Texas State University Offers Help to Students With Car Trouble

By Marques Mingo
News Reporter

Texas State University is making sure students, faculty and staff are taken care of in the event of minor car trouble by offering services that can help with a dead battery, locked keys in the car, or low tire pressure.

If you’ve ever been unfortunate enough to put your key in your ignition and your car not start or you get a flat from low tire pressure leaving you stuck on campus, you should think to call Parking Services. Texas State University’s Parking Services Office provides assistance to those who need help with these types of problems.

According to head parking services officer Roy Serrano, Parking Services receives a number of calls from people all across campus every day.

“We get calls daily. Last year we had 655 calls between the air, jumps, and unlocks,” Serrano said. “Our jumps are the most calls we get, and that was 455 last year.”

Services are offered beginning at 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday. Any time outside of these times is where the University Police Department takes over. Parking Services work closely with the UPD to ensure the person’s needs are met.

“They usually just call the police department and say: ‘Hey, I locked my keys in the car. Can someone come help me?'” We then get dispatched where we need to go through UPD and work with them when we are in operation,” Serrano said. “We do get a case number from UPD, saying that we responded and what our outcome was.”

All services are performed by officers who are already driving around campus enforcing university parking rules. Each operating officer receives training on how to perform these services but there are some services the officers just simply cannot do.

“We do not provide changing a flat tire,” Serrano said. “Its liability reasons and it has more detail and physical ability to do that. We can help you and show you instructions like a lot of students do who have never changed a flat tire before.”

Currently, the Parking Services Office does not advertise these services they offer. It is usually spread by word of mouth but Serrano said he hopes students know they are here for them when needed.

If you have any further questions or need assistance contact Parking Services at 512-245-2887 or email parking@txstate.edu.