The University-as-Monopolist : Why Parking Problems Persist at University Campuses

A common problem at major university campuses in the United States concerns persistent parking space shortages. While such a situation reflects an inadequate pricing mechanism for parking, it also reflects a result consistent with monopoly providers of parking services. In this paper, we analyze the parking problem from this perspective, utilizing a cost-benefit approach that explains why the incentive structure that exists at American universities makes such problems likely