The Life of a Parking Lot Attendant

I am a student parking attendant at the University of MInnesota.

To say this job is easy is an understatement. It's so simple anyone can do it. The car pulls up, you put the ticket in the reader, the price comes up on the screen, the patron gives you money, you make change, and lift the gate to let them out. If it's busy, it can be tedious and monotonous, to tell the truth. The beauty of this job is that it's not always busy and during your downtime you can do pretty much whatever you'd like.

As a student, the most logical choice is to do homework during the downtime. This is why being a student parking attendant is one of the most sought-after jobs on campus: it allows you to get paid to study. The full-time staffers sometimes will also take classes, but many of them will sit back and do some sudoku, knit a scarf for their granddaughter, read a magazine, or even watch TV (some full-timers bring old TVs from home to put in their booths).

I'm sure you're wondering exactly how much I get paid to do this. Sure, it's only $7.65 an hour for a student. I'm unsure as to how much the full-timers get, though I'm sure it's more. I can also tell you that not all universities and cities have these opportunities available. You have to live in a large city. Here in Minneapolis, there's a great demand for parking lot attendants both on and off the university campus.

Other duties the parking attendant must fulfill include giving directions to lost travelers, reporting a problem or crime in the lot or ramp, and keeping the booth clean. For the most part, however, we just sit back, relax, and enjoy our jobs.

Sitting the booth gives one a lot of time to think and reflect on life. I have even meditated while on duty, though I keep my eyes open as to avoid falling asleep. Often my mind wanders to what I'll be doing tomorrow, the date I went on the night before with my boyfriend, or how nice it would be to get paid a higher wage. If you're a daydreamer, this is honestly the best job you could ever imagine to find.

Oh, and did I mention that many of the booths I work in get internet access? Thus, I can do other things like managing an ebay business or checking my e-mail and get paid to do it. This is what makes my mom, an ebay seller herself, jealous of my job. I keep telling her that if she'd only move to the city I could get her a job here!

The drawbacks? Well, there are a few. One is that you can get a little antsy when you work a long shift. A person can only spend so many hours in a tiny booth before they get a little stir-crazy. Another is that if you work someplace like a large university or near a sports stadium, you could be forced to work during events and this can be difficult work. Customers are always complaining about having to pay for parking as well. They don't seem to realize that the attendants aren't the ones setting the rates!

To be honest, when a customer complains about the rates or another aspect of our parking system, I don't really care. At times, people will tell me I should let the management know that they're dissatisfied. I know that a complain from me is no good, and as long as I'm being paid for my job it doesn't much matter to me. Of course, I am friendly and smiley the vast majority of the time at my job. I believe customer service is an important aspect of the job, and something most Americans need to work on. I am not, however, the person to complain to if you're not satisfied. If you want, I can give you the number for the main office and you can complain to them all you'd like.

If you aren't looking to become a parking lot attendant, keep in mind the next time you pay for parking that although our jobs are easy, we take pride in what we do. At least, I do. I am proud to be a parking lot attendant and I know many people who envy my choice of part-time employment. So, when you're paying the person in the parking booth, be sure to get off your cell phones, greet the attendant, and thank them when you leave. It makes us happy, and it's simply polite.

Oh yes, and tips are always appreciated!