Transportation and Parking Services announced last week that parking rates would not increase for the 2004-05 year due, in part, to cost-saving measures implemented by the parking division.

In general, the division has significantly slowed the pace of parking rate increases initially projected in TAPS' 2002 Long Range Access Plan for 2002-05.

Rates through June 30, 2005, will continue to be $20 per month for an L permit, $37 per month for a C permit, and $46 per month for an A permit. The daily rate will remain at $6. Carpool rates range from $8-$16 per month.

Last summer, the monthly rates for various permits rose, on average, about $2. In 2003, the cost was $19, $35 and $44 for L, C and A permits, respectively.

In 2004-05, there also will be no change in the Motorist Assistance Program services available to parking-permit customers at no cost. These services include lights-on notification, transportation to a gas station for gas, lock-out assistance and battery jumps. Last year Parking Services responded to nearly 2,000 requests for motorist assistance.

Through various measures, TAPS has saved enough this year to delay the rate increases that will be required to build and maintain new parking spaces, including the West Entry Parking Structure -- scheduled to break ground this summer on temporary Lot 45 (south of the fire/police building). The structure is on target to be complete in the fall of 2005, said Clifford Contreras, director for Transportation and Parking Services.

He said TAPS has reduced operating and capital expenses "wherever possible."

Cost-reduction actions have included:

• Deferring the filling of vacant positions and reducing equipment purchases and part-time staffing, for more than $100,000 in savings;
• Reducing and deferring some maintenance for parking lots and structures for a $200,000 savings; and
• Utilizing citation revenue rather than parking permit revenue to fund parking enforcement costs for a $380,000 savings.

Also, campus leaders recently eliminated an assessment charged to Parking Services, resulting in $170,000 in savings for TAPS.

Two years ago TAPS announced parking rates would increase 36 percent over the next four years to help pay for the construction of the six-level, about $36-million, 1,500-space West Entry Parking Structure, roughly twice the size of the parking structure next to Mondavi Center. In 2002, an A permit cost $41, C permits were $33 and L permits were $17.

Under the 2002 TAPS plan, the cost of monthly campus A permits was to rise $15 between the 2002-03 and 2005-06 academic years. C permits would increase $12 over that period.

Sensitivity to fact that "salary increases are minimal, benefit costs are rising, student fees are rapidly going up and all departments are dealing with significant budget cuts" has contributed to the slowing of parking rate increases, Contreras said. However, he added that parking rates would likely need to be increased beginning July 1, 2005.

Parking-permit costs also are not increasing at the UC Davis Medical Center this year.

For more information about parking at UC Davis see http://www.taps.ucdavis.edu. For more about parking at the medical center, see http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/parking/.