My First MU Parking Ticket

Today I received my very first parking ticket at Marshall University. Since ‘97 I had been able to dodge the evil meter maids. I parked in the meter lot across from Corbly Hall, for my 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM class, and to my surprise I see the dreaded parking attendant making her rounds. I was searching franticly for a quarter but had none. There was no escape this time, I was busted. The official time on my parking ticket for MU was 18:38, so this evil lady littered the entire lot with orange slips. I have parked in the meter lot for about a year after 4PM and never received a ticket.

I found today that the lots are supposed to be monitored from 7 AM to 7PM, which is just enough to catch the 6:30 - 9:00 students for their class, this time span is by far when the parking lots are in demand. I have never had a problem finding a parking place at 4PM.

I understand that the parking lots need to be monitored or we would never have a place to park but considering the cost of tuition, why don’t they give us a parking permit. Marshall’s parking lots are like cash crops, when you really think about it.

Parking Permit Prices:

• Evening Permit After 4PM (Non Garage)
  • Semester: $37.50
  • Full year: $75.00
• Student Surface Permit
  • Semester: $67.50
  • Full Year: $135.00
• 3rd Avenue Garage Permit
  • Semester: $ 117.50
  • Full Year: $235.00
• Parking Meters
  • $0.25 = 30 min.

Find the form here: MU Parking permit form

List of Violation Costs

Parking Violations Enforced 24 Hours

1. Fire Lane……………………………………………………$10
2. Handicapped Space……………………………………..$100
3. No Parking Zone…………………………………………..$10
4. Loading Zone……………………………………………….$10
5. Block Traffic, Roadway, Parked Veh…………………..$10
6. Double Parked………………………………………………$10
7. Parked Over Line…………………………………………..$10
8. Limited Time Zone…………………………………………$10
9. Barricaded Areas, Bldg, Entrances & Exits…………..$10

Parking Violations Enforced 7 AM - 7 PM

1. Expired time on meter …………………………………….$2
2. Lot parking without permit……………………………..$10
3. Simultaneous Parking of two vehicles
   issued under one fee ……………………………………….$10
4. Parking out of assigned area……………………………..$10
5. Expired Permit……………………………………………..$10
6. Improper Display of Permit………………………………$10

The previous violations and fees were taken from my Marshall University Parking Violation parking ticket.

I am giving a good guess here, but I would say that on an average day the MU meter maids probably give out approximately 1,000 tickets (this is very optimistic) every day.

800 meter tickets X $2 = $1600

200 tickets/day X $10 = 2,000

Total $$$ per day estimate would be $3,600.

So why does a parking pass cost so much?

I am sure other colleges do the same thing and there are some reasons why they have to do the things they do, but why gouge students, we already pay enough for tuition, over priced books, gas to get to class, and parking permits/parking tickets.

I once saw the perfect bumper sticker “Meter Maids Eat Their Own Young”.