Texas Tech students now have more options when trying to avoid tickets in the university parking lots.
University Parking Services recently has installed a new "pay-by-phone" system in several of the parking lots across campus.
This new system gives commuters the option to pay for their parking through their cell phones, either by making a call or by text messaging. Students can also add additional time to their parking balance through their cell phones as well. A Canadian company, Verrus Mobile Technologies, Inc, developed the program.
The pay-by-phone system, which is now available in 10 of the university's parking lots, was tested last summer on the 4th floor of the Flint Avenue parking garage, said Brian Brand, manager of parking enforcement.
He said the system received solid feedback through the test, which is why University Parking Services decided to expand the program.
"We got very good responses from the students," Brand said. "They liked it. They liked the convenience."
Heather Medley, the marketing and training coordinator for University Parking Services, said the new parking systems will make the parking process more convenient for students.
"One of the greatest things is that you don't have to dig for change in your pocket," Medley said.
The pay-by-phone system was installed to help decrease the number of tickets people were receiving in the parking lots, Brand said. University Parking Services also wanted to reduce the reliance on the parking meters that had credit card readers, because they proved to be unreliable.
Tech is the only campus in Texas to have this new system implemented, and one of only four campuses in the nation at this time, said Medley. These universities include the University of Miami, University of Wisconsin, University of Colorado and Yale University.
Brand said programs such as this show Tech's commitment to the utilization of new technology on its campus.
"We are on the cutting edge," Brand said, "trying to make things as technologically advanced as possible."
However, Brand said the new system was developed for the main purpose of helping Tech students.
"Pay-by-phone was implemented first and foremost, because it is advantageous to the students," Brand said.
Students can sign up for the pay-by-phone parking service online, through parking services.
Medley said the original meters are still available for students who want to pay for their parking spaces with cash or credit card; University Parking Services just wants to make the parking process as simple as possible.
"A student has a lot of things to worry about," Medley said. "This will be one less thing."
For more information about the pay-by-phone service, go to http://www.depts.ttu.edu/parking/programs/paybyphone.php.
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