As a college student, managing expenses is a daily challenge. Unfortunately, the Department of Transportation Services (DOTS) at College Park, Maryland, only makes it harder. Their enforcement of parking rules comes across not as regulation, but as predation. It’s not just about the tickets; it's about the unfair financial burden that these tickets, along with high student permit costs, place on us - the students.

The costs linked to parking violations and permits are exorbitant and seemingly arbitrary. Parking on campus should be a manageable expense, not a financial strain. Many students often find themselves choosing between paying an unexpected parking ticket or purchasing necessary study materials. It's a choice no student should have to make, one that detracts from our primary purpose - our education.

The predatory nature of DOTS enforcement, which catches many of us unaware and financially unprepared, needs to be addressed. These practices can significantly impact our limited student budgets, often draining funds we cannot afford to lose. We need clarity on why these costs are as high as they are and how the funds collected from us are being utilized. Are they truly serving students' interests, as they should, or are they merely filling departmental coffers?

It's time for transparency. The students and faculty of College Park deserve to know the details behind every expenditure that justifies these exorbitant costs and questionable enforcement practices. If there's a valid reason for these high costs, let it be known. Otherwise, strategies must be considered to relieve students from this undue burden.

We urge the Department of Transportation Services at College Park to release all documented expenditures linked to ticketing and permit costs without delay. Transparency can lead to trust, but more importantly, it can lead to fair practices that respect and understand the financial constraints students face.

Sign this petition to demand change, accountability, and fairness. Stand with us in calling for DOTS at College Park to practice transparency and to initiate a review of their practices to eliminate what feels like predation and to promote equity and reasonability for students everywhere at our university. Your signature can be the voice of change. Join us.