What is the 511NY Rideshare Park & Ride Lot Map?

Q.  What is the 511NY Rideshare Park & Ride Lot Map?

A. The map provides information on Park & Ride facilities around New York State (and a few in western Connecticut). It helps you find Park & Ride, or commuter, lots where you can access other transportation options (e.g., bus, commuter train, Amtrak, carpools, etc.). 

Why does the map ask for my location?

Q.  Why does my browser ask if I want to share my location?

A. The "share my location" feature is available in all web browsers. If you choose to have the browser share your location (based on your IP address), the map will center around your location to help you find the closest Park & Ride lot to your location. You may choose not to share your location and manually navigate to your desired location.

Q.  I chose to share my location, but the map did not center on my current physical location. Why not?

A. The "share my location" feature identifies your location based on your computer's Internet Protocol (IP) address, which is determined by your computer network. It is possible that your computer network is based in another location. For example, if you are accessing the map from a computer issued by your employer, the computer's IP address may be based on the location of your company's headquarters, not the location where you are using the computer (from a remote office, at home, etc.).

How do I use the map?

Q.  Can I change the appearance of the map?

A. Yes, to change the appearance of the map hover your mouse over the layers icon (box with a stack of gray squares) in the top right corner of the map. This icon allows you to select one of four options for the map appearance:

  • Basic Color: map with streets, major bodies of water, parks, etc. (this is the default)
  • Subdued: grayed out making parking lot icons more prominent
  • Satellite: aerial image
  • Detailed: Basic Color map features plus topography, geographic boundaries, schools, landmarks, etc.

Q.  How do I navigate around the map?

A. To move the map, click and hold the mouse and the map will move in the direction that you move your mouse. To change the scale of the map, go to the upper left corner and zoom in to see more detail (street names, etc.) by clicking the "+" (or plus sign), or zoom out for more of an aerial or bird's eye view by clicking the "-" (or minus sign).

Q. What does the P indicate?

A. The P icon indicates the approximate location of a specific Park & Ride lot. Click on the icon to display the lot details (name, transportation service options, etc.)

Q. Can I search for a Park & Ride lot by name or location (city, county, ZIP code, etc.)?

A. No, the map does not offer an advanced search function at this time.

Q. How do I find information about a particular lot?

A. To learn more about a particular lot, click on the "P" icon and it will open a box with a profile of the specific facility. The information provided includes:

  • Lot Name and Location
  • Lot Details: information about permits, fees, bike racks/lockers, and the number of parking spaces.
  • Services Available: the transportation options that service the lot—Train service, Local Bus Service, Express Bus Service, Ferry Service and Carpool Parking.

The "More Info" button will direct you to an external website with additional information about the Park & Ride facility or the transportation services, if available. The "Directions" buttons allow you to find directions to and from the Park & Ride lots via three different search engine options (Bing, Google, and MapQuest).

How do I find a particular lot?

Q.  I'm looking for a Park & Ride lot that is supported by a specific service. How can I filter my options?

A. The map allows you to filter by these transportation service options: Train Service, Local Bus Service, Express Bus Service, Ferry Service, and Carpool Parking. It also allows you to find lots that do not require a permit, and offer free parking, overnight parking and bike parking. To filter the map, hover over the gear-shaped icon (the lower of the two icons in the upper right hand corner). Uncheck the boxes you are not interested in, and then click "Apply." (Click "Cancel" to leave the selections as is). The lots that remain on the map are the lots that meet your filter preferences.

Q. I filtered for a particular transportation service, why do I still see other services listed for some Park & Ride lot profiles?

A. When you filter for a particular transportation service, all Park & Ride lots that do not offer that service will be removed from the map. However, those lots that offer other services, including the service you selected, will remain on the map. For example, if you filter for Local Bus Service, those Park & Ride lots that offer Local Bus service will be shown on the map—but the other services available will still be listed for each lot.

Q. I filtered for lots with a particular amenity or amenities, but not a transportation service, why did all the lots disappear from the map? 

A. You must select at least one transportation service when using the filter function. The map's primary filter category is transportation service, with amenities (related to permit and parking options) as secondary filter criteria.

What additional information is provided on the map?

Q.  How can I find the address or exact location for a Park & Ride lot?

A. To see the address or exact location of the Park & Ride lot, click on the "P" icon and then click "Directions to Here" or "Directions from Here." You will be prompted to select your preference for the search engine (Bing, Google, and MapQuest) that produces the map directions, and once the page loads the address or location of the park and ride lot will be prefilled.

Q. What if the information shown for a Park & Ride lot is incorrect or if I know of a Park & Ride lot that is not shown on the map?

A. We strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information about Park & Ride lots. For comments or questions about the data represented in this map, please send an email to info@511nyrideshare.org. 511NY staff will work to verify the information and update the map as necessary. 

I see that a Park & Ride lot offers carpool parking. How can I find a carpool to join?

Q. I see that a Park & Ride lot offers carpool parking. How can I find a carpool to join?

A. To look for available carpools at or nearby the Park & Ride lot, visit the 511NY Rideshare website to register for ridematching or call 511 and say "Rideshare."