UK Parking Versus Other Schools

Most freshmen become acquainted with UK Parking and Transportation Services when they are slapped with a rather hefty fee for a simple parking permit. UK students pay close to $250 for a yearly parking pass.
This fee is considerably higher than the University of South Carolina, whose basic permits start at $75 a year, and the University of Louisville, whose permits start at $98 a year. The University of Tennessee’s permit fees are a little closer to UK’s prices. UT commuters pay $162 a year, but their non-commuters pay $253 a year for a parking permit.

Unlike UK, many other universities offer lower prices for less desirable lots. Under this type of policy students parking at Commonwealth Stadium could pay less for their permit than students parking at a lot or garage closer to main campus.
When asked why UK does not do this, UK’s Director of Parking Services, Lance Broeking, says the University used to do this but this policy was changed several years ago.
“I think the reason they [UK Parking and Transportation Services] changed it is because people weren’t buying stadium permits because they were cheaper but rather by default,” Broeking said.
Perhaps students weren’t choosing money over convenience. However, there is another side to the coin. Is it fair to force students to park at the Stadium and then charge them just as much as others parking on main campus?
USC and U of L offer their students the option to pay less for a less desirable lot. Students wanting, or needing, to save some money can get a basic parking pass for less than half of what UK students pay.
However, while UK’s Stadium parkers may be losing the battle, UK’s main campus parkers are coming out way ahead. Students parking at premium spots at USC and U of L can pay upwards of $600 a year for their parking permits.

If UK were to create different prices for different lots students might be in the same boat as their USC and U of L counterparts. Broeking says that if this policy was implemented Stadium permit prices would stay the same, and the prices of other lots would have to increase.
Parking at UK certainly isn’t the easiest of tasks, but chances are students at other universities are complaining, too. Broeking reminds students that, ultimately, parking is a commodity.
“Parking is not a right, it is not guaranteed. It is a choice…” Broeking says.