Parking
@Mizzou
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Q: Why'd you choose this job?
It's funny because I feel like I didn't really have a choice when I started working with the Parking and Transportation Office. I had to get a job to help pay for school and Greek life, so I submitted my resume to about 20 different businesses, including Parking and Transportation. After a few weeks, Parking and Transportation was the only office that offered me a position, so I took it. Although the job is certainly unusual and not at all what I expected to do, it's not too bad, and it actually pays pretty well.
Q: What's your advice to students who have gotten a ticket?
To students who have gotten a ticket, my advice would be to pay it off immediately, in person at the Parking and Transportation Office in Turner Avenue Garage. If you don't pay it off right away, you could forget about it, and you could end up getting charged for the ticket on your tuition bill. If you believe you received a ticket unfairly, we encourage you to try to appeal it either in person or online so you don't have to pay for something you don't deserve. If you have gotten multiple tickets, please try to stop parking illegally because with each ticket, your risk of being towed increases.
Q: What's one of the most common excuses people have given?
The most common excuse people usually give is, "I only parked my car for a few minutes so I could go run an errand!" Usually, people claim they had to park their car so they could run into a store, turn in a paper, or get something from a friend. Although it's unfortunate that they were only parked in a spot for a short period of time, they were still parked illegally, and according to the rules, we still have to write them a ticket.
Q: Would you recommend this job?
I would recommend this job to anyone who does not mind being outside for extended periods of time, to anyone who is not afraid to talk to strangers and to deal with people who can get angry, and to anyone with a good work ethic. The job can be tough in cold and rainy weather. Also, it can be difficult to deal with people who are angry at you for writing them a ticket, even if they were parked illegally. Although the position presents challenges, it also comes with a few rewards. We are paid $8.50 an hour, we get to spend time outside in the fresh air, and we are independent. While enforcing, you don't have a supervisor or co-workers watching your every move. Instead, you are by yourself, and that can be nice.
Maggie is required to call in all repeating offenders to the main office. She uses a walkie talkie to do so.
Each enforcer is issued a ID card.
With Turner Ave Parking Garage located near the middle of campus, it is a popular spot to leave your car for the day.
Maggie is required to call in all repeating offenders to the main office. She uses a walkie talkie to do so.
Parking garages require a permit in order for students to park there, and rightly so in order to ensure that only students with permits have parked in the garage. Maggie Teson, a sophomore parking enforcer, checks one of the garages and gives out tickets to those without a permit. She works twice a week and checks in at the parking office located in Turner Ave. Parking Garage. Most of the time, that is also the garage that she patrols. On any given day, the number of tickets she gives out varies, but she has learned the spot where people think that they can get away with parking without a permit. Being a student herself, she understands how annoying it is to find a ticket on her car. But, Maggie believes her job is one of the most important here on campus. Here are some FAQ's that Maggie has answered for us.