Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

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October 4, 2022
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PTS leaving out impound notices, reminding students to register their bikes

2016-04-12_Bike_Impounds_Mariana
Mariana Gonzalez

With the semester coming to a close, Parking and Transportation Services is leaving tags on certain bikes across campus, reminding their owners to comply with campus rules or risk impoundment.

According to the PTS website, registration is required for all bicycles on campus. When students register their bikes with PTS, they’re sent a proof of registration sticker in the mail that is meant to be attached to their bikes. Bicycle coordinator Jeremy Hernandez said while impound warnings are put out periodically throughout the year, there might be a few more than usual issued in the coming weeks.

“I want to give people time, and I want them to remember [registration] is important, just in case they decide to go on a trip for the summer or have a great internship somewhere,” Hernandez said.


Violating campus rules, such as not registering a bike or locking it in the wrong place, can lead to impoundment, Hernandez said. 

Hernandez said in addition to its help with recovering a bike in case of theft, registration opens up communication with students, which makes avoiding impoundment easier. In cases where a bike is locked to something it shouldn’t be, PTS is able to call or email students, asking them to remove their bikes rather than just cutting their locks. 

“I don’t see bikes as bikes; I see them as people. They get us from A to B. … If you’re without that two-wheeled lifeline, it might impact your life in a significant way,” Hernandez said. “I don’t want cutting someone’s lock to be my only option.”

Advertising senior Connor Claver said he chose not to register his bike, and when he found an impound notice affixed to his bike, he ignored it. Claver said he wasn’t worried about his bike getting impounded. 

“There’s no immediacy,” Claver said. “April 18, as far as I’m concerned is five, six weeks away, even though it’s a handful of days.”

Claver said he would have treated the situation differently if the tag gave him less time to comply.

“If I was told that [I had two hours], I would immediately hop on the internet and register right then and there,” Claver said.

Advertising senior Dylan Schnurman said he has been meaning to register his bike but hasn’t yet. Schnurman said he’d be in a hurry to move it if he were given an impound notice.

“I would immediately get my bike out of there,” Schnurman said.

Hernandez said regardless of some students’ hesitation to register, he doesn’t think it’s a waste of time.

“It brings attention to people that five minutes could literally save your bike and get it back to you,” Hernandez said.

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PTS leaving out impound notices, reminding students to register their bikes