This is an open letter to everyone who gripes about transportation and parking.

1) If Transportation and Parking did not ticket people who parked illegally, parking passes for those who paid for them would be doubled or tripled in price to make up for the lost revenue.

2) Parking is reserved for those who qualify and pay for the privilege of parking there. If you pay rent, should someone else get to live in the exact same apartment for free? After all, you’re not using their apartment…

3) OSU’s bus system is incredible – far better than any other Big Ten school. Shuttles run everywhere on a 5-15 minute frequency, usually until midnight.

4) Transportation and Parking is one of the only completely self-funded departments at the university. We could make a recommendation to tack on a $350 “traffic allotment” fee onto every person’s fee statement, the cost of a CP pass (the best pass for which undergraduates can become eligible). This is obviously ridiculous because parking services should be paid for by those who use them.

5) Ticketing is a way to ensure spaces become available later. If there were no meters, students could drop their car in the space that you got a ticket in all day and you would not have the space period.

6) You can appeal. If you feel you received a ticket unjustly, it’s as easy as clicking on www.tp.ohio-state.edu and explaining the situation on the computer.

7) Transportation and Parking provides many other services for free to OSU students including battery jumps, changing flat tires, bringing emergency gallons of gas, etc. Ticketing illegal parkers helps subsidize these services.

8) Finally, the ticketing seems to be as self-explanatory as any other rule: If you break it, you pay the price. The parking situation is the price we pay for living on a city campus.

If you have any comments, there is always another solution: E-mail your suggestions directly to [email protected] or call them at 292-9341. Transportation and Parking has been more than willing to work with any student or student group that asked for their assistance.

Tyler HartSeniorEnglish