UAkronPark
FAQs
ABOUT US
The Concession Agreement will provide The University of Akron with an upfront payment of approximately $55 million. The Concessionaire will invest around $12 million in additional funds over the first five years of the concession to address deferred maintenance and to bring the parking system up to standard. This investment includes major projects like the demolition of the Exchange Street parking deck (Lot 39), located at 208 Carroll Street. Over the 35-year term of the concession, the Concessionaire estimates it will spend approximately $76 million in today’s dollars to repair and maintain the parking system. UAkronPark is a non-profit entity and will distribute significant funds back to The University of Akron for reinvestment in its academic mission over the term of the concession.
UAkronPark is a nonprofit organization. All funds collected (parking permits/violations) are used to improve the parking areas on UAkron’s campus and pay back bondholders. Any surplus cash flow from the parking revenues, after operating expenses and debt service, goes to the University.
UAkronPark utilizes a license plate recognition software (LPR). Cameras on UAkronPark’s enforcement vehicles scan each license plate to assure each vehicle is parked within UAkronPark’s rules and regulations.
No, the role of parking enforcement is not to generate violation revenue for its own sake but to improve compliance. For additional information, please read this article.
UAkronPark’s rules & regulations are enforced 24/7.
Permits are enforced in between semesters and during some breaks.
Daily parking rates, permit parking rates and parking citations include transaction fees when purchasing by credit card.
The role of parking enforcement is not to generate violation revenue for its own sake but to improve compliance. For additional information, please read this article.
UAkronPark will invest approximately $16.3 million over the first five years of the concession in order to address deferred maintenance and enhance the parking system.
Throughout the 35-year term of the concession, UAkronPark estimates an expenditure of nearly $80 million in present-day value to ensure the repair and ongoing maintenance of the parking system.
UAkronPark will upgrade existing parking facilities for easier access, improved lighting and additional security.
- Example: The deferred maintenance in each of the eight parking structures will be addressed within the first five years of the concession agreement.
- Annual improvements (repaving and resealing) to various asphalt surface lots.
Adding newer and more reliable parking shuttles for expanded service hours and less wait time.
The campus shuttle will continue to offer free services to students, faculty and staff. The shuttle service routes will become a linear route, covering the same service area, which will result in reduced average wait times. Service will start at 7:00 a.m., 30 minutes earlier than before, to better meet the needs of students with early morning classes or faculty/staff who ride to work with METRO.
Improved customer experience and response time from an experienced, professional third-party operator that has the resources to expand personnel.
Improved technology that will enable patrons to pay by phone. QR codes will be available for the campus community to scan and pay either online or via text, essentially converting almost any parking spot into a metered parking space.
The process will be touchless, quick and easy with no need to find a pay station, stand in line, touch equipment or interact with personnel. We expect to have this technology implemented before the end of the 2023 fall semester.
UAkronPark will become a true partner of the University in a number of ways:
- Participation in Parking Advisory Committee (PAC) meetings, at the University’s discretion, to encourage open dialogue between the campus community and the parking vendor. The PAC members will be appointed by the University and include representatives from the campus community (students/faculty/staff).
- Direct and indirect contributions to campus projects and events, as well as the student experience; this includes, but is not limited to, investing in campus projects and actively participating in and sponsoring campus events.
The transportation fee supports all transit services that are available to University of Akron students. This includes the campus shuttle, as well as free rides throughout Summit County on any of Akron METRO RTA’s normal line services with a University ID card (and a $1 discount on the fare for the North Coast Express route to Cleveland). For those returning students who are in a tuition guarantee cohort and who will not be paying a separate parking permit fee, the transportation fee also supports the operation and maintenance of parking facilities.
PERMIT FAST FACTS
Daily permits purchased by a visitor allows them to park in any Commuter or All-Permit parking lot or deck. This permit cannot be used to park in metered or reserved spaces; these spaces require a separate payment.
Students may have up to two vehicles on the same permit. However, if two or more vehicles are scanned on campus during the same time period (within three hours of each other), a shared permit citation will be issued to BOTH vehicles.
Faculty & Staff may have up to three vehicles on the same permit. However, if two or more vehicles are scanned on campus during the same time period (within three hours of each other), a shared permit citation will be issued to BOTH vehicles.
Daily permit holders may have one vehicle on their daily permit.
You must still obtain a valid UAkronPark parking permit to park on campus. Placard registration from the BMV can then be submitted to UAkronPark via a document upload to your iParq account or an email to info@uakronpark.com. Once the registration is verified, additional permissions will be added to your parking permit. Additional documents may be requested for validation of the registration.
With a valid permit, you will be able to utilize any disability space regardless of the permit designation of that lot/deck. Once the registration has been submitted to UAkronPark and the permissions have been added to your account, you will be able to utilize any “Commuter or Residential” permit space if there are no disability spaces available in that lot/deck. Reserved and metered spaces are still not available unless the requirements of these spaces are met.
REGISTERING YOUR VEHICLE
All vehicles on campus are required to have a permit or opt to pay parking meters.
You can register your vehicle with the following:
- Register your vehicle online via the parking portal. Log in with your UA Net Credential and password.
- You will need to have your license plate number and vehicle information available when you register.
- Based on housing status, or employment classification, you will be shown the permit types for which you have been pre-approved. Please be sure to read the entire permit description (you may have to click the ‘more’ link). You will receive an email confirmation once your permit purchase has been completed.
- When you log in, follow the prompts to obtain your parking permit.
Students and Employees
- Spring registration begins in late December.
- Summer registration begins in early May.
- Fall registration begins in early August.
Exact dates vary year to year. For updates be sure to follow @UAkronPark on social media.
Monthly/Daily
- Short term permits (monthly or daily) can be purchased any time.
Those with an outstanding balance on their account will NOT be able to purchase a new parking permit.
GENERAL PARKING PERMIT INFO
Student permit types are assigned based on residential status.
- Commuters are defined as students who live off campus.
- Residents are defined as students who live on campus.
The University of Akron provides UAkronPark with each student/staff member’s status. If you log into your parking portal and you believe your status is incorrect, please contact HR and/or your department.
After logging in to your parking account via the Parking Portal the appropriate fee will automatically be displayed for your specific profile.
Current parking permit rates are: 2023-24 School Year
- All Students NOT in a Tuition Guarantee Program — $225 per semester
- Graduate & Professional/Law Students — $200 for 2023-24 academic year (After $250 subsidy provided by the University for one year)
- Employee/Faculty/Staff — $300 annually
- Administrative Reserved — $640 annually
- Returning Undergraduate Students in Tuition Guarantee Program — $350 annually (included in the transportation fee)
Faculty and staff may choose to pay for their permit using payroll deduction. Employee permits through payroll deduction will use pre-taxed dollars, reducing the net amount you pay for parking, based upon an individual’s tax bracket.
There are no physical parking permits. UAkronPark’s virtual parking permits are connected to your license plate. When you purchase your permit online, make sure to correctly enter your license plate information. Your vehicle must be assigned to an active permit.
The exact expiration date can be found in the description of each permit within the iParq system.
- Semester Permits: Permits expire at the end of each semester.
- Employee/Faculty/Staff: Annual permits purchased through credit card end in August. Semester-based permits expire at the end of the semester.
- Affiliates: Annual permits end in August. Semester-based permits expired at the end of the semester.
There are two options for purchasing your parking permit through payroll deduction:
- One-time deductions are taken in a lump sum from the first pay after the permit has been purchased and the deduction established.
- Multiple (spread out) deductions allow for the total permit fee (goal amount) to be spread evenly over each pay for the relevant time period (annual or semester). Each employee’s specific deduction amount will depend on the permit that is selected and the number of times they are paid over the applicable time period.
HOURLY & VISITOR PARKING
A visitor parking permit is $10.00/day.
Visitor permits can be purchased through the online parking portal.
All visitors must have a parking permit or utilize Sphere transient parking when parking on campus. Visitors who purchase a day pass permit for $10.00 may park in any commuter or all-permit parking lot/deck.
Sphere-equipped parking lots and decks will have signage prominently displayed. For ease of use, especially during large campus events where parking locations may vary, location #93957 can be used to park anywhere on campus. For more information on utilizing Sphere transient parking, click here.
METERED/ZONED PARKING
For a full list of Sphere locations and location IDs, click here.
VISITOR PARKING
Immediate drop-offs or pick-ups, those which involve no waiting time, are permissible on most City of Akron and University-controlled streets. Parking is not permitted in fire lanes. If a drop-off or pick-up involves any waiting period, then the vehicle should be parked at a paid University parking meter or other transient parking option.
Yes, all vehicles must be registered to park on campus.
No, parking permits are required at all times, or patrons may utilize Sphere transient parking. For more information on visitor parking, click here.
UAkronPark utilizes a Mobile License Plate Recognition system. All permits are connected to license plates, the plates must be visible to verify the vehicle is registered with a valid parking permit.
A department or group may elect to cover the cost of the guest permit or advise the guest to purchase a permit through the parking portal.
- Please contact the event organizer or department before parking on campus if you believe you should receive a complimentary permit.
Please visit UAkronPark’s violations page or email us at info@uakronpark.com.
ENFORCEMENT & VIOLATIONS
ENFORCEMENT & VIOLATION FAST FACTS
The appeal should state how your vehicle was parked according to UAkronPark’s parking procedures and why the citation was incorrectly issued.
To appeal a violation, go to akron.thepermitstore.com and fill out the appeal form. Please note: the use of this form is only for customers who feel they have received a violation in error or extenuating circumstances beyond your control occurred to cause them to park illegally.
PARKING ENFORCEMENT
Parking permits and UAkronPark’s rules & regulations are enforced at all times (24/7). Permits are not enforced on some holidays & UA determined global days. For a list of those dates, click here.
Register your vehicle for a parking permit. There is no free parking on campus.
- You may purchase a permit by visiting the parking portal. Signs are available in each Sphere-equipped lot for transient parkers.
- Make sure your license plate is entered correctly.
Park in lots identified by the permit type on your permit confirmation.
Parking spaces identified as “Reserved” in any way, shape or form, are not open to general parking at any time.
Each vehicle’s license plate must face the drive aisle. If your vehicle does not have a front plate, you may not back in or pull through a parking space.
Abide by UAkronPark’s rules & regulations.
Your license plate is your virtual permit. Plates are scanned to verify that the vehicle has a valid permit and is parked where permitted. If the plate can’t be scanned, compliance can’t be enforced.
- If your vehicle does not have a front license plate, please do not pull through a space, back into a parking space, or otherwise park in a manner that obstructs the view of your license plate.
Active students, employees/faculty/staff and affiliates may pay through the parking portal by credit card.
All parking citations for violations must be paid within ten (10) calendar days from the date of issuance.
A 25% late fee will be applied if payment is not received within 10 calendar days of issuance date. If a payment is not received within 90 days, the citation may be sent to collections.
If a snow emergency is declared for Summit County, UAkronPark will operate in the following manner:
- Level 1 – No change in enforcement or office hours.
- Level 2 – Violations for view of license plate and for parking over the parking lines will not be enforced, and office hours may vary depending on weather conditions.
- Level 3 – UAkronPark will be closed with no enforcement or office hours.
THE APPEAL PROCESS
You may appeal a violation if you feel your vehicle was parked in accordance with UAkronPark’s parking procedures and, therefore, the violation was issued in error. Eligible violations must be appealed within 10 calendar days of the issuance date.
If the violation can be appealed, students, employees, and affiliates may appeal their parking violation through their online parking portal. To appeal a parking violation , guests will need to create an account in the parking portal.
- You may appeal a violation if you feel your vehicle was parked according to UAkronPark’s parking procedures and the ticket was issued incorrectly. Eligible violations must be appealed within 10 calendar days of the issue date.