The Office of Parking and Transportation announced a new valet service on campus via email on March 5.
Services paused over spring break and resumed on March 16, when campus reopened.
The two valet stands are located at Cesarano Plaza on University Drive near the Miami Herbert Business School and Gusman Concert Hall on Miller Drive and operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
According to the University, the valet service is available to students, faculty,staff and those with and without permits.
The valet charge depends on length of stay, starting at $8 for under an hour of parking, and up to $32 for three or more hours of parking. These charges do not include tax or tip.
Permit color zones do not apply when using the valet, because the parking permits and valet service operate independently.
The exchange is completely contactless from payment to requesting your vehicle. Payment is accepted at pickup by either apple pay or card. Valet guests can also request your vehicle remotely from your phone.
This new campus service is a pilot, meaning it will be tested for the rest of the semester. Its purpose is to reduce traffic congestion and parking delays around campus.
Towne Park is the company that the University is in partnership with to begin this valet service. The company started in Annapolis in 1988 and has been a recognized national leader since then.
Sebastian Garcia, a Towne Park employee and parking attendee, said, “As of right now we have gotten a little bit of movement on both Miller Drive and Cesarano Plaza. It’s looking to be a successful project.”
Garcia explains that Towne Park is working on adding amenities like monthly valet passes for students and faculty.
The service will conclude in May where it will then be evaluated on its effectiveness through usage data and community feedback in order to decide if it will remain on campus or expand.