As someone from New England where parking is always tight, allow me to explain the fundamental purpose of parking tickets in one word.

Revenue.

Shane McGonigal of Campus Reform reports.

University of Alabama issued 55k parking tickets in 2012-13 school year

The University of Alabama (UA) issued nearly 55,000 parking tickets and citations last year, according to new data obtained by a local newspaper.

UA, which has a student body of about 33,000 students, handed out 54,574 tickets over the last school year, according to AL.com.

That averages out to over one ticket per student.

Director of Transportation Services Ronnie Robertson, however, said only 60 to 75 percent of fines are ever collected because the large number of visitors who park on the campus, according to the publication.

The official student newspaper, The Crimson White, added that parking citations at the school range from $25 to $500 which ultimately provides the school with between $1.5 to $2 million annually.

Some students say they are upset the school is raising so much revenue from parking tickets after already charging upwards of $470 for an annual parking permit.

“It is ridiculous to me that parking permit prices are that high anyways, and to top it off, we get $25, $50 and $100 parking tickets on top of that is even more ridiculous,” student Kerry Weir told The Crimson White.


 
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