Parking system now virtually managed

Written by: Aliana Zamorano/Contributing Writer

Students no longer have to wait in line to park on campus.

The University has adopted a fully virtual parking system that does not require a physical decal nor permit renewals as of July 1.

In previous years, a physical decal, which was normally placed on the rear windshield,  was needed for vehicle authorization. Now parking permits are tied to each vehicle’s license plate, getting rid of decals altogether.

“We started working on this idea about a year ago,” said Mohamed Ghumrawi, parking and transportation coordinator at the University.

The University paired up with NuPark, a company responsible for designing a software that uses license plate recognition technology.

“We really took our time in finding the right software company we wanted to use,” Ghumrawi said.

The new parking system automatically renews permits to returning students for their current vehicle on file and allows for easier new student and guest vehicle registration through the Parking & Transportation website.

“It’s a more efficient system,” said Ghumrawi.

A license plate reader vehicle moves across campus parking lots and reads each license plate with its cameras, he said.  

Although the LPR system links a license plate to the system, students feel that physical decals are a more obvious way to recognize unauthorized cars.

Mario Avalos, a junior English major, took to Twitter to express his opinion, responding to a tweet by Parking & Transportation Saturday, Aug. 22 — which read: “Skip the Lines…virtual permits are easier.”

Avalos responded: “Isn’t the point of students having decals that it makes it easier to spot unauthorized cars from taking up spaces that could be used for students?”

However, Ghumrawi said the LPR vehicle can collect accurate data faster than someone who scans individual decals. It can also find any unauthorized car in each parking section, recognizing violators more easily.

“Aside from not requiring students to put a sticker on their car anymore, we will catch and administer a lot more violations,” said Ghumrawi.

“That way, people will be less inclined to break parking regulations because they will be caught for sure,” he said.

Paper citations and warnings will be replaced by e-citations and e-warnings delivered to the email address linked with the license plate.

Pamela Suguimitzu is glad that the University has found more ways to go green and eliminate paper citations, but thinks that making more available parking should be a higher priority than finding more violators.

“Most violations are made by students desperate for parking to avoid being late for class,” said Suguimitzu, a senior Japanese major.

The University has faced a series of changes following an amendment proposed by Kenneth Jessell, chief financial officer and senior vice president for finance and administration at a Board of Trustees meeting on June 3.

The amendment reflects changes in the new virtual stages of the parking department, according to the meeting agenda.

It gained approval for one and two semester permit options, as well as annual permit validity for 365 days. This allows for students and employees to purchase a permit according to how long they will be at the University.

The amendment also establishes a daily virtual permit for vendors and contractors and eliminates two parking citations: overnight parking in the garages and unregistered disabled placards — which allows permit holders to park overnight in a garage on campus without a citation.

Parking & Transportation stresses that all permit holders keep their vehicle information up to date and that employees remain aware of permit expiration dates.

The Wellness & Recreation Center is abbreviated WREC, while it is supposed to be WRC. Additionally, WRC is funded by the Activities and Services fee, not through the Athletics or Health fees as it was written in the article.

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