[uamsrn]

I have worked at the same hospital (excuse me, Medical Center) for nearly 15 years. I have been an RN for nearly 26 years. The Medical Center where I am employed charges us to park. As much as 500 dollars per year, depending on the area you are assigned/request to park in.
Does anyone else out there have to pay to park to go to work?
I mean the hospital built the parking deck(s) due to a lack of space in the area and they do provide a "free" parking area, but it requires a 5 min. walk to get from the free area to the hospital or a ride on a provided shuttle bus, if you work the "right" hours.
But really, do you think you should have to pay to park where you work?
I don't agree with it, but then, I'm not about to walk a half mile to the "free" lot when I get off work at 11pm.

[zenman]

I pay $672 per year for a parking garage a few feet from the hospital.

[ainz]

It's a revenue stream for the hospital. Depends on the margin your hospital, excuse me, medical center runs. If the margin is low, like 2 to 5%, you will be paying to park until the cows come home. If the margin is higher, say over 18 to 20%, you might have a shot at having them discontinue it if you make enough noise and rally the troops behind you.

[nyapa]

Parking where I am is free. (Not for much longer though Ill bet) But if you have a bicycle then you have to pay 50$, you cant just lock your bike up to a tree outside, or to a post ...
Wonder what a member of the public is supposed to do?

[Tweety]

It's free here. But I did work at a hospital where you had to pay to park, then walk forever or wait for a shuttle bus. Big sprawling Duke University.

However, I lived so close I walked, which was nice.

[Zee_RN]

It was free at the hospital I just left -- but that was only because it was a borough ordinance; no business was allowed to charge for parking in the municipality in which the hospital resided. Otherwise, I'm SURE they would have charged us.

My new hospital charges $10/month.

[Havin' A Party!]

Having to pay to park at the hospital's facility -- IMHO, just sends the wrong message to employees.

[unknown99]

Pay to park??? OMG. That's terrible. If you do not have a place to park, then how do they suspect you will be able to be at work. Maybe that's it. They are just "money hungry"!!! Terrible!!!

[uamsrn]

money hungry is the word....the parking fee was supposed to be only until the parking deck was paid for, meanwhile, the hospital bought an ajoining city block and built another 4 story parking deck by there out patient center...guess who's paying for that one.....that's right....the temporary fee is now a permanent thing and the thing that really makes it bad is, I work a 10:30am to 11pm shift...so when I get to work the deck is full....so I pay to park with no place to park and that really sucks......I don't know how many times I've been to work 15 min early and walked in 15 min late because I couldn't find a place to park, then I have to use 15 min of personal leave time to make up for being late. Man, do I love being a nurse!!

[Katnip]

I don't have to pay to park. Not yet at any rate, but in the city, I think almost everyone else does. The big joke around here is the parking garages are the only profitable arm of a hospital.