Focus Groups

Parking Services welcomes feedback from our users so we can evaluate, improve, and develop the most convenient and effective service offerings to our University community. Each year, Parking Services hosts a series of Focus Groups facilitated by staff from the Office of Quality Initiatives with parking users from student, staff, and faculty user groups on campus…we have been doing this since 2013 and Parking Services truly values the experience and the feedback!

Highlights from the Parking Services Focus Groups

We are pleased to report that as a result of the Parking Services Focus Groups conducted over the years, the following suggestions have been selected for implementation. Although we are not able to action all suggestions, focus groups do have an impact and we appreciate the time that students, staff, and faculty members take to share their thoughts with us.

• Staff and student parking permit holders should be able to park closer to the centre of campus after-hours and on weekends.
  • As of April 2015, staff and student parking permit holders will be permitted to park in P9 – Admin Garage (Levels 4-15) and LGAR – Library Garage (Levels 2/3) after 5 p.m., Monday to Friday and all-day Saturday/Sunday. This arrangement does not allow for parking in visitor parking areas without payment.
• Text2ParkMe text-to-park solution was very convenient – is Parking Services replacing it. 
  • The Text2ParkMe text-to-park solution was decommissioned in July 2020.  In August 2019, Parking Services introduced the Hotspot Parking App to campus.  This App facilitates online payment for campus visitor parking and has replaced Text2ParkMe.  A Realtime Parking Availability Map will be launched in September 2024 that can be viewed through the App and on the Parking Service Website to identify available parking prior to attending or upon arrival to campus.
• Why do permit holders have to pay an additional fee to register their motorcycle for parking on campus even though they would be parking in the same lot as they would normally park their four-wheeled vehicle?
  • It is understood that permit holders can only drive/park either their motorcycle or vehicle to campus each day. Further, motorcycle operators seem happy to park in the same lot as four-wheeled vehicles. Most other Ontario college/university parking departments offer this same arrangement and do not charge any additional fees to permit holders who drive both motorcycles and four-wheeled vehicles…as such, commencing in May 2015, Parking Services no longer charges an additional fee to four-wheeled vehicle permit holders who may from time-to-time drive/park their motorcycles so long as the motorcycle’s licence plate is registered under the permit holder’s ParkAdmin profile and the motorcycle or vehicle is parked in the same permit parking area.
• What incentives does Parking Services offer to promote Carpooling.
  • Parking permits may be shared among several vehicles however only one listed plate may park on campus at any given time. This allows for cost-sharing.  In September 2019, Parking Services installed 50 designated Carpooling spaces in campus parking garages. For convenience, these spaces have been located closest to the exits and can be used by garage permit holders with more than one occupant, in accordance with the relevant garage parking regulations. Carleton University has partnered with Ottawa Ride Match to promote Carpooling at Carleton.

Historical Collection/Focus Group Suggestions (November 2013): Parking While Working-Out at Athletics – in an effort to support Carleton’s Healthy Workplace (HWP) Initiative all employee permit holders can register with HWP and park in the pay and display lot when using the Athletics facilities.