by Leeanne Clark
Daily Lobo
On Monday, 31 hybrid cars were registered with the City of Albuquerque. By Wednesday, there were 38.
People who own a hybrid car get to park Downtown for free.
An ordinance passed by the City Council and approved by Mayor Martin Chavez allows hybrid vehicles to park for free at all city meters. The ordinance was implemented on March 31.
A hybrid vehicle's engine uses both electricity and gasoline, resulting in fewer emissions into the air.
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Cindy Churan, a hybrid car owner, said she is excited about the ordinance. After purchasing her Toyota Prius in 2002, Churan became an avid supporter of hybrid vehicles.
"It's a great way as a city to develop more environmental consciousness," she said. "We need to be looking at what we drive."
Student Brandon Boggs said it was a good idea.
" It's a great way to promote buying efficient vehicles," he said.
Student Jessica Long said she has mixed feelings. She said offering free meter parking for hybrid vehicles is a nice gesture, but it's unfair to others who cannot afford the cars, which usually start at around $30,000.
In order to receive free parking, the vehicle must be registered with the city's parking office. The owner of the vehicle will receive an identification sticker that must be displayed in the left rear window.
A hybrid car cannot stay parked for free all day. Free parking applies only for the duration of the meter. If the meter has a two-hour limit, the vehicle must be moved after two hours. Otherwise, the owner can be fined.
Churan and Boggs said city meters are a good start, but the program should be expanded to include UNM campus parking in order to encourage students to think more about the environment.
UNM's Parking and Transportation Services, not the city, regulate campus meters.
Long said the City Parking Office will encounter problems with people who want to cheat the system so that they can get a few free bucks worth of parking.
"People are devious," she said. "I'm sure they could figure out something."
