(include little parking sign??)

For commuters who travel by car, parking can be a major ordeal. With increased construction and road closures, the circus of finding an open spot is made all the more frustrating.

For those with parking passes, all is not solved; obtaining a space in your respective lot can still prove difficult when hundreds of other students are vying for the same opening.

“Plan your route ahead of time,” said Lawrence Emling, manager of Parking Services. “Don’t always look for the closest space if you’re arriving during peak times; go to where you know you will find open space.”

Knowing the various campus parking rules and regulations is important for commuters looking to steer clear of costly parking tickets. Emling said the most common violations include “parking out of your assigned area, failure to display a permit (and) expired meters.”

But, if you choose to take the non-parking pass route, try parking at nearby lots and businesses at your own risk—nearby establishments aren’t strangers to towing the occasional non-patron parked car. At the very least, many meters are scattered throughout campus for those looking only to pay for prime spots hours at a time.

“The first couple weeks of the semester are always busy,” Emling said. “We encourage all commuter students to arrive early in order to find a place to park.”

Mini text box: (include PARTA logo…?)

Planning to bus it this semester? The PARTA is free. All you have to do is show your Flashcard. This fall, the bus service is debuting a new feature that allows riders to check real-time locations of busses and estimated arrival times. Find schedules and stops at PARTAonline.org.