and Orange routes, on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Notably, the Orange route connects Brackett Hall to the Clemson Athletics district. If you’re headed to Littlejohn Coliseum to pick up your gameday tickets on a hot day, taking the bus will make the experience a lot less sweaty.
Additionally, the West Campus Park-N-Ride provides transportation from various campus stops to the Snow Family Fitness and Wellness Complex, colloquially known by Clemson students as Y Beach.
Bridge routes
For Bridge to Clemson students, the University provides transportation to and from Tri-County Technical College Pendleton Campus.
There are two routes that pick up students from Bridge student housing: Lightsey or Thornhill Village.
Both drop off at Miller Hall on the TCTC Pendleton campus, operating on 20-minute and 25-minute schedules, respectively.
Clemson airport shuttles
With service to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, Clemson’s airport shuttles are a free option to get students to and from the airport.
These shuttles operate on a first-come, first-served basis during holidays and breaks, with online sign-ups. They operate on a fixed schedule, with drop-off and pickup outside McAlister Hall.
There are three standard departure times from Clemson to Greenville-Spartanburg, and two from Clemson to Charlotte Douglas. On the return, from Greenville-Spartanburg to Clemson, the shuttles are offered four times, and twice from Charlotte Douglas to Clemson.
The buses fill up fast. Make your travel plans and book an airport shuttle early — your mom will thank you.
Clemson Nightline
Clemson Nightline offers an on-demand service that lets students request on-campus transportation through an app.
To use the free shuttle, students must provide accurate information about their location and the total number of passengers, and have to be ready at the pickup location when the bus arrives.
CNL operates from Sunday through Thursday, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., with extended hours on Friday and Saturday nights.
This is a great option for students to reach a friend’s dorm, a residential parking lot, or even a campus sporting event.
Public transportation etiquette
Finally, practice good etiquette when using public and campus transportation: wait for passengers to exit before boarding, say hello to the driver and don’t eat or drink on the bus.
Most importantly, if someone starts the cadence-count from the back of the bus, sing along. It’s part of tradition.
