During my first term at the University of Oregon, I didn’t know how its parking permits worked. I didn’t know that the purchase of permits opens five weeks before each new permit starts. I contacted the university transportation office, but I was unable to acquire a permit for all of fall term.
I was shocked that the car I’d driven all the way from the suburbs of Portland wouldn’t be able to stay in Eugene.
This year, my apartment is a 20-minute walk from the heart of campus. UO Director of Transportation Services David Reesor, said that due to parking constraints, students should consider other means of transportation.
“Right now there is a very strong, healthy demand for parking. I would say that the demand is higher than what we have supply for, but the tradeoff to that is it does nudge all of us to look at other travel options to and from or through campus,” Reesor said. “We certainly try to encourage folks and make those options easier for people, and try to balance that demand for parking.”
Reesor said there are about 4,000 parking spots available for permit holders. However, the UO has 24,462 students enrolled in the 2024-2025 academic year in addition to almost 2,000 faculty members.
The UO offers term-based permits at a rate of $360 per term; 30-day permits that range from $27 to $130, depending on the zone; and hourly parking that is approximately $2.00/hour.
According to Reesor, there are only 400-500 term-based permits available, despite there being over 5,000 residential students.
Oregon is cold and wet during the winter, and for students in off-campus apartments, the walk is rarely a short one. Especially for students coming from out of state, adapting to a new environment is already stressful without having to contend with where to park.
Katherine Hernandez, a UO fourth-year student, lived in the dorms last year and lives in an off-campus apartment now.
“There was no sense of, like, wanting to even help me,” Hernandez said about transportation services when she sought parking. She also suggested that the UO should “expand” on the current permit system.
“Even from the jump, getting a parking pass [was] simply inaccessible, they’re very limited and they’re not going to hand them to you even though you literally already have your car here,” Hernandez said. “When I was at the dorm, I noticed that nearly every neighborhood around UO had a specific time limit to how you can park or where or how many hours. Considering how many families and homes and children live in the area, I just don’t think that’s fair,”
A solution, as suggested by Hernandez, could be the use of “student discount codes” around Eugene. Instead of creating new parking infrastructure, it could be beneficial to build upon existing resources and offer students more affordable access to campus.
Granted, students can navigate around Eugene and UO without a car. UO Transportation Services provides resources including PeaceHealth bikes, Duck Rides, and bus passes that encourage students to bike, walk, rideshare or use public transportation.
But for people who commute and for newcomers to UO overwhelmed with the influx of information, the price and distribution of the permits leave something to be desired.
“I am a strong believer in continuous process improvement,” Reesor said. “I continue to communicate this to my team and where, you know, no matter how much we try, we’re never gonna get it perfect.”
