Classifieds

July 25, 2005

Nighttime parking, other parking changes near

Nighttime parking permits will be introduced September 1, one of several transportation changes starting off the 2005-06 academic year.


Photo: Louise Donahue

Under the new system, weeknight parking permits will extend until 8:30 P.M. in most campus core parking lots.

While parking will remain free in a number of lots on the campus perimeter, night parking permits will cost $102 annually, $30 quarterly, or $2 daily.

Those who purchase A, B, or C parking permits will not need to purchase an additional permit to park during evening hours, however, and R permit holders will also have access to some close-in parking lots after 5 P.M. Full details of the night parking program are availabe on the TAPS web site: www2.ucsc.edu/taps.

“In implementing evening parking enforcement, the most important factor to us at TAPS, and to the various campus constituencies that provided valuable guidance and input on this policy, has been equity,” said Wes Scott, Transportation and Parking Services director. “Equity means that all users of the system bear some of the cost, so that no group--in this case, daytime users--is unfairly overburdened.”

Scott said TAPS will closely monitor the operation of the new policy, and fine-tune it if necessary.

Faculty and staff parking permits and transportation program materials for 2005-06, including Metro bus passes, Bike & Shower program enrollment and Emergency Ride Home program vouchers are available online at www2.ucsc.edu/taps. Online applications for the purchase of annual nighttime parking permits will be available August 1, 2005.

Those seeking applications are being strongly encouraged to apply online rather than in person because of a shortage of parking spaces near the TAPS parking sales office. Construction of new facilities in the area has reduced customer parking to five spaces in the 10-minute parking zone next to Barn H. No overflow parking is available.

Other changes beginning in the fall include an end to free Metro bus passes for all faculty and staff, and increases in metered parking and some parking rates:

Metro passes. Metro bus passes will remain free to those faculty and staff who do not purchase any type of parking permit. Those who wish to receive a bus pass in addition to their parking permit or scratch-off packet will need to pay an additional $24 for their annual bus pass, a payroll deduction of just $2 per month.

Metered parking. Parking at meters will cost more in 2005-06. A quarter will buy 12 minutes of parking, with an hour of parking costing $1.25. More meters will be placed throughout campus parking lots, providing greater access for those who need to park for short periods of time.

• Vanpool rates. Vanpool program rates, while still highly subsidized by TAPS, will rise by $4 to $5.50 per month. Monthly vanpool fares will vary from $23.50 to $31 per month, based on the distance of the vanpool commute; last year’s rates ranged between $19.50 and $25.50 per month.

Parking permits. Some, but not all, parking fees and program costs will remain at the 2004-05 rate. A, B, C and R (remote) permit rates will not increase when purchased on an annual or academic year basis. All quarterly permit prices will increase; those who purchase permits on a quarterly basis will pay $5 to $12 more per quarter, depending on the type of permit selected.

With the exception of half-packets and carpooler supplemental Daily A packet purchases, Daily A Packet (and Daily B Packet) rates will not increase; half packets will increase from $78.75 for a packet of 25 daily scratch-offs to $82.50, and Daily A packets for A and B carpoolers will increase from $100 to $125. A and B carpool permit rates will increase slightly from $432 to $453 for an annual permit, with the cost split between the carpool members. A and B one- through four-day limited permit prices will also go up a slightly, with increases ranging from $2 to $10 over last year’s rates, depending on the number of days the permit is valid.

Employees in the Research Support (RX), Technical (TX), and Clerical (CX) bargaining units will not be affected by the parking fee changes until such time agreements regarding parking fees are reached between the University and the organizations which exclusively represent employees in these bargaining units. Employees in these bargaining units should direct their questions to Labor Relations, (831) 459-2017.

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