Students frustrated with Ann Arbor’s one-way streets, the University’s limited on-campus parking and numerous city and campus bus schedules will now be able to voice their complaints.
The University’s Parking and Transportation Services is recruiting students for its newly formed Transportation and Parking Student Advisory Council. The student committee will work with Dave Miller, the organization’s executive director, to help improve student transportation issues, including the lack of student parking on North and Central Campus and overcrowding on some University bus routes.
“Parking is tight on Central Campus,” said Miller. “It’s difficult to provide parking for students, but maybe students have good ideas we haven’t thought of.”
The idea for the committee originated from the Voices of the Staff, an initiative launched in 2005 to get more faculty and staff input on issues like salaries.
“It’s worked very well to address staff issues, and thought it would be great to have something like this for students,” Miller said.
Miller hopes to gather suggestions and input from students through e-mails, forums and town hall meetings.
Miller will co-chair the committee, along with one or two students, while a member of Transit Services and a member of Parking Customer Service will act as advisers. The committee will include eight to 12 students from different schools and colleges.
Miller said he expects to select members by October and hold the committee’s first meeting shortly after.
He said about 20 students have applied thus far.
LSA junior Amanda Pudenz said she the committee could improve the situation.
“Parking on Central Campus, especially at night, can be awful and a nightmare,” she said.
Pudenz said she’s disappointed with the high price of on-campus parking passes.
“Parking passes are way too expensive,” she said. “I refuse to pay these prices — I think the committee is a fantastic idea.”