Parking ticket debt puts a boot on student success

By Hannah Newman

Amid Rider’s ongoing parking conflicts, the payments have started to add up for students, bleeding into their academic careers and campus life.

Some students explained that paying for a parking permit adds a financial burden to their tuition and housing. Over time, the accumulation of parking tickets has become more weight to carry on their accounts. 

Sophomore business administration major Ava Graves, currently has $800 in tickets accumulating from last semester. Graves explained that her Bronc Bucks were put on hold until her balance was paid but did not receive any notice of it.

“I’m working over 25 hours a week so I can pay my dues and loans so it’s just an endless cycle at this point,” said Graves.

Sophomore music education major Ronan Flynn had $730 in tickets and was unable to register for spring 2025 classes until it was paid. 

“Personally, I think Rider administration could have made more of an effort in informing the student body of the incredibly immoderate repercussions of these tickets,” said Flynn. “These have and will lead to incredibly harmful results, possibly ruining the collegiate future of some of Rider’s brightest students. With Rider in such a time of need, the last thing that the university should be doing is penalizing students for what should be a basic right.”

Vice President of Enrollment Management Drew Aromando explained that there is a threshold for students that have tickets in the area of $1,000 and course selection will be delayed if ticket debt is in that range. However, walking in graduation is not a penalty of having parking ticket debt, according to Aromando. 

“Most importantly, we don’t want students to get into this hole of annuling balance,” said Aromondo.

In fall 2023, parking passes became mandatory at $250 per year or $125 per semester, according to Vice President of University Operations Michael Reca. Additional parking fees now come with the potential of being towed.

“Typically at about five tickets, we send out a warning letter if we know who the registered owner of the vehicle is, saying ‘You are in violation of Rider University’s policy. You are subject to be booted or towed,’ depending on the situation,” said Interim Director of Public Safety Matthew Babcock. 

After five tickets with no response to the warnings, Public Safety can boot vehicles and after 10 unpaid tickets, they can tow, according to Babcock.

“We try to avoid [towing] as much as possible,” said Reca. “We want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.”

According to Reca, some students who do not register their cars believe that Public Safety cannot find the owner’s identity, but Public Safety has the ability to look up license plates. 

Towing has not been a common consequence for parking violations in the past year, according to Babcock. Only two cars were towed for fire zone violations, which was an issue in years prior with ambulances being unable to access dorms.

“We want to thank the student body for their compliance,” said Reca. 

A primary reason that students receive parking tickets is because they do not park in their assigned parking lot. Reca said his team has looked at making more convenient parking for students, but because of the way that regulations have changed in regards to paved surfaces and drainage, the price to add spots has increased.

“We have more than ample parking spots on campus,” said Reca. “Every year I say this, ‘We don’t have a parking problem, we have a convenience problem.’ The parking that is available may not be as convenient as where you want to be.”