by Patricia Dworzak
Daily Lobo
The price of parking at UNM is going up for the 2005-2006 academic year.
According to UNM's parking and transportation Web site, prices went up from $66 to $76 for South and G Lots, from $116 to $128 for the T Lot.
Parking prices went up 10 percent in the 2004-2005 academic year.
Parking permits for commuter students went on sale July 1.
"We are committed to keeping our rates as low as possible," said Clovis Acosta, director of Parking and Transportation, in a news release. "But with the rise in the cost of fuel and the increased growth at UNM creating the need for additional buses, keeping permit prices low is more and more of challenge."
Acosta made a similar statement for the increase of parking permits last year.
"The nearly 6 percent increase in the student population has presented a real challenge for us," she said in a news release in April 2004.
She stated in the 2004 news release that the Parking and Transportation Services is supported entirely by permit sales and meters, not by tuition or fees.
But $200,000 was allocated for Parking and Transportation Services in the bond proposal approved by the Board of Regents last month to buy more shuttles.
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The department also received $70,000 in grant money from the New Mexico Department of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources to purchase two compressed natural gas-fueled shuttle buses, said Josh Kavanagh, associate director of Parking and Transportation Services, in an e-mail.
"The shuttles are necessary both to update our fleet and to prepare for continued growth of the student population," he said.
Kavanagh said more than 85 percent of the shuttles used at UNM operate on alternative fuels.
He said the number of people riding dictates how many shuttles are needed. The department has also hired several drivers to fill vacancies and keep up with the growing number of riders.
"Ridership peaks in September and we plan to be ready for a record number of passengers," Kavanagh said.
Student Holly Cummins said she didn't mind the prices of parking permits going up.
"It's not a big deal," she said. "It's not enough money to really make a difference."
Student Will Dunaway said even when he lived further from campus, he wouldn't buy a permit because they cost too much. He said they were too expensive and it was easy for students to find places to park off-campus - if they're willing to walk.
According to the Web site, along with the increase in price, G Lot has been rezoned into two separate Lots, G and Q. The Q Lot was formerly known as North G, and is open to all students. With the rezoning, G Lot is also made available to all students.
Kavanagh said dividing the lot into two separate zones can make it easier for people to find their parking spots.
"Rezoning has the added benefit of making it easier to describe the lot locations," he said. "New members of the University community were often confused about the difference between South Lot by the stadium and South G at University and Tucker."
Kavanagh said about half of the student body purchases parking permits.
