Thursday, September 22, 2005

U of O Department of Public Safety discourages driving and encourages alternative transportation

Oregon Daily Emerald

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) hands out between 24,000 and 35,000 tickets every year for cars improperly parked on campus. This does not include the tickets written by the City of Eugene for cars parked in the campus area.

"It is an individual's responsibility to know the rules and regulations for driving and parking on the U of O campus," DPS Parking Manager Rand Stamm said. "We will be happy to provide them with any and all information. Ultimately, it is their responsibility to know it."

"Basically, the university owns or controls just over 3300 totals parking spaces," Stamm said. "We further rent from the city of Eugene 200 - some meters you can use our permit at."

Over the course of the year, DPS sells between 6500 and 7000 total permits even though not everybody who purchase a permit is on campus at the same time, this ratio of permits to parking spaces still leaves the the supply of parking spaces stretched thin.
"If you do not absolutely have to drive, don't," he said . Stamm, who rides the bus, said DPS deliberately crafts its policy to discourage driving and encourage the use of alternative transportation. This is part of a larger effort by the university to promote alternative transportation, he said.

"The university's policy and our long-range plan is to encourage the environmental and social advantages of alternative transportation."
WOW, 24,000 tickets!!!
Parking citations range from $15-$300 (Penalties for Parking and Traffic Offenses) so assuming that they got at least $15 per ticket that would equal $525,000 per year.

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