Daily parking rates are increasing on the Davis campus by amounts ranging from 25 cents to a dollar, effective Thursday (Sept. 1), Transportation Services announced earlier this month.

With the elimination of paper permits and an increase in remote work in 2020, most people pay for parking by the day using the ParkMobile app. The new daily rates range for $2.25 in L or motorcycle spaces (up from $2) to $3.50 for C lots (up from $3) and $4.60 for A lots (up from $3.60).

“Overall, managing the campus’s extensive parking and transportation systems is becoming more costly and parking revenue helps us keep parking areas safe, improve roads and pathways for pedestrians, and keep traffic flowing throughout the campus,” Transportation Services said on its website.

The recent switch to remote and hybrid work schedules has also contributed to a significant decline in the number of people parking daily. The number of people paying for parking daily is roughly half of what it was in 2018-19, the last full pre-pandemic parking year on record. Because the unit doesn’t receive any support from tuition, fees or state money, increasing parking rates is one of its only options to continue to be able to pay for expenses like salaries, road maintenance and debt payments on parking structures.

NEW DAILY RATES

• A+ Reservation Parking — $15
• A Zone (employees only from 7 a.m.-5 p.m.) — $4.60
• C+ Zone (employees and students) — $4.60
• C Zone — $3.50
• L Zone — $2.25
• M (motorcycles) Zone — $2.25
• Electric Vehicle — $1 add-on to base permit rate
• Disabled Parking — $0
• Visitor Parking — $15 (or $16 for electric charging)

More information is available on the Transportation Services website.

“We have deferred maintenance on projects as much as possible. … We can’t defer payments of our debts,” said Perry Eggleston, executive director for Transportation Services. “Normally we can pay our debt, but with significantly decreased revenue, and we are working with the university administration on alternative revenue streams which will help keep future rate increases to a minimum.”

More remote work has also helped the campus surpass an earlier Transportation Services goal to reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicle trips to campus by 10% by 2027, and the unit is also working to do its part to help the state reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030, a requirement of a 2016 state law by continuing to encourage bicycle-riding and more.

Parking rate increases will include most who continue to drive to campus, including electric vehicle owners and the chancellor.

Electric vehicle parking will increase to $4.50 for those who choose to park in C spaces after charging (up from $3.50), and includes four hours of charging per day. A map of charging stations is available online.

Visitor parking permits will be $15 per day (up from $12), but there remains no charge to park with a disabled placard.

The “CH” permits for the chancellor and his designees is the priciest permit, at $200 per month (up from $175). While monthly permits are available for employees, those who work a hybrid schedule will pay less by purchasing parking only on the days they come to campus. Students must purchase daily parking permits through ParkMobile.

Parking fees were last increased in 2020, 2019 and 2017.

Multiple permit types balance demand

The increases range from 13% for L or motorcycle spaces to 28% for A lots, and officials say the tiered system is meant to balance demand for lots that are constantly full.

“The different rates allow us to distribute parking and traffic congestion throughout the system,” said Ramon Zavala, transportation demand manager for Transportation Services. “With greater separation between A and C rates, some people will shift from A zones to C zones and better alleviate congestion.”

New zones, space changes

Transportation Services is making other changes, and will now allow students to park in certain spaces in A lots, which previously had been reserved for employees from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The new, dual-use spaces, labeled C+, can be used by drivers purchasing an A or the new C+ parking permit — both types cost the same, $4.60.

Also, two lots will also be redesignated from C to L lots: Lot 30 (near the Rec Pool) and Lot 57 (West of Health Stadium).

“With the transition of two parking lots from C to L zones, people with the option to park a bit farther from the most popular areas can save some money on the cheaper L rate,” Zavala said.

Payroll deduction pending

Transportation Services is working to return the option to pay for parking using pre-tax payroll deductions, but isn’t sure when it will become available again.

Transportation Services can be reached by email or at 530-752-8277, and representatives from the department frequently answer questions on Slack.