Parking rules and regulations

Although the beginning of spring represents our near completion with the semester, parking is still an issue for students.

Whether students are parking in the wrong area or not, there are a large amount of tickets being issued this late into the semester.

There’s no denying it: for a college student, parking is expensive. Whether you are one of the students crowding the parking lot on the side of Meijer or squeezing into the available parallel spots on Duncan Drive, there are no excuses for the casual slip-up. To park in the main lot, the Commuter badge must be visible on your rearview mirror. Running late isn’t a viable excuse to park closer to campus in an unpaid spot.

However, there are instances where parking violations are undeserved. In order to dispute a parking violation, students are encouraged to visit https://wrightparking.t2hosted.com/cmn/ and manage their parking accounts.

As of March 14th, the Parking and Transportation Office changed their policy so that permits must be bought online, through the address cited above. While the office does not accept cash payments, students may dispute (or pay) their parking violation dues at the Parking and Transportation Office, which is located in Room 055 of the Student Union, and is open from 8:30am-5:00pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30am-4:30pm on Friday.

Although the solution to the parking issue is fairly simple (don’t park where you’re not supposed to, and if you receive what you feel is an undeserved ticket, dispute it), it is an issue inherent in Wright State’s commuter student status. With so many students living away from campus, there is a great need for transportation options.

Options besides driving, and paying for parking or possible tickets, include using Zimride (http:// www.zimride.com/wright), a carpool website; taking advantage of the local bus systems such as Green Cats or the RTA buses (http://www.wright.edu/parking-and-transportation/resources/public- transportation) or purchasing a less expensive parking pass for lots such as Lot 8 at the Nutter Center and taking the campus shuttle (the schedule may be found at http://www.wright.edu/parking-and- transportation/resources/campus-shuttle-schedule).

According to the Wright State Newsroom, there were 16,780 students enrolled last semester. With such a large commuter population, it is no wonder that the parking lot fills up quickly, making it frustrating for students with later classes who have to park farther away, even though they have purchased a Commuter pass.

The issue of having the perfect parking place is not going to change. Arrive at school earlier to get a better spot, ride a bike or walk if you live on Zink Road or another nearby location, or plan accordingly with work or other commitments so that you have plenty of time to get to class.

More information about parking passes can be found at http://www.wright.edu/parking-and- transportation.

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