The University has maintained strong sales of C lot permits despite a decrease in the number of spaces available, according to Parking and Transportation Services annual reports over the last four years.

According to the most recent data available online from 2013–2014, a total of 6,652 C and C+ permits were sold for an inventory of 554 surface spaces. In 2010–2011, permit sales were 6,613 for 887 spots. As construction projects have taken over campus, PTS has lost spaces, causing some issues for students who commute to campus and hold C lot permits.

Journalism sophomore Brianna Stone lives in Riverside and said she commutes to campus because she does not like taking the bus. For her, it was worth the price for a permit.

When she drives to campus during weekdays, Stone said she typically gets to campus early to get a spot and avoid paying more money.

“The main issue with C parking is that there are not enough parking spots and way too many people with C lot passes,” Stone said. “Every day, the C lots usually fill up by 8 a.m., so unless I plan to wake up and get to campus early, I usually can’t find a parking spot and end up paying to park in the parking garage.”

PTS director Bobby Stone, who is not related to Brianna Stone, said the department knows it sells more permits than spots available.

“The way the University runs, its classes are spread out throughout the week so not everyone is here all at once,” Stone said. “So we end up issuing more permits than there are actual spaces.”

Stone said in the past it has not been a problem. However, as this year’s Dell Medical School construction and graduate student housing construction began, there have been some issues, especially during sporting events.

Journalism senior Amy Botelho has had a C lot permit for two years. This year, she found the construction and baseball games caused her much more frustration. Next year, she’s debating whether to get a C lot permit again.

“The carnival-romp-a-roo that is the graduate housing project is going to take away more C lot parking. That’s the future upset,” Botelho said. “The current upset is that during baseball season and spring semester, they are blocking off three or four large parking areas by the baseball areas and you’re not allowed to park there all day even when the games are starting later at night.”

Stone said the athletics department is currently paying for vouchers for C lot permit holders affected by baseball events. However, he also added there’s been confusion with finding the employees giving the vouchers.

Some students mentioned frustration with sporting events taking away lot spaces, but Bobby Stone said it’s important for the department’s finances. He said the department makes approximately $150,000 for baseball and softball parking events, using the lot for this purpose on 20 weekdays and 14 weekend days.

The total revenue collected last year for C permits for the entire 12-month period was around $500,000, Bobby Stone said.