AMHERST, Mass. (WGGB) -Hundreds of students moving into apartments along Eastman Lane at UMass Amherst on Sunday were shocked when they woke up and found their car was missing from Lot 44. “I came outside this morning to find my car gone. I thought it was stolen, which, honestly, would have been a better solution than waiting in line here” said frustrated junior Stasie Levin.
180 cars were towed from Lot 44. Students say there were no signs indicating they couldn’t park there. “I’m upset at the lack of communication between the administration and the students. There were no emails, no texts, nothing for the student to know what was going on” said Cameron Naglieri-Prescod. “I actually talked to a police officer and they said that they were very upset with what happened, they didn’t agree with what housing services did. So I’m pretty frustrated” sophomore Taylor Mandelbaum added.
Ernie’s Towing charges $105 for the towing, while UMass Amherst charges $40 for the citation.
Towing started around 11p.m. last night and went on for 5 hours. Some students heard what was going on and got their vehicle, while others are left wondering how they’ll afford to buy books. “It’s going to cost me $140. That’s like 2 textbooks, maybe like even 1 textbook. I purchased a permit to park in the lot I parked in and that my car was towed from. I paid $300 for that parking permit, only to have to come here and pay more” Levin stated.
Campus spokesman Ed Blaguszewski said the university will waive the Parking Services violation and will reimburse towing costs to those affected.
To receive the reimbursement, students must call Parking Services at (413) 545-0065.
Wow nice lack of signs and communication. Almost sounds like a money revenue scam. I’d be pissed too.
Olol what a world we live in. Yep scan , probally put the signs back this am. Fking losers
welcome to UMasss. NOT. Glad to hear that UMass will be reimbursing those students.
Wow! Iooks like Ernie’s will be putting a down payment on a new wrecker this week.
They may be reimbursing these students, but maybe they shouldn’t have towed them in the first place. So now what? Does UMASS owe the towing company $19,000? Tuition hike in the near future…
Exactly, who ever OK’ed this towing should be responsible for the bill personally, not have the tax payers, or students foot the bill for their screw up.
The signage at Umass is pitiful. There will 10 lot number 20′s. Your parking pass will be for 20 but not that the right 20. It’s always a **** show for parking.
An educational institute that can’t communicate with the students. Looks bad for someone that is an educator
You wouldn’t believe the way those tow truck drivers were treating peoples cars! I watched them RACE in and out of Stadium Storage, litterly SHAKING and sliding cars off their flatbeds and dropping those on UNSECURED hooks, just to RACE out to get the next one! Un-freakin-believable!
Hey Charlie, being a “mechanic” yourself, how do you suggest the drivers remove the cars off the flatbeds? Shall they call in the helocopters from Barnes and have them lifted and dropped onto a bed of pillows, preferably down pillows? It seems to me that, if your a mechanic , that you would know how a flatbed works. So I’m assuming you either have a chip on your shoulder for Ernie’s, or your a moron.
When the towing companies receive permission to tow vehicles from lots the companies will do drive bys and check local businesses they contract with for ” parking violators”. This permission comes from the owner of the lot…if its a umass lot…someone gave Ernie’s ” who are pirates by the way ” permission to remove cars. Perhaps they didnt calland remove e lot from the list. It’s just another way for a predatory business to make money off poor college students. And there no doubt that towing companies using flat beds hire imbeciles who will 9/10 times rip ground effects clean off the car. And when time is money and in this situation for Ernie’s WAS… Why would they treat cars with respect ? Especially when they arent “responsible for damage” when towed for a “violation”. ArlieNo doubt in my mind that happened Charlie..glad that students are getting paid back for fees…but hat about damage to cars?
Ernie’s is contracted to remove cars parked illegally, so they check the lots for violators. Is a security guard or police officer “predatory” because they roam about checking for illegal activity? These poor college kids are smart enough to be in college, why are they not smart enough to know where to park their cars? Why not be SURE you can park your car in a particular place, rather than just THINK you can? The excuse 9 times out of 10 is “It’s not my fault, I didn’t know!”
Holy typos… Sorry
Thanks for re stating what I said. Since students are saying they paid $300 to get a parking permit for that lot… Coupled with the fact that UMASS is refunding all effected by this… It obvious the students weren’t the ones who messed up. What do you think would happen if cops didn’t scour the earth looking for “violations” do you think they would still have the revenue to be employed? No. Same with tow companies.