STATESBORO — The Office of Parking and Transportation is aware of questions and concerns from students, faculty and staff and is trying its best to work with the people of Georgia Southern University, according to Derrick Davis, GS’ Director of Parking and Transportation.

There are two different permits available for students, either commuter or resident. Residents have assigned parking spots, while commuters can choose which lot to pay for.

Statesboro permits are $160 while Armstrong permits are $50. When the merger happened, there was discussion of making both campus permits $100. The decision was made to keep the prices where they were. Faculty permits are $100 across the board.

The differences in prices relies on convenience more than size, according to Davis. A waiting list for parking permits is available. 

“In lot 42, the biggest number I saw was 755 people on the waiting list,” Davis said. “But 42, it’ll only accommodate 850 cars…there’s a there’s a good chance number 755 will not get a permit this year.”

Lot 42 is the lot behind the nursing building, near the military science building off of Old Register Road. 

Davis recognizes the convenience issue within parking, lack of lots and the loss of space due to new buildings on campus.

“The bad thing is that big new science building they’re putting up, we’ve lost three 300 spaces with that,” Davis said. “There really won’t be much parking for that particular building.”

The Vice President of Business of Finance is the person that Parking and Transportation needs the approval of to make further improvements, according to Davis.

Parking and Transportation checks the inventory of each lot every week and if there are available spots, people will be able to access those. All commuter parking lots are available to park in without a permit after 4 p.m.

“We definitely work with students. We have an appeals committee that looks at all the citations and then make the determination whether we should grant a citation or we should deny the citation,” Davis said.

Most citations are $30 but time zone, known as 30 minute parking, citations are only $20. Any citation price can be lessened if paid within seven days, according to Davis.

After three citations are given and not paid, students are then eligible have a boot placed on their vehicle with a fee of $50.

An alternative to purchasing a parking permit is the shuttle system available on campus. Three routes are available and parking is free at the stadium to all riders.

“We are trying to keep people safe and that’s why we have the buses on campus,” Davis said.

Students rode the bus 1.5 million times last year, according to Davis.

The Blue Route runs on Lanier Drive residents, stops at the University Store and stops twice on Forest Drive. The Gold Route makes stops at the University Store, the RAC and both stops on Forest Drive. The Sweetheart Shuttle Route serves the stadium stop, College of Education circle  and Sweetheart Circle from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays.

Every bus runs between every five to seven minutes while the Sweetheart Shuttle Route may be more like 10 to 15 minutes, according to Davis.

“We try to accommodate the students if there’s any kind of problems. If your car’s not working, we will work with you,” Davis said. “We don’t want to impede your education. If you want to purchase a permit, then you need to go and pay for all your citations for your new permit.”

Passiogo! is an app that students can use to track each GS bus route in real time.

Parking permits for the upcoming year go on sale on April 10. A full image of parking lots and transit routes can be accessed here.

Sarah Smith, The George-Anne News Editor, gaeditor@georgiasouthern.edu