COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the University of Minnesota Duluth and many of its services and organizations. UMD Transportation and Parking Services is no exception.

According to data provided by Director of Student Life Operations Patrick Keenan, this year has seen a drop in UMD parking permit sales and a significant decline in Duluth Transit Association ridership.

Keenan attributes the decline to “less demand this year both for parking permits and for the need to ride the bus to get to and from campus.” Many staff have the ability to work from home, and various course delivery options do not require students to come to campus in order to attend.

Jason Coyle, a Junior at UMD, used to use the DTA about once a month for various reasons to get to Campus Park before COVID. Now, he only drives his car. 

“This is due to both concern for my own health, as well as the health of others who I would have come into contact with if I were to use the DTA after COVID began,” Coyle said.

However, some students greatly benefit from the ability to use the DTA bus line during the pandemic.

Cory Knudsen, also a junior at UMD, has used DTA to get to campus “for the few times I've had to meet in person for classes.” 

In addition, Knudsen had to come to campus in order to pick up camera equipment for his Visual Storytelling class.

In accordance with the drop in trips to campus, Transportation and Parking Services’ revenue has also taken a sizable hit. Data provided by Keenan shows a drop in revenue of $542,308 from the same six-month period the year prior.

Keenan noted that revenue is derived from pay lot stays, as well as parking permits, meters and tickets.

Knudsen, living off-campus, said he did not feel the need to buy a parking permit this year. 

“[I] knew that a lot of my classes would be online, so I wouldn't need to be on campus as much,” Knudsen said.

Although Coyle did buy a parking permit, he has seldom used it and has “not gotten the amount of use I would like out of it for the amount of money I spent on it.”

Given the decline in revenue, Transportation Services has made a few budgetary cutbacks, according to Keenan.

Repair and renovation projects that were set to occur during the timeframe of COVID have been looked at again.

“Some [have been] postponed to a later date in order to meet current budget constraints,” Keenan said.

In addition, equipment and office supply purchases have been limited, and all travel has been eliminated from the budget.

While concerning, Keenan is still optimistic about both the relationship with DTA and Transportation Services’ commitment to providing for UMD students and staff.

Since UMD and DTA started their UPass relationship in 2000, it has been an “extremely successful program” and “it is fully expected that factors related to COVID-19 will not negatively impact this agreement in the future,” according to Keenan.

Given the unique circumstances presented by a global pandemic, Keenan sees both opportunity and hope for the future within Transportation Services.

Many projects are underway, according to Keenan, including “the continuing installation of energy-efficient LED lighting and security cameras in all lots for both sustainability and safety purposes, improvements to stormwater control features in existing lots, ongoing research into various contactless payment methods for use with meters and the pay lot and the eventual resumption of planned renovation projects in specific lots.”