Garage Equipment Upgrades

On Jan. 30, 2023, Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) will begin upgrading our garage equipment. This upgrade will allow for better maintenance, quicker event exits, and more payment options.

Impacted Parking Options

The new garage equipment will no longer read magnetic stripes and stamps, which will affect the following parking options:

• Chaser Tickets - Traditional guest parking chaser tickets will no longer work in a garage once it is upgraded to the new equipment. Instead, guests will use QR chaser codes. Departments can exchange their chaser tickets for QR chaser codes upon request. See Chaser Ticket Changes below for more information.
• Validator Stamps - You will no longer be able to use your department’s validator stamp to validate a ticket for your guest in a garage once it has been upgraded to the new equipment. Instead, you will use an online portal to validate your guest's ticket. See Validator Stamp Changes below for more information.

Garage Schedule

Phase I

Phases II-III

Equipment in the remaining garages will be upgraded in Phases II and III. Phase II is expected to begin in mid-March 2023 with details on Phase III to follow.

Chaser Ticket Changes

Traditional guest parking chaser tickets will no longer work in a garage once it has been upgraded to the new equipment. Instead, guests will use QR chaser codes. Departments can exchange their chaser tickets for QR chaser codes upon request.

• Request New Chaser Tickets and/or QR Chaser Codes - You can continue to use the Chaser Ticket Request Form to request chaser tickets or QR chaser codes throughout the upgrades. 
• Exchange Old Chaser Tickets for New QR Chaser Codes - Once the upgrade for your preferred garage is complete, you can exchange your remaining chaser tickets for QR chaser codes by emailing parking@utexas.edu with the number of chaser tickets you would like to exchange. You will also need to drop off your old chaser tickets at one of our staffed garages.
• Get Notification of Garage Upgrade Completion - If you would like to be notified on the completion of specific garages, please subscribe to the PTS Garage Updates email list. You can also monitor the "Status" column of the Garage Schedule on this page for updates.

We understand this has the possibility to impact departmental event planning, so we appreciate your patience and understanding as we move to more modern equipment. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at parking@utexas.edu.

Validator Stamp Changes

You will no longer be able to use your department’s validator stamp to validate a ticket for your guest in a garage once it has been upgraded to the new equipment. Instead, you will use an online portal to validate your guest's ticket.

• Online Validation Portal - Once a garage's equipment has been upgraded, the new process for validating guest parking in that garage will be as follows:
  1. Your guest will pull a ticket to enter the garage.
  2. You will log onto the Online Validation Portal.
  3. You will scan or enter your guest’s ticket number.
  4. You will select the proper validation type from a dropdown menu.
  5. Once the validation is applied, you can instruct your guest to exit with the validated ticket.
  Further instructions, along with the link to the Online Validation Portal, will be emailed to departmental contacts authorized to validate parking. You can refer to the Online Portal Validation Instructions as well.
• Authorized Users - To ensure a smooth exit for your guests, we recommend authorizing multiple people in your organization to validate parking. To designate authorized contacts, please email their names, email addresses, and current validation stamp(s) they are allowed to process as soon as possible to pts-adminrequests@austin.utexas.edu. Requests will be added as quickly as possible. A group account can be set up, but it is recommended that you use individual accounts for audit purposes.
• Notification of Garage Upgrade Completion - If you would like to be notified on the completion of specific garages, please subscribe to the PTS Garage Updates email list. You can also monitor the "Status" column of the Garage Schedule on this page for updates.
• Validation Alternatives - If the ticket validation process is no longer meeting the needs of your department, you may want to consider issuing QR chaser codes to your guests to exit the garage. See the Garage Chaser Ticket page for details.

We understand this has the possibility to impact departmental event planning, so we appreciate your patience and understanding as we move to more modern equipment. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at pts-adminrequests@austin.utexas.edu.

FAQs

What is the timeline for upgrades?

The first phase will begin on Jan. 30, 2023 and will impact the Health Center Garage (HCG), San Jacinto Garage (SJG), and Brazos Garage (BRG). Phase II is expected to begin in mid-March 2023 with details on Phase III to follow. See the Garage Schedule for more information.

Upgrades for an individual garage could last up to two weeks depending on the number of lanes and support work required. Some lanes will be closed off during the upgrade but the garage will remain accessible.

What garages will be impacted?

The equipment in all garages is being upgraded. The first phase will impact the Health Center Garage (HCG), San Jacinto Garage (SJG), and Brazos Garage (BRG). The remaining garages will be upgraded in Phases II and III.

How will I know if my preferred garage has been upgraded?

We will be updating this page throughout the conversion. Please reference the "Status" column under the Garage Schedule for the upgrade status of your preferred garage.

You can also subscribe to the PTS Garage Updates email list for updates.

How can I continue to request chaser tickets in the interim?

You can continue to use the Chaser Ticket Request Form throughout the upgrades.

What will be the process for requesting QR chaser codes in the future?

The process for requesting QR chaser codes will be the same as the process to request chaser tickets. You will use the Chaser Ticket Request Form to request QR chaser codes.

Will QR chaser codes work in garages that have not yet been upgraded?

No, QR chaser codes will only work with the new equipment.

If I use a validator stamp today, what will be the process in the future?

You will use an online portal to validate your guest's garage ticket.

1. Your guest will pull a ticket to enter the garage.
2. You will log onto the Online Validation Portal.
3. You will scan or enter your guest’s ticket number.
4. You will select the proper validation type from a dropdown menu.
5. Once the validation is applied, you can instruct your guest to exit with the validated ticket.

Further instructions, along with the link to the Online Validation Portal, will be emailed to departmental contacts authorized to validate parking.

What will happen to my chaser tickets once garage equipment upgrades are complete?

Once the upgrade for your preferred garage is complete, you can exchange your remaining chaser tickets for QR chaser codes by emailing parking@utexas.edu with the number of chaser tickets you would like to exchange.