Hyundai car leads force for Fresno State parking enforcement

FRESNO, CA – The Fresno State Police Department launched a new form of digital parking permits during the spring semester. 

The force behind the new system is a small, white Hyundai car that drives around the parking lots at Fresno State, scanning vehicle license plate numbers.

“It was finally time for us to make the investment in virtual parking permitting,” said Derek Brantley, parking and transportation manager at Fresno State. “Which is a paperless system where the license plate number of your vehicle replaces the old physical hangtags that we’ve used here for a long time.”

Brantley shared that the software and equipment used cost Fresno State about $113 thousand.

The software splits the screen in half, sending potential violations to the left side and OK vehicles to the right side.

Many students, like electrical engineering major Ethan Fernandez, have expressed that parking on campus is difficult.

“There’s no parking anywhere if you, if you don’t show up an hour early for class like it’s kind of just roulette at that point,” Fernandez said.

In order to help out, Fresno State Traffic Operations do not use the Hyundai car during peak hours.

More information on parking enforcement can be found on the Fresno State website.