Correction: In the original article, the Nevada Sagebrush stated the university will only be selling 600 parking passes. Horton corrected the Nevada Sagebrush, clarifying the number of excess permits by FY22 will be reduced to 600, rather than the 1,336 excess permits available as of today, Friday, April 26.

The University of Nevada, Reno’s Parking and Transportation Department will increase parking permit rates by three percent and is changing PackTransit’s hours of operation for the 2019-2020 school year.

“At the time, I committed to an annual review of the University Parking and Transportation budgets to evaluate the need for smaller, incremental increases each year,” President Marc Johnson said in an email sent to university faculty, acquired by the Nevada Sagebrush. “I have completed this review. Because the unit is self-supporting, it does not receive any state funding and must cover the increases in operational expenses through the revenue raised from permit sales. Due to increases in routine operating expenses and rising construction costs, additional funding is needed.”

The new parking permit fee will be between $60 to $700. The Parking and Transportation Department reported they will only have around 600 excess parking permit compared to the 1,336 currently available. Some of the new revenue will go toward the new Parking Complex, which will be available in summer 2021. The garage will house 700 to 1,000 cars.

“Because the Parking Department is a self-supporting unit, we do not receive any state funding and must cover the increase on our operational expenses through the revenue raised from permit sales,” said Director of Parking and Transportation Services Michelle Horton. “During the Great Recession we were opposed to raising rates because people weren’t getting raises and … because of inflation and bond payments and the deferred maintenance, it’s now time to implement a permit fee increase. I understand that any kind of permit increase is tough for students.”

Horton said the permit fee increase is going toward deferred maintenance, including replacing asphalt, filling potholes, getting new lighting and investing in new bumper blocks.

PackTransit is also reducing its hours of operation due to insufficient funding. PackTransit’s hours of operation will be from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in August. Two shuttles will have 12 stops in 30-minute loops. Students will have to wait 15 minutes before being picked up by the shuttles.

In February 2018, the Nevada Sagebrush reported the PACKTransit shuttle system was in debt by more than half million dollars and was projected to lose another half million dollars. At an Associated Students of the University of Nevada Senate meeting last year, one plan was proposed to decrease costs by around $385,000. The plan was denied by ASUN and the Graduate Student Union. In 2019, Horton confirmed PackTransit is still in debt.

Johnson said the revenue which is produced from transportation services is not enough to cover expanded hours. The transportation department reached out to student organizations to see if they are willing to pay a fee for the services but students decided not to fund the expanded hours.

Horton said PackTransit receives limited funding. Horton has a contract with the Highlands Apartments, East Campus Residents, Younion Apartments and the Sterling Summit. They provide annual funding for the SilverLine to pick up students living there. The BlueLine was funded by permit holders but Horton said the permit holders were not reliable for funding. Currently, BlueLine is now funded only by the Parking and Transportation Department.

President Johnson approved an increase of parking permit fees in Spring 2018 for the 2018-2019 academic school year. There was also an increase in parking permit fees in 2011.

“I think students will be concerned to see the [PackTransit] times limited, but I think this will also allow students to use other resources such as Campus Escort and the Campus Cadets,” said ASUN President Anthony Martinez. “ASUN believes in affordable higher education, so the raising of the parking passes is not something we are in favor of, but this is also something we do not legally have control over.”

It is unclear how Campus Escort and Campus Cadets will fill in for PackTransit due to the time changes.

Horton advertised the new U-Pass system, which will begin operating in July. Any student, faculty and staff member will be able to ride an RTC Bus for free by showing their Wolfcard. The U-Pass will be free for the first year due to funding by a pilot program.

“I do think that is a big incentive with my service being reduced and their service bumping up, I think it will be helpful for students,” Horton said.

Taylor Johnson can be reached at tkjohnson@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @NevadaSagebrush.

The University of Nevada, Reno’s Parking and Transportation Department will increase parking permit rates by three percent and is changing PackTransit’s hours of operation for the 2019-2020 school year.

“At the time, I committed to an annual review of the University Parking and Transportation budgets to evaluate the need for smaller, incremental increases each year,” President Marc Johnson said in an email sent to university faculty, acquired by the Nevada Sagebrush. “I have completed this review. Because the unit is self-supporting, it does not receive any state funding and must cover the increases in operational expenses through the revenue raised from permit sales. Due to increases in routine operating expenses and rising construction costs, additional funding is needed.”

The new parking permit fee will be between $60 to $700. The Parking and Transportation Department reported they will only be selling around 600 parking permit passes compared to the 1,336 currently available. Some of the new revenue will go toward the new Parking Complex, which will be available in summer 2021. The garage will house 700 to 1,000 cars.

“Because the Parking Department is a self-supporting unit, we do not receive any state funding and must cover the increase on our operational expenses through the revenue raised from permit sales,” said Director of Parking and Transportation Services Michelle Horton. “During the Great Recession we were opposed to raising rates because people weren’t getting raises and … because of inflation and bond payments and the deferred maintenance, it’s now time to implement a permit fee increase. I understand that any kind of permit increase is tough for students.”

Horton said the permit fee increase is going toward deferred maintenance, including replacing asphalt, filling potholes, getting new lighting and investing in new bumper blocks.

PackTransit is also reducing its hours of operation due to insufficient funding. PackTransit’s hours of operation will be from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in August. Two shuttles will have 12 stops in 30-minute loops. Students will have to wait 15 minutes before being picked up by the shuttles.

In February 2018, the Nevada Sagebrush reported the PACKTransit shuttle system was in debt by more than half million dollars and was projected to lose another half million dollars. At an Associated Students of the University of Nevada Senate meeting last year, one plan was proposed to decrease costs by around $385,000. The plan was denied by ASUN and the Graduate Student Union. In 2019, Horton confirmed PackTransit is still in debt.

Johnson said the revenue which is produced from transportation services is not enough to cover expanded hours. The transportation department reached out to student organizations to see if they are willing to pay a fee for the services but students decided not to fund the expanded hours.

Horton said PackTransit receives limited funding. Horton has a contract with the Highlands Apartments, East Campus Residents, Younion Apartments and the Sterling Summit. They provide annual funding for the SilverLine to pick up students living there. The BlueLine was funded by permit holders but Horton said the permit holders were not reliable for funding. Currently, BlueLine is now funded only by the Parking and Transportation Department.

President Johnson approved an increase of parking permit fees in Spring 2018 for the 2018-2019 academic school year. There was also an increase in parking permit fees in 2011.

“I think students will be concerned to see the [PackTransit] times limited, but I think this will also allow students to use other resources such as Campus Escort and the Campus Cadets,” said ASUN President Anthony Martinez. “ASUN believes in affordable higher education, so the raising of the parking passes is not something we are in favor of, but this is also something we do not legally have control over.”

It is unclear how Campus Escort and Campus Cadets will fill in for PackTransit due to the time changes.

Horton advertised the new U-Pass system, which will begin operating in July. Any student, faculty and staff member will be able to ride an RTC Bus for free by showing their Wolfcard. The U-Pass will be free for the first year due to funding by a pilot program.

“I do think that is a big incentive with my service being reduced and their service bumping up, I think it will be helpful for students,” Horton said.

Taylor Johnson can be reached at tkjohnson@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @NevadaSagebrush.