About $1,000 a day — that’s how much, on average, the University’s Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation earned on metered parking fees last year.
“That’s a lot of nickels and dimes in those meters,” said Director of Parking, Traffic and Transportation Gary Graham, adding that the department spends the roughly $348,000 in revenue to fund current parking projects.
From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., parking permit or not, students, faculty, staff and visitors swing in and drop a buck or two into the digitally operated, yellow-boxed banks — sometimes because it’s the closest option to their classes.
Nursing sophomore Ashley Hamilton parks at the meters about twice a week, electing to forego a commuter parking permit after paying the $125 annual fee last year.
“Normally I just ride the bus because it’s too much of a hassle to find a spot,” Hamilton said.
Plastic permits dangle in many vehicles’ mirrors in metered spots, meaning commuting students, as well as some faculty and staff, decide to pay extra for parking rather than park in their designated zones.
If they don’t pay, citations cost $18. If the vehicle doesn’t have a registered parking permit, add another $100 for an unregistered vehicle fee, Graham said.
“You’re supposed to have a permit—bottom line,” Graham said. “If you do not get a permit and you get three unregistered tickets, then you’re subject to being towed, to encourage you to get your permit. And that applies to anybody.”
If a vehicle is properly registered, but the hangtag isn’t displayed, the driver can appeal the unregistered fee ticket by bringing the ticket and the hangtag to the parking office, where an attendant will dismiss the fee.
“We don’t really want to tow if we don’t have to,” Graham said. But after three unregistered vehicle tickets, that’s what happens.
Tickets show up on the fee bill just like other University fees, such as a late library rental fee. And those who do not pay are not allowed to register for next semester’s classes.
Graduating doesn’t let students off the hook, either.
“We’ve had students come back 10, 15 years later to get their transcripts,” Graham said, since a hold is placed if the fees aren’t paid. “The hold is there forever until you clear it up.”
The new parking garage slated to open in mid-October will add about 375 metered visitor spots, but about 150 current metered spots are going away.
“We’re losing 60 [on South Stadium Drive] and we’ll eventually lose 60 on North Stadium [Drive],” Graham said. In addition, the University will lose 50 in front of the Student Union and the Office of the Chancellor.
Since about 90 percent of violations are students, Graham estimated, the parking office collects most violations.
Currently, the University has 375 metered spots on campus, and at $1.25 per hour, each spot earns about $930 a year.
