Parking in any lot at Cerritos College may look free, but it is not.
From 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, a valid permit, either daily or semester, must be displayed with any vehicle parked in any lot on campus.
Any vehicle parked in any lot without a permit will be cited.
The permit regulation is in addition to all other regulations set forth by the California Vehicle Code.
Cerritos College students can purchase a semester parking permit for $40 at the Admissions and Records Office between the hours of 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Outside those hours, the semester permit can be purchased at the Campus Police Station and any time via MyCerritos.
Students who choose to purchase a permit on MyCerritos will also be charged a $3.25 shipping and handling fee to get it mailed to the address on file with the college.
For those who want to park on a pay per-day basis, there are machines in every student lot that sell daily parking permits that expire at midnight every night for $2.
Cerritos College Police Chief Tom Gallivan said, “A semester permit is more cost-effective. You don’t have to go to the machine every day and pay $8 per week if you go to school four days every week and you’ll basically have your semester permit paid off in about a month.
“The cost of a citation is also $40, but there is also a $75 administrative fee and if you have five or more unpaid citations, your car will be towed and impounded until they are all paid off and there is a fee to retrieve your vehicle depending on which tow yard your car is at,” he added.
Getting parking citations are not worth it, nor is getting your car towed and impounded.
Riding a bike to school is more cost-efficient than driving, but when you park them, they have to be in a rack.
Chief Gallivan also stated, “Any bike that is parked against a railing, pole, fence, or blocking pedestrian or vehicle traffic will have its lock cut off and a warning issued.
“A repeated violation will result in the bike being taken to the police station and the owner will have to retrieve the bike at the station.”
Another expense is the price of a bike lock, which varies and must be paid again if it gets cut off.
Aside from riding a bike, parking fees can change at any time.
Dean of Student Services Dr. Gilbert Contreras said, “Campus Police will determine the price of parking permits. The costs are all up to the Police.”
Whichever way you choose to get to campus, there are always costs involved and if you choose to drive, you have to pay to park or else risk a citation, it’s not worth it.
