WSU Transportation Services relies solely on fines and fees to pay for maintenance, while leaving students confused and upset about the proposed three-year permit increase plan.

Transportation Services director Chris Boyan said the main reason for the three-year rate increase is to address some necessary maintenance and repair projects on campus for parking lots, parking garages and elevators.

WSU Transportation Services is tasked with financing, managing and maintaining park facilities as well as facilitating and promoting transportation options on the WSU Pullman campus, Boyan said. 

“We are a self-supported axillary, and we do not receive a federal-state grant or tuition funding,” he said.

Boyan said the maintenance and repair projects were scheduled starting last year, but because of the pandemic, the plans and revenue stream was on pause for a year and a half.

This project is projected to start in fiscal year 2023, and the prices would go into effect in the fall, Boyan said.

The total rate increase over the next three years is a proposed 29%. Year one is a 10% increase, year two is a 9% increase from the raised price and the third year is an 8% increase from that, Boyan said.                         

Transportation Services’ website presents a chart of all physical year price increase changes to prepare and inform students and parents, he said. 

“I’m not opposed to the permit increase, but I can see how it’s hard for people who already have a hard time paying for these awfully expensive permits. I just know the prices will only continue to go up from now and years on,” sophomore communications major Jordan Grasley said.

Transportation Services estimates revenue for a period of 10 years. Boyan said after these three years, the price is likely to stay roughly the same, but it will not decrease.

Revenue for all the maintenance projects and operations comes solely from parking fees and fines, Boyan said.

“I feel bad for students and faculty because it’s an impossible situation. We are all recovering from financial damages the pandemic put us in, but I think most businesses and universities have had to increase prices for everything to keep it all running,” Grasley said.

Boyan said the proposed rate increase is aimed to help recoup the lost revenue from the pandemic and to better address the maintenance needs in WSU facilities.