February 20, 2018
Tamera Twitty
This semester, Parking and Transportation Services has implemented changes to provide for a more efficient system.
Instead of picking up a plastic hang tag or static cling permit, students now enter a license plate number to be scanned by the campus-wide License Plate Recognition system, which creates an online permit for each vehicle on campus.
However, what has not changed is the pricing system for parking permits, according to Ben Turner, a parking enforcement officer with Parking and Transportation.
“I don’t know of any price increases that are due to the LPR system. Pricing should work under the same process as always,” said Turner, a junior elementary education major.
A semester permit, which allows students to park in any lot at any time, costed students $226 for the spring semester. The Monday/Wednesday/Friday semester permit, Border and Alpine permits cost $145 each, while the Evening permit costs $87.
Other options are available in the Parking Portal, where students can purchase permits. Permit prices increase every year, according to Jim Spice, executive director of Parking and Transportation.
Money from parking permits fund the operations of Parking and Transportation Services. Permit prices increase by 3 percent each year, a system that was devised by Spice and Chancellor-emerita Pamela Shockley-Zalabak, according to Spice.
“We went for a period of seven years without any increase whatsoever, but found that we couldn’t keep up with bills. That year, we increased (permit prices) 20 percent, and we got hammered for it—people were really mad,” said Spice.
“Parking is an auxiliary and nonprofit office, so it is not funded by anyone else than the permit buyers themselves.”
Parking and Transportation Services does not make money off of parking enforcement, including ticketing. The LPR system falls under the category of reinforcement, according to Spice.
“We don’t make a dime from enforcement. Because we are a non-profit office, any profit that goes above what it costs to enforce goes directly toward student scholarships, said Spice. “We do it to keep the system fair, and to avoid chaos.”
Permit funds go toward maintaining parking areas, including clean up, salting ice and shoveling snow, parking enforcement and paying off loans for the Gateway and Alpine Garages. Permit pricing has increased over the years to alot for paying bills, said Spice.
“We have loans out on both of those (garages). One of which (Gateway Garage) cost $7 million, and the other (Alpine Garage) $18 million,” said Spice. “This is why everyone has to pay. Staff, students, visitors. Everyone.”
For more information on permit prices, visit uccs.edu/pts/.