DPS gets new wheels for its parking division
■ University parking officials
buy a shiny new truck after years
of driving nearly ‘defunct’ vans
By Eric Martin
Oregon Daily Emerald
Sleek curves and shiny chrome
gleam on a white truck cruising
campus with the Department of
Public Safety seal on a door panel.
It’s the parking and transportation
division’s new baby, with that aro
matic new car smell and a youthful
3#1 miles on the odometer.
The department bought the
v 2002 Dodge Dakota three weeks
ago to boost its nearly defunct
fleet of Chevrolet Astro vans. The
officers used the boxy vehicles
— referred to by some officers as
“pizza vans” — to enforce parking
rules and store tools for repairing
parking meters. “We were down
to our last surviving van,” DPS
parking and transportation man
ager Rand Stamm said. “They are
really beaten up.”
DPS Patrol Lt. Herb Horner said
the department retired another van
two months ago because it was
leaking fluids.
“There was mildew growing in
side,” he added.
DPS chose the Dakota because of
its versatility, hauling capacity and
price tag of $15,385, Horner said.
Dodge.com suggests a retail of
$18,960 for the same model.
The department bought the vehi
cle with reserves from its parking
fund, which it uses to repair park
ing lots and pay patroller salaries.
The truck will be handy for
moving barricades and signs to ac
cident scenes, and for events such
as basketball games, Stamm said.
DPS plans to mount a panel with
pm
mm
The University’s Department of Public Safety has purchased a new Dodge Dakota to shore up its fleet of vehicles. Certain DPS officers have judged the new ride ‘cool.’
pulsing yellow arrows atop the
cab to direct traffic in emergency
situations.
Stamm said the buzz among
parking officers is that the new
truck is “cool,” and officers seem
eager to take it for a spin after en
during years of automotive inad
equacy.
“When you’ve been driving ve
hicles that are on their last legs,
it’s really nice to have a vehicle
that is new and works,” Stamm
said — one with air conditioning
and a 3.9-liter V-6 engine, too. “I
actually haven’t had an opportu
nity to drive it yet.”
Others said officers downplay
any fascination with the new hood
full of horses.
“I haven’t heard them express
undying thanks for it,” DPS Associ
ate Director Tom Hicks said. “But I
think they’re happy to have well
maintained vehicles.”
Up to four employees use the
new truck per day. Enforcement of
ficers drive Jeep Cherokees. But
Stamm said there isn’t much dan
ger of civil war or mutiny in the of
fice over who gets to take out the
shiny new club cab. Horner assigns
officers to vehicles.
The Dakota gas pedal will typi
cally be under the foot of parking
enforcement officer Douglas
Clegg. The truck replaces the rick
ety van he drove.
“It’s obviously quite a different ve
hicle than the van.... This thing ac
tually has a front end,” Horner said.
E-mail reporter Eric Martin
at ericmartin@dailyemerald.com.
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