When Boston University students need to get from place to place, they have three main methods of transportation: the T, a bike or by foot. However, some students choose to drive and must figure out how to park on a big, urban campus where fees can quickly add up.’
A very small number of BU undergraduates have parking passes, BU spokesman Colin Riley said.’
‘The university is very accessible by a variety of transportation options,’ Riley said.’
Students who commute said they tend to be the ones who drive because public transportation is often inconvenient for them.
There are a total of 16 different parking lots available around campus, only three of which are open to the public without permits, according to Parking and Transportation Services website.
To acquire a parking permit at BU, students must present their BU IDs, complete a form, and pay through Student Link. There are no assigned parking spaces and having a permit does not guarantee a parking space at the ‘most convenient location,’ according to PTS.’ Day commuters pay $777.00 for two semesters.
College of Communication freshman Dianna Bedrosian, who said she drives to school every day, has a permit but said it does not help much because the lots are still far away from her classes and the permit was expensive to purchase.’
‘I think that parking should be provided for commuter students at a lower rate,’ she said.’
Those who do not wish to purchase permits can park by a meter or pay by hour in a lot.
College of Arts and Sciences junior Melissa Ng Pack, a commuter from Weymouth, said she drives to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays because she has a huge gap between classes on those days. With traffic, the drive can take up to an hour. Without traffic, it is usually 20 minutes.’
Ng Pack said she usually parks at her off-campus friends’ driveways or at two hour parking locations. She decided against getting a BU parking permit.
‘If the season went on for the Red Sox, it would’ve been a lot harder for me to park on campus,’ she said. ‘Whenever there’s a game on, all the parking spots and meters are taken. That’s the only time it would be convenient for me to get a parking pass.”
However, she said the BU parking pass can be a good idea.’ ‘
‘It didn’t work out for me personally,’ she said. ‘But if you don’t have driveways to park in, it would probably be better for you to get a parking permit. You would end up paying more in lot fees than you would getting a parking pass.’
School of Management junior Becca Phu said she drives from her home in Rosindale because she has too many textbooks to carry and commuting is a hassle. Her drive can take anywhere between 10 and 35 minutes, depending on traffic.’
‘I don’t have a parking permit,’ she said. ‘I either pay the meters or there are two-hour spots near Buswell.’
However, she said, she is reconsidering that decision for next semester because it might be cheaper for her to get a parking pass. Either way, she said, she has no trouble finding parking.
‘There’s always meter parking on Bay State,’ she said.’
Most students said they still prefer other modes of transportation.
‘ ‘Everything else is just more convenient,’ CAS freshman Sandra Shaw said.’
Shaw said walking is the easiest way to get around even though her dorm, Danielsen Hall, is far away from most of her classes.
The popular college evaluating website collegeprowler.com, students gave BU a C- for parking.’ ‘
‘Most students advise that a car is both an unnecessary and expensive endeavor on the BU campus and in and around the city,’ the website said. ‘Not only is parking ridiculously expensive, but your car will invariably wind up towed, ticketed, abused, and worn down.’
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