More than 50 permits issued for car pool lot

By Joshua Bacon

Parking officers will start writing citations this week to students who park in lot “E” during certain hours unless they car pool.

A week since the new car pool program began at the green section of the lot, some students have signed up for permits while a few have received warnings, according to the office of parking and transportation.

Annette Harvey, alternative transportation coordinator on campus, said 51 permits have been issued to students and that .

Harvey said she thinks the program has been really well received.

“ So far everyone whose come in to get a permit has been excited,” Harvey said.

Jennifer Owens, an at-large senator and parking and safety liaison, said she was surprised this didn’t start sooner.

“ I think this car pool lot is going to benefit Fresno State and the community at large,” Owens said.

The car pool program started Oct. 6. It is a means of rewarding those who try to do something about air pollution Harvey.

The program is free and allows only students who sign up to park in the green section of lot “E” between 6:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

To enter the parking lot during those hours, vehicles must have at least two Fresno State students and must display the student rideshare permit. University High School students are also eligible to take part in the car pool program.

To join the program, a student rideshare registration form must be filled out and brought to the University Student Union Parking and Police Pavilion office. The form can be found at the Parking and Police Pavilion office or on the Web at www.csufresno.edu/parking.

License plate numbers and parking decal numbers (the numbers on the green parking permit) must be given for each vehicle that will be used in each group.

Once this is completed each group receives one rideshare parking permit that is transferable to all group members’ cars. Each semester, students must sign up for new rideshare parking permits.

Gary Beddingfield, parking administrator for Fresno State, said they want to give everybody a chance to adjust.

New signs were posted, fliers were put on car windshields, and warnings were given last week to people who didn’t fulfill the requirements.

This week, the rules will start to be enforced with citations, Beddingfield said.

He said they are just trying to do things to lessen the parking demand for on-campus and take care of the environment.

“ Just about every student I’ve talked to is positive about it,” Beddingfield said.

He said one person was upset because she didn’t get notification.

“ We’re hoping it will work out good for everybody,” Beddingfield said.

Harvey said they are up for any suggestions that students have.

She said that one student called and suggested a simpler method: monitor the cars and only allow vehicles with two or more people—don’t bother going through the permit process.

Harvey said they would look at this idea and look for a lot that would be easy to patrol.

Bernave Nunez, a junior business accounting major, said the program is a good idea, but he thinks that people who drive alone aren’t going to like the program.

Dorie Talob, a post baccalaureate student, also thought the car pool program was a good idea.

“ I think it’s a good idea as long as everyone’s schedules don’t conflict,” Talob said.

Talob said some students might face: the problem of finding people with similar schedules to car pool with.

There is a Web site for those people. It is a matching system for people of the Valley and it can be found at www.rides.csufresno.edu. Students can enter the hours and days they attend school and be matched with others who have the same schedules.