Parking fees and fines

CU Commuter and Parking Services announces fees and fines increases

Cornell's office of Commuter and Parking Services has announced increases in campus parking fees and fines for 2002-03, effective July 1, 2002.

"For most Cornell community members," said David Lieb, communications manager for Cornell Transportation and Mail Services, "the increase is a modest one, intended to help offset inflation."

Some student fees are rising more dramatically in an effort to address demand-pattern changes and to discourage students from bringing cars to Cornell, Lieb said. Also, he said, "We want to continue our ability to fund a substantial transit-incentive program for students."

Because the enforcement program is, at best, self-sustaining, Lieb said, the parking fines, many of which have remained unchanged for more than a decade, also will need to go up in order to cover the cost of providing the service to Cornell's legal permit holders.

Faculty and staff parking fees

Faculty and staff parking fees are being raised by 1.6 percent over the 2001-02 rates. This is equivalent to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as of Dec. 31, 2001. The payroll deduction cost for an individual parking permit will increase between 19 cents and 41 cents per paycheck, depending upon parking tier.

Continuing-student parking fees

Continuing students are those who have an entering semester of spring 2002 or earlier, with continuous enrollment. These students' parking fees are also being raised by the CPI for the forthcoming year. Student resident parking in the West Campus and Edgemoor Lane neighborhoods has been raised to a higher student-parking tier to reflect the higher demand and upcoming construction in these areas.

New student parking fees

New students are those who have an entering semester of later than spring 2002. These students -- both residents and commuters -- will pay a single rate for parking. This rate is equivalent to the continuing student garage rate. This higher rate is intended to serve as a disincentive to bringing a car to Cornell. It reduces a still-significant university subsidy of student parking, while allowing the university to continue offering a strong public transit incentive program. Cornell sells a student OmniRide bus pass at a 55 percent discount compared with a TCAT pass with identical privileges.

Daily parking permit fees

Daily parking permit fees are going up for the first time in 11 years. One-day permits purchased at the information and parking booths will increase from $6 to $8 (and the four-hour permit from $3 to $4). A loading permit will increase from $1 to $2. And a daily MT (or service) permit will increase from $8 to $10.50. Books of permits purchased by departments for their guests will remain at the current price.

Parking fines

Also, many of the parking fines will be increasing. Overtime violations for meters or time zones will increase from $10 to $12. Fire lane, fire hydrant or other life-safety violations will increase from $45 to $50, as will wrong-way parking. And the fines for many illegal-parking violations, such as parking without the proper permit, which have remained unchanged for 13 years, will increase from $20 to $25. The office will continue to provide the service of issuing no fine and warning tickets for expired inspections and registrations.

April 25, 2002