One night after eating dinner in West Des Moines, James Axe, a senior at Drake University, parked in the Olmsted Center parking lot to meet up for a group project. Hours later, he walked home. The only issue — he had walked home, forgetting his car in the lot.
“I woke up the next morning and remembered and rushed over to see if my car had been towed,” Axe said. “I found the ticket soaked in the morning dew and moved my car to the street to be moved after my class.”
Axe isn’t alone in receiving a ticket. In fall of 2025, Drake Public Safety, the primary enforcers of parking on campus, issued 871 tickets.. Several times a day, Public Safety officers inspect the parking lots for violations.
Although Axe had to pay $25 for a mistake, he found the ticket to be fair. Parking is a finite resource, so ensuring fair access is important, he said.
“People pay for passes for those spots, so it makes sense to try to keep them available,” Axe said.
The importance of enforcement also ensures safe operations on campus, said Director of Public Safety Scott Law.
“It allows us to make sure fire lanes, loading docks and walkways are clear for normal business as well as emergency response vehicles,” said Law.
Law recognizes that parking on campus is limited, as universities may need to prioritize green space, academic buildings or residential areas over additional parking.
“Students often assume campuses have the same parking-to-person ratio as malls or public lots. We do not in reality,” Law said.
Students may envision parking in areas that, in reality, could not support parking. This misunderstanding may lead to frustrations for students who pay for a parking permit.
Drake has worked with a major parking firm twice in the past eight years to manage its parking plan and provide the best parking possible. However, there is no perfect plan, and parking disruptions happen occasionally.
“Our biggest challenges are, in many ways, a positive reflection of Drake’s role as a host to numerous large public events,” Law said.
Drake provides parking for events such as the Drake Relays and the All-University Job Fair, but the associated demand for parking exceeds Drake’s capacity. Although these disruptions are communicated through the OnCampus newsletter, students still may face inconveniences.
For students like Axe, small mistakes come with a price, but with limited space, enforcement is unavoidable.
“We would much prefer not to issue citations to students, faculty or staff,” Law said.
To avoid a ticket, Law advised students to purchase an annual permit or a daily pass when needed. Students should ensure they park in the correct lot for their permit, and be aware of overnight parking restrictions in certain lots.
“Our goal is not to ticket or tow vehicles; however, consistent enforcement is the only way to ensure that those who have paid for the privilege of parking on campus are able to access the spaces designated for them,” Law said.
