The U has long promoted the advantages of parking off campus and using TRAX or the bus to commute. They have gone as far as providing students with free boarding passes.
Some students, like me, still drive and have to find and pay for parking spaces. Last week provided me with an opportunity to see which of these two options is better.
Last Wednesday, my friend confessed he was having a crappy day because his car had been broken into while parked at the TRAX station.
I said calmly, “Did you talk to the UTA? I’m sure they must have security cameras.” After all, a complete camera system for a parking lot is not that expensive.
My friend had not even considered that possibility. He used my cell phone to call the UTA TRAX department and asked whether it kept security cameras.
The representative said the company had people patrolling some of the time, and that it would try to patrol more often by his car. No cameras.
I was baffled by the lack of security and the lack of concern.
Now, the flip side of the coin: That same day after my study group, I got back to my car only to realize my battery was dead. It was late, and there were few people around. I called a friend for help. He asked whether I had called Parking Services and requested their assistance. Sure enough, within 10 minutes a young lady named Jenny arrived and got the car going.
The purpose of this little story is to question what incentive we have to park our cars in a place that has no security when we can drive to the U. Here the security is at least adequate, and Parking Services is ready, willing and able to help whenever needed.