The ever-growing number of student complaints regarding on-campus parking symbolizes a constant conundrum for UCSD Parking and Transportation Services: a record-size freshman class and a limited amount of parking spaces. In response, the department has introduced major changes this year, including discounting parking passes for east-campus lot parking spaces and establishing a rental car service unique to UCSD.
A main reason for the parking cramp has been an imbalance in lot use, according to PTS Director Brian D’Autremont.
Last year, the 3,279 yellow student spaces on the east side of campus were underutilized, while the fewer spaces located on the west side of campus overflowed, according to D’Autremont.
To combat this growing problem, PTS introduced a discounted permit that is available to students willing to park only in the East and Regents lots on campus.
The discount is only about $4 off the monthly permit price of $59. D’Autremont said that the new permit would move 1,000 cars from the west side of campus to the east side. In addition to discounted parking passes, PTS has introduced a variety of options for students who do not have cars of their own. UCSD is the first UC campus to have a Flex Car program, which allows 18- to 21-year-old students to rent cars and pay hourly instead of daily rates.
The program is still in its trial period, with a total of 10 cars available to students, according to D’Autremont.
In order to conserve space on campus, PTS has also increased efforts to promote the use of carpool and vanpool passes, D’Autremont said. The passes, which allow drivers to use specialized parking spaces on campus, have proven to be very popular.
“We have seen over 150 [regular] permits change to rideshare [permits],” he said.
PTS hopes for 1,000 people to turn in their individual parking permits before the year is out, according to the PTS Web site.
Also, public transit on and around campus expanded greatly over the summer. Bus routes from campus now range twice as far as they did last year, and there is talk of extending routes into North County, according to D’Autremont.
The response by students to these changes in public transportation have been very positive, D’Autremont said.
“[Taking the bus] doesn’t take as much time as driving by the time you have to find parking and get through traffic,” Thurgood Marshall College senior Diana Ferrell said. “You are pretty much guaranteed to be on time for class.”
According to D’Autremont, PTS is trying to come up with alternatives to individual passes in order to make parking on campus more affordable.
However, he said that rising permit prices are used to pay 140 student employees and to construct new parking structures such as the one near RIMAC Arena due to open next August.
