Auxiliary Services has made enhancements to services throughout campus to help make the 2025-2026 academic year the best yet for students, faculty, staff and visitors at the University of Georgia.
Over 1,800 new parking spaces have been added to campus, while passengers will see new bus routes and route names as well as increased service to park-and-ride lots.
Diners on campus will enjoy increased variety and greater convenience thanks to expanded franchise partnerships across campus and an autonomous market at the Tate Student Center.
The UGA Bookstore received a full makeover this summer, which has updated its look and made shopping for textbooks, spirit gear and other essentials better than ever.
Increased parking availability
A new parking deck, known as West Campus Parking Deck II (Lot W18), is adding nearly 1,100 parking spaces. The parking deck sits next to West Campus Deck (Lot W09) and Brumby Hall. West Campus Parking Deck II will primarily serve students living in nearby Brumby Hall, Russell Hall, Creswell Hall, Black-Diallo-Miller Hall and other residence halls.
College Station Park-and-Ride (Lot E23) has grown by nearly 650 spaces. UGA campus members will benefit from increased bus service to both park-and-ride lots — College Station Park-and-Ride (Lot E23) and East Side Park-and-Ride (Lot E26) — this fall.
The parking lot adjacent to Joe Frank Harris Commons near the Ramsey Student Center (Lot E09) has added 70 spaces.
The College Station Park-and-Ride lot has grown by nearly 650 spots. (Photo by Auxiliary Services)
New bus routes and route names
New bus routes and route names will take effect Aug. 11. Transportation and Parking Services (TPS) and Student Government Association (SGA) leaders proposed the new routes to increase access to campus and improve efficiency. TPS solicited input from the public on the proposed changes from June 6-22 and incorporated the suggestions provided to further improve the new routes.
UGA bus riders can expect to benefit from enhanced service to core campus destinations and to park-and-ride lots around the periphery of campus. For the first time, TPS will offer night service on select routes after football games with a 4 p.m. or earlier start time.
The new routes also will increase access to regional transportation networks and better match bus capacity with route volume. The only bus stop eliminated was the stop at Clarke Central High School, based on lack of usage. New route names have been created to match the new routes and increase naming consistency in the UGA transit system.
New retail dining options
Among the new retail dining options coming to campus is Blenz Bowls, a purveyor of fruit smoothie bowls and drinks. Blenz Bowls will occupy The Creamery.
Dunkin’ and Newk’s Eatery are opening in the Rothenberger Café in Amos Hall.
Your Pie, a build-your-own pizza company founded by UGA alumnus Drew French, is opening a new location in Bulldog Café at the Tate Student Center. Your Pie will occupy the former location of Niche Pizza Co. and will use a hearth oven to create personal-sized, custom pizzas for guests.
Also at Bulldog Café, Chick-fil-A has expanded its offerings, transitioning from an express location to a full-menu store. Dunkin’, Newk’s Eatery, Your Pie and Chick-fil-A will use their proprietary apps for mobile ordering at their UGA locations. Chick-fil-A also will use the Transact app for students who want to pay with Paw Points.
Autonomous market at Tate Center
Building on the success of the autonomous market at Russell Hall, Dining Services has converted the Market at Tate to a checkout-free location as well.
Both markets incorporate AiFi (rhymes with WiFi) technology that uses a camera-based spatial intelligence system to allow customers to use their credit card or Paw Points to buy what they want without checking out at a cashier.
A request from the SGA to extend the operating hours of the Market at Tate inspired the conversion.
“SGA is incredibly grateful for Auxiliary’s continued commitment to responding to student concerns, especially around a topic as sensitive as food availability,” said SGA President John Neely. “We initially reached out about the Tate market’s limited hours, which closed before many student organization meetings wrapped up. While our goal was to extend the closing time, Auxiliary went above and beyond.”
Bookstore remodel
The UGA Bookstore recently finished a major remodel to modernize its look and enhance the Georgia Bulldog experience. Students will benefit from revamped areas for textbooks, technology and dorm essentials. Bulldog fans will enjoy a dedicated game day shop, a special Uga-themed area and a greater selection of premium apparel. The upgrades also include sleek new fixtures, marble flooring and dynamic wall features. The remodel was made possible by the bookstore’s business partner, Follett Higher Education.
A ribbon cutting will take place at the bookstore Aug. 22 at 9 a.m. It is open to the public, and the bookstore will be open.
Written By: Rebecca Vander Plaats
