College is full of hidden costs. On top of paying tuition, students must either pay for gas to commute every day or monthly rent for their apartments — possibly both. But the costs don’t stop there. Paying for groceries, meal plans, textbooks, daily necessities and more becomes a major stressor. In an effort to help students lower stress related to finances, colleges should stop charging students for parking passes on campus. It is an unnecessary expense that places a burden on students every quarter.
UC Riverside’s student population is 70% commuter, a clear majority who need parking or a stable mode of transportation. UCR’s parking passes range from $126 to $231 for quarter permits, far from a reasonable price. The money students spend on parking could be used for textbooks or groceries, but instead is another expense on a long list of student worries. If students do not purchase a parking pass, they are left with the option of parking in lots with an hourly pay basis of $3.50 through Parkmobile. Although this option seems helpful, it is not financially sound long-term. This option ultimately leaves students to purchase a parking pass purely out of choosing the “cheaper” option of the two unreasonable choices.
A compelling argument for the necessity of charging students for parking passes is to prevent overcrowding in lots. The extra 1200 spaces added recently in 2021 were intended to relieve overcrowding and were funded by Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) through use fees. However, as proven by the current state of available campus parking, charging students does not effectively prevent overcrowding. There are many days out of the week when no spots are available, and students drive recklessly to race for any vacant spot. Even with students paying costly permits, overcrowding clearly exists. It is unfair students pay extra money for the convenience of parking only to be met with the stress of being unable to park anyways. The whole system is inefficient and is not worth the money that is being demanded.
There must be something done about this system so students can have an easier time commuting and finding parking on campus for cheaper. Some alternatives to the current system are making parking free instead and using student tuition as payment for parking passes. Another solution is creating more available parking lots for students to accommodate the number of students seeking parking, lessening the overcrowding. Free parking passes should be made available to students. They shouldn’t have to deal with extra expenses for unreliable parking.
