Every student at Los Medanos College knows the struggle of trying to find a parking spot before class. You’re already rushing, probably running a few minutes behind, stressed about an assignment or exam and then on top of that, you have to pay to park?
It’s honestly ridiculous. After paying for tuition, books, and everything else college demands, why are we still being charged just to be on campus?
For some people it’s $3 a day or $48 for a semester pass might not sound like a big deal. But for a lot of us, it adds up fast. That’s gas money. That’s lunch. That’s one less shift at work.
A lot of students are working part-time or even full-time jobs, some are helping out with bills at home, and some are barely getting by as it is.
Charging students to park at a community college — a place that’s supposed to be affordable and accessible — just feels wrong. Parking should be free.
Most students at LMC don’t live within walking distance. We drive from Antioch, Pittsburg, Brentwood, Oakley, and even farther.
Public transportation doesn’t always fit our schedules, especially for those of us with early morning or late-night classes. Sometimes buses don’t run on time, or don’t go near where we live.
Driving isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. So why are we being punished for doing what we have to do to get an education?
LMC always promotes the idea of being affordable and accessible, but charging for parking sends the opposite message. It just feels like another fee stacked on top of everything else. Another thing to stress over when we’re already trying to manage school, work, family, and life in general.
It’s not just about the money, it’s about what the fee represents. It tells students, especially those already struggling, that convenience and access come at a price here at LMC.
A study from the Hope Center that said more than half of community college students experience food or housing insecurity — that’s crazy. Yet, we’re expected to pay for parking like we’ve got extra money just lying around. It doesn’t make sense to ask students who are already doing their best to survive to pay just to go to class.
It’s not just inconvenient, it’s unfair. Some people say the parking fees help pay for maintenance or campus security. Sure, maybe they do, but if that’s the case, where’s the transparency? How much is actually going toward those things, and are there no other ways to fund them?
The school should be looking at other sources like state or federal grants, donations, or budget reallocations instead of relying on students who are already carrying so much.
It’s not like this idea is unheard of. Other community colleges in California have gotten rid of or reduced their parking fees, especially after Covid.
Schools understood students needed support, not extra charges. If they can do it, why can’t we? It’s not impossible, it just comes down to priorities.
Yeah, people love to say “it’s just a small fee,” but when you’re living paycheck to paycheck, even small fees can be the reason you miss class.
That $3 might mean skipping lunch or not putting gas in your car. It might mean deciding not to show up at all.
The sad part is, it makes students feel like their presence on campus is only welcome if they can afford it. Getting a degree is already hard — LMC should be helping students, not making it harder.
f this school really cares about student success, equity and access values like they claim to do, then eliminating parking fees should be a no-brainer.
