Print Edition: June 10, 2011
Ideally, privatizing something should result in better and more efficient service. In the past few years, the University of the Fraser Valley has decided to privatize their parking services by striking up a contract with our beloved Impark. For those who still park by the surrounding churches and side streets where parking is free, be glad you have managed to escape from the clutches of Impark. While there are advantages to privatizing a service when all stakeholders (including customers) are happy with the product, customer satisfaction is not always priority – especially with Impark.
When UFV decided to privatize their parking lots, they immediately removed themselves from a lucrative investment in their future. For example, in 2008 the city of Chicago decided to privatize all of their parking meters. The city was paid $1.15 billion for a 75 year contract for most of the city’s parking meters. According to New York Times, the private company is expected to earn $58 million in gross income in their first year, increasing year after year. Over the life of the contract, the private company could earn $4.34 billion. It seems as though they might be making a little dough. Could UFV have been so smart to make the decision of keeping their parking meters to themselves?
Looking at the big picture, the private company in Chicago and Impark here have to pay for employees, upkeep of their lots, meters, and all of the other tools that go into running an efficient business. Still, they are making a killing. With such lucrative profits to be had, our product – parking at UFV – should be better. Have we really seen any improvements to the lots or lower fees?
After the administrative decision was made to hire Impark as our guardian-parking-lot-angels, all students have seen an increase in enforcement with no physical improvement to the lots. Students have lost jobs, as the University used to employ students to patrol the lots. Parking space is still over-crowded, and when trying to pay a ticket, we are forced to deal with Impark’s terrible customer service line. Last week, in the time it took for me to walk to the parking meter and pay the parking fee, I was already issued a ticket. Then, I spent 15 minutes waiting on the phone to try and dispute it.
All this, and we have to share our space with the AE&SC on game nights, and pay the event flat rate unless an Impark guard will approve you as a student by showing identification.
So where is the efficiency we were all promised? At least with privatized health-care in the United States, when you put your money into the machine, you get your surgery. Here at UFV, you often put your money in the machine, but it’s either eaten, neglected, or stolen and you are still given a ticket. Impark is failing us. They have not delivered on their promises of better parking and more efficient administration. The only consistency comes from their ability to write tickets and rudely deal with their customers. It might be time for students to stand up and say shape up or ship out! Our university is growing; we need to ensure students have a place to park their car as they are getting their education.
