Revenue brought in by Transit and Parking Services increased by around 30 percent in 2014 due to more parking service officers and tickers.
Paul Kunkel, manager of Transit and Parking Services, said the increased enforcement brings the office back to a revenue level that was normal until two years ago.
“A new supervisor came in about that time that had some different practices and wasn’t being as efficient as possible with how we staffed officers, the number of officers we staffed, how we were doing the routes on campus,” he said. “Some parking lots weren’t getting hit for hours on end.”
The last two fiscal years, 2014 and 2013, saw 7,818 and 7,920 parking tickets written, respectively. Before that, however, 10,237 tickets were written in 2012; 10,586 in 2011 and 12,120 in 2010. This fiscal year is on track to look more like the 2010-2012 era than the previous two years.
“We took a close look at it and realized that we were not staffing the lots as much as we were in fiscal year ‘12 or ‘11,” Kunkel said. “So we set new benchmarks for how we need to be staffing so we have adequate coverage on campus.”
Students are noticing the change. Samantha Wiseman, a political science major who parks on the east lot and commutes by bus, said the greater number of parking service officers reduced the number of people skirting the rules.
“Last year I had friends that would park at the Union all afternoon and be fine,” she said. “This year it doesn’t seem like you can do that.”
Alaenna Bieganski, a freshman English education major, received a parking ticket earlier this year, but said she is fine with the increased enforcement.
“I actually do not have problem with the increase in transit workers or the additional parking tickets being handed out,” Bieganski said. “I understand that money has to be made and rules are in place for a reason.”
Bieganski said she is fine with the rules, so long as the rules are made clear.
“At a certain point, students are just not paying attention or do not care about parking regulations,” she said. “Students are justified in being upset about having to pay for failing to comply with rules that they did not even know were in place.”
Jeffrey Santos, a senior environmental geology major, bikes to campus whenever he can, but has to commute by car when the weather is freezing. He agreed changes are having an effect.
“I see them walking and checking permits every day,” he said. “I think they are effective. I don’t think you can get away with parking in a non-designated spot.”
The revenue raised from parking tickets goes primarily to the transit system and secondarily to the upkeep of campus parking lots.
