Parking Regulations

Article I 

Authority

Authority SB 162 of the 60th Legislature, now incorporated into the Texas Higher Education Code, Sub-chapter E, paragraph 51.201 51.211

Article II 

State laws, City Ordinances and Campus Rules and Regulations

All State laws, City Ordinances and Campus Rules and Regulations (adopted by the Board of Regents) are applicable and are enforced within the jurisdiction of the Campus Police.  Campus officers will refer each violation to the appropriate review body; ie: Campus hearing, city or county court system, etc.

Article III

Vehicle Registration

• Section A  All motor vehicles, as defined by State Laws, parked on the TAMUG Campuses by persons enrolled or employed at TAMUG must properly display a current TAMUG parking permit at all times. Parking permits will be valid from the date of issue until the last day of the fiscal year or semester for which they are issued.

• Section B  Out of State vehicles  In accordance with HB2787 passed by the 77th Legislature, all motor vehicles, registered out of state, being driven by students who reside in Texas, are prohibited from receiving a parking permit from a public institution of higher education unless the State of Texas requirements are met;
  
  • Current Texas Safety Inspection sticker

• Section C  Faculty/Staff, full and part-time employees or upon employment by Texas A&M University at Galveston, whichever comes first, must purchase and display a TAMUG parking permit on their vehicle. The term “Faculty and Staff” does not include graduate students, teaching assistants, graduate research assistants, or any student employee in any capacity. All persons in these classifications will be defined as students for the purpose of parking regulations.
  
  • Faculty and Staff members must purchase a TAMUG parking permit for the full academic year.
  • Part-time (Adjunct), Faculty and Staff members (any and all part-time employees) must purchase a TAMUG parking permit for the full academic year. Upon completion of their term, the parking permit can be turned in to the TAMUG Police Department for a partial refund.

• Section D  Students, Faculty and Staff members may legally move their issued parking permit to another vehicle that they are using. Legally issued permits may be used by the legal permit holder in any passenger vehicle they use.

• Section E   Permit holders are not permitted to transfer their parking permits to other individuals. You can only obtain a TAMUG parking permit by ordering the permit on-line at http://transport.tamu.edu/.  Once the permit has been ordered, you must print the receipt and display the receipt in your vehicle as a temporary parking permit until you permit has been received. The receipt/temporary parking permit is only valid for 14 days. If you have not received you parking permit within the 14 days, you must report it to the TAMUG Police Department. It is your responsibility to report not receiving your parking permit after 14 days. Failure to report not receiving your parking permit may result in receiving a parking citation for, “Failure to Display a Valid Parking Permit.”
• Section F   Trailers of any kind are prohibited from parking in any Campus parking area unless specifically authorized by the Campus Police Department.  [Exception: Small boat basin and any area that may be dedicated for temporary trailer placement depending on Campus need.

Article IV

Types of Permits

Permits are purchased based on your affiliation with the campus.

• Students residing on campus will purchase Resident Passes.
• Students commuting to campus will purchase Commuter Passes.
• Faculty and Staff will purchase Faculty/Staff Passes.

Further information about Parking Permits can be found here:  TAMUG Parking Permits.

Please review the TAMUG Parking Map for your designated lots.

Article V

Registration Fees

• Student, Faculty and Staff
  Annual Fee: $250.00
  
  
• Permanent on campus contractors
  Annual Fee: $250.00 + taxes
  
  
• Lost or stolen parking permits must be reported to the TAMUG Police Department.

 
Article VI

Permit display/Transferability/Lost Permits

• Section A       All motor vehicles, as defined by State Laws, parked on the TAMUG campuses by persons enrolled or employed at TAMUG must properly display a current TAMUG parking permit at all times. Parking permits will be valid from the date of issue until the last day of the fiscal year or semester for which they are issued.
• Section B       Permit holders are not permitted to transfer parking permits to other individuals. You can only obtain a TAMUG parking permit by ordering the permit on-line at http://transport.tamu.edu/.
• Section C       Lost/Stolen Permits
  • Anyone that loses a parking permit must report the loss immediately to the University Police Department. If the permit was stolen, a copy of the Police report must be presented before a replacement is issued at no charge. In addition the permit holder must sign an affidavit stating that the permit was taken without their permission and that they have no knowledge of the missing permit and will file charges and testify against anyone found using their missing permit.

Article VII

Disabled Persons

Designated handicapped spaces are for the exclusive use of persons displaying properly issued handicap license plates or Handicap placard issued in their names. Individuals determined by the Police Department to be in possession of a handicap license plates or placard, but not actually handicapped or using a handicap license plates or placard for personal gain (i.e. to park in handicap spaces) will have his/her on campus parking permit revoked for the remainder of the school year. If the offense occurs within the last four weeks of the semester, the revocation will also include the next semester.

• Section A        Campus members who have obtained a special disabled person identifying registration or a temporarily disabled person identification card, and a current TAMUG parking permit. may park in any handicap space on campus. [Both handicap license plates or placard may be obtained from the county Tax Assessor collector’s office in the county in which the person resides
• Section B           Persons who have sustained injury which limits their ambulatory capabilities for short periods of time but does not render them “disabled” may apply for a Temporary Permit with a certified doctor’s request, stating that the applicant may park in lots adjacent to their destination for medical reasons. The Campus Chief of Police will review the application and grant temporary parking privileges if the facts warrant the accommodation.
• Section C        Those persons who receive a campus temporary permit are entitled to park in any legally designated parking space, in any parking lot, except the disabled and visitor spaces. Only  individuals who have been issued “handicap parking” documents from the Tax Assessor’s office, may park in the designated handicap spaces.
• Section D        Vehicles of campus members that display specially designed license plates or other identification issued by the County Tax Assessor Collector, in which the vehicle is registered, indicating that the vehicle is used for the transportation of disabled persons are entitled to park in any TAMUG Handicapped Parking Zone provided that the vehicle is parked by or used for the transportation of a disabled person.

Article VIII

Enforcement

Officers of the Texas A&M University at Galveston Police Department and student employees of the Police Department Parking Monitor Program are authorized to issue citations for campus parking. These citations may be issued in accordance with Texas Criminal Law or the Texas Traffic and Motor Vehicle Laws, as well as Campus rules.
The violations listed herein represent the most common violations and do not cover all possible violations for which the Campus Police Department may issue citations.

Parking Fine Escalations

Fine Escalations go into effective September 1st, 2016

• HABITUTIAL VIOLATOR:  fines are increased by half for violators with more than (4) citations in a year.
• CRONIC VIOLATORS:  fines are doubled for violators with more than (10) citations in a year
• BOOTED OR TOWED: Vehicles with 3 or more unpaid citations, $100 balance due or any balance older than 90 days may be booted and/or towed at owner’s expense until account is paid in full, even if legally parked.

Parking Violations

• Failure to properly display a current TAMUG Parking Permit while parked anywhere on any TAMUG property.
• Parking where prohibited by signs or markings
• Parking in an area not designated as a parking area, including sidewalks
• Blocking a driving lane
• Parking in a handicapped zone or ramp, unless the vehicle displays a specially designed license plate or other identification, issued by the County Tax Assessor Collector from the county in which the vehicle is registered, indicating that the vehicle is used by or for the transportation of disabled persons, provided that the vehicle is actually parked by or used for the transportation of a disabled person at the time it was parked
• Blocking a crosswalk or a sidewalk
• Parking in a loading zone unless actually engaged in loading or unloading, or for more than fifteen (15) minutes after completion of loading or unloading
• Parking in Fire Lane or Fire Zone
• Parking in front of or in any service drive
• Parking within fifteen (15) feet of a fire hydrant
• Parking in front of any movable barrier
• Parking in any place marked “No Parking”
• Parking at any time on any beach area
• Parking on the grass anywhere on campus at any time
• Parking of motorcycles in any area not specifically designated for  motorcycles
• Parking any trailers without special permission of the Chief of the TAMUG Police Department
• Parking boats and boat trailers without special permission of the Chief of the TAMUG Police Department
• Parking of inoperable vehicles on any TAMUG Campus longer than  seventy-two (72) hours without special permission of the Chief of the TAMUG Police Department
  A. Should a vehicle become so inoperable that it cannot be moved to a designated parking area, it is the responsibility of the owner or operator to notify the Campus Police Department as soon as possible.  Under no circumstances may a disabled vehicle be left in any manner or location that constitutes a traffic or safety hazard
  B. Any motor vehicle which is inoperable or which does not have a valid license properly affixed to the vehicle is hereby declared abandoned and shall be removed from the campus at the expense of the owner unless special arrangements are made with the Chief of the Campus Police Department or his designee.
• Vehicles will be parked in a marked space so that the vehicle is completely within the markings and does not interfere with other vehicles
• No vehicle or boat trailer will be parked on any TAMUG beach or parked so as to block the access road to any TAMUG beach area
• Where parallel parking is permitted, vehicles will be parked no more that eighteen (18) inches from the curb. Where no curb is present, vehicles shall be parked parallel to the street so as not to block, encroach upon, or otherwise interfere with the movement of traffic. A vehicle will be parked parallel and will be oriented in the direction of traffic flow in the street or traffic lane in the street where it is parked, but it will not be parked in the grass
• All vehicles parked in loading zones must be actively engaged in loading or  unloading of materials, except otherwise prescribed in the regulations
• No vehicle may be parked in any place that will obstruct the normal flow of traffic. This includes roadways, entrances, exits, and curbsides in all TAMUG parking lots
• All Campus members must refrain from parking in areas marked with temporary parking devices and signs placed by TAMUG Police for special events. Unauthorized vehicles will be subject to removal at the owner’s expense

Moving Violations

Moving violations that are cited will be processed through the Municipal, Justice of the Peace or County Court Appearance Citations.
It shall be a violation of these regulations for the operator of any motor vehicle to:

• Exceed the posted speed limits
  A. 15 mph on all campus streets
  B. 5 mph in all parking lots, or as otherwise posted by signs or notices
• Fail to come to a full stop at a stop sign
• Operate a motor vehicle in the prohibited direction on a one-way street or parking area
• Fail to yield the right of way to pedestrians. Pedestrians have the right of way at all times on campus
• Drive while any person is sitting or holding onto or otherwise positioned outside of a vehicle, including sitting in the window with half of the body outside the vehicle, standing, sitting, or lying on any portion of the outside of the vehicle, or holding on to the vehicle while riding on skates, skateboards, or other devices which allows a person to travel outside the vehicle
• Drive a motor vehicle or motorcycle on areas designated as sidewalks or walkways
• Enter a marked service roadway without specific authorization to do so
• Back a vehicle through any intersection
• Mark, alter, damage or move traffic signs or signal devices
• Fail to obey traffic requests or directions of a Texas A&M University at Galveston Police Officer
• Display a forged or altered parking permit
• All vehicles operated on Campus property must display a valid registration sticker
• Operate a motor vehicle on any area other than campus roadways and parking areas unless special permission is granted by the TAMUG Police Department for a specific purpose. (Campus Physical Plant and other designated vehicles are exempt from this restriction for work purposes.)
• Motorcycle and Bicycle requirements
• Motorcycles, motorbikes, mopeds and motor scooters must be parked only in designated “motorcycle” parking areas
• Bicycles must be parked only in bicycle racks adjacent to buildings and docks.  Improperly parked bicycles will be removed by campus police and a citation will be issued
• Bicycles must be registered with the City of Galveston and display a current bicycle permit
• It is unlawful to ride or otherwise use any motorized vehicle on any non-roadway area, pathway, sidewalk, or handicapped ramp anywhere on campus A handicapped person may operate only wheelchairs or other vehicles authorized for use by handicapped persons in these areas
• Any person operating a motorcycle, motorbike, moped, motor scooter or bicycle must give pedestrians the right of way at all times
• Any person who parks a motorcycle or other such motor vehicle on a TAMUG Campus must have a parking decal attached to the fuselage in such a manner as to be easily visible when the vehicle is parked
• Bicycles/motorcycles/mopeds/other motor assisted vehicles operated on a TAMUG Campus between sunset and sunrise must be equipped as required by the Texas Uniform Traffic code
• The Texas House of Representatives Bill 197, which amended the Texas Safety Responsibility Act, states that drivers must possess valid proof of liability insurance coverage while operating a motor vehicle in the State of Texas.

Article IX 

Appeals and Payments

PAY ON LINE: http://transport.tamu.edu/

APPEALS ONLINE: go to http://transport.tamu.edu within 13 days of citation issue date

Municipal, Justice of the Peace and County Court Appearance Citations

Municipal Court, Justice of the Peace and County Court citations are summons to appear in court before the indicated magistrate in the same manner as traffic citations issued by any Peace Officer of the State of Texas. Municipal Court Justice of the Peace or County Courts may impose penalties as provided by state law. The citation will clearly state in which court the violation is filed, so that the violator may take appropriate action in the proper court venue. The officer will also advise the violator where the citation is filed and provide instructions on how to pay or contest the citation in the designated court.

Failure to resolve Municipal, Justice of the Peace or County court appearance citations is cause for the appointed court to issue an arrest warrant for the person named in the citation. Court appearance citations must be resolved, as the court requires.