UF students will now have to pay more to park at the Reitz until the end of the school year.
UF Transportation and Parking Services has restricted parking in the Reitz Union parking garage throughout the end of the year, wrote Scott Fox, the director of TPS, in an email. All-day spots will be reserved for those taking tours of UF and other events.
Only 45-minute and 2-hour spots will be available, he said.
Ron Fuller, the assistant director of TPS, said the main purpose of the garage is for campus visitors.
“When spaces open, there’s no problem with any faculty, staff or students parking there; we encourage it,” he said.
Fuller said he urges students to buy a decal and park in the designated commuter lots instead of using the Reitz garage as their primary source for parking.
Daniely Cruz, a UF industrial and systems engineering senior, said she has left class or meetings early to pay for parking every two hours. She learned about the restrictions after pulling into the garage Tuesday.
“When I got here, the man said that all of the all-day parking spots are reserved,” the 23-year-old said at around 2 p.m. “I’ve had to come back every two hours since 8 a.m. to pay.”
Jane Matthew, a UF sociology senior, said she wishes there was a better system for paid parking on campus.
“I’d rather pay for how long I’m actually parking instead of paying every two hours if I’m not here for the full time,” the 21-year-old said. “I got here at 2 (p.m.) and paid until 4 (p.m.), but have to pay for another full two hours because I’m on campus until 4:30 (p.m.).”
