Parking Services has perfected the art of charging students for breathing too close to a yellow line, and it’s long past time someone hit the brakes.

If you’ve ever tried parking on campus, you know the creeping dread that hits when you are walking back to your car and see that god forsaken slip tucked under your windshield wiper. At  USask, parking isn’t just a headache; it’s a full-blown financial burden that keeps getting worse every year. Between sky-high permit prices, aggressive ticketing and a lack of transparency, it’s clear that USask’s Parking and Transportation Services is long overdue for reform. 

Let’s start with the numbers. Currently, a student parking pass can cost anywhere between $672 and $800 yearly, depending on the lot. That’s almost the cost of an entire three-credit class. These passes are practically mandatory if you need to drive to campus regularly as many students and staff commuting from nearby towns do, yet they go up in price almost every year. There’s no competition, no real alternative and no reasonable explanation for these excessive increases. Once you buy in, you’re locked into a monopoly that treats parking not as a service, but as a privilege for those who can afford it. 

Hourly pay-to-park lots aren’t much better. With rates hovering around $3 an hour, short trips to class or the library can add up ridiculously fast. Some lots now advertise a “first hour for $1” deal, but only in specific areas and at certain times. It’s a small consolation for what’s otherwise a system that nickel-and-dimes students for trying to attend class. 

To make things worse, the pricing structure isn’t even clear in many areas. Signage can be inconsistent or incomplete, and the university’s website buries rate details across multiple pages. For an institution that constantly emphasizes transparency and student service, Parking and Transportation Services seems to operate on mystery and fine print. 

Then there’s enforcement, the vultures of the parking world. Students regularly report attendants circling lots, waiting for meters to expire before swooping in to issue tickets. The fines themselves are steep: $50 to $70 for minor infractions like straddling a painted line or being a few minutes over the meter. In some cases, the reduced fine only applies if you pay within 14 days, but the ticket doesn’t clearly list what the full amount will be afterward. It’s the kind of unclear, punitive system that would make a payday lender blush. 

While Parking and Transportation Services argue that strict enforcement keeps order, it’s hard to see the fairness in punishing students who are already scraping by. The university isn’t a private lot downtown; it’s a public institution funded in part by the same people it’s ticketing. Yet every year, it collects hundreds of thousands of dollars in ticket revenue. It’s difficult not to see this as a cash grab disguised as “policy.”

The problems go beyond cost and enforcement. Accessibility, for example, remains a recurring issue. Many handicap stalls on campus are poorly marked or inconsistently signed. If the university truly values inclusion and accessibility, proper signage should be the bare minimum, not some afterthought. Meanwhile, daily parking areas often lack clear hourly breakdowns or visible instructions, creating confusion for guests and new students alike. 

So what’s the solution? Reform, and plenty of it. 

For starters, price transparency needs to be non-negotiable. Every lot should have clear, readable signage that spells out hourly rates, time limits and ticket penalties. The university should publish an annual report detailing exactly where parking revenue goes and how much funds maintenance, how much supports enforcement and how much ends up in general operations. Students deserve to know what they’re paying for. 

Next, ticketing policies need to be humanized. Grace periods for expired meters—say, ten to fifteen minutes—would prevent the “gotcha” culture that currently defines enforcement. Fines should scale with the severity of the violation, not act as blanket punishments for minor mistakes. For accessible parking, signage must meet consistent visibility standards across campus. Accessibility shouldn’t be a guessing game. 

Another obvious step is free parking during off-hours. After 5 p.m. and on Saturdays, when campus activity slows and lots sit mostly empty, there is no justification for charging anyone to park. The university already has free parking on Sundays; why not extend that? Continuing to charge during these hours feels less like management and more like profiteering. 

If the university can afford to leave lecture halls dark after hours, it can afford to let students and community members park for free when classes aren’t in session. Allowing free evening and weekend parking would not only reduce financial pressure on students but also encourage campus life after hours, events, study sessions and community engagement that benefits everyone. 

USask should also consider tiered pricing or subsidies for low-income students. Parking is not a luxury; for many, it’s a necessity to attend class, particularly for those commuting from rural areas or off-campus housing where public transit isn’t a viable solution. Offering reduced-cost permits to students in financial need or out of town would align with the university’s mission to foster equitable access to education. 

Finally, the university must limit permit overselling. Students have long complained about paying hundreds for passes only to find lots completely full, suggesting that Parking and Transportation Services sell more permits than there are spots. If a student pays for a pass, they should be guaranteed a space. Anything less is misleading and unethical. 

At its core, the parking issue is about respect. Students shouldn’t feel like they’re being squeezed for every dollar just to attend class. When parking costs nearly as much as tuition and enforcement feels predatory, the university’s priorities come into question. Parking and Transportation Services should exist to make student life easier, not to pad the institution’s wallet. 

Until the university brings transparency, fairness and humanity back into the system, every meter, ticket and permit will stand as a symbol of how far USask’s parking policies have drifted from their purpose. Parking shouldn’t feel like a gamble or a luxury; it should be a basic service that supports the students who keep this university alive.