HHere's a good University City story.
-- Tony West Campus Park & Ride Beats U of P In Court Reads Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Albert Sheppard, Jr. has ordered the University of Pennsylvania to cease and desist deploying its campus police force to interfere with the business operations of Campus Park & Ride, a new parking lot operator serving the University City district. Judge Sheppard's ruling allows Campus Park & Ride to continue to advertise and run its free shuttle service in and around University City. Sheppard also called for a status hearing in April. "Although we are pleased with Judge Sheppard's ruling, we are only cautiously optimistic that this situation will significantly improve," said George Bochetto of the Center City law firm of Bochetto and Lentz, attorneys for Campus Park & Ride. "Apparently, U.P. also stands for 'Unfair Parking.' This is a case of a monolithic institution that was deploying its police force to squash competition from a legitimate, licensed entrepreneur who is offering a better service at a better price. The University of Pennsylvania had been acting like the neighborhood bully, but this time the victim of their bullying pushed back." Campus Park & Ride's suit alleged that the University of Pennsylvania was using its campus police force to harrass the company's workers in order to suppress competition from a small start-up company that offers lower-priced parking and free shuttle bus services to employees and students of the University of Pennsylvania. The 1,100-space parking lot is located at 1600 South Warfield Street. The claim also alleged that the university's police department denied Campus Park & Ride its right of free speech by not allowing the company's employees to distribute informational flyers on public streets and sidewalks near the campus. In the claim, Bochetto and Lentz asked the court to order the University of Pennsylvania and its police department to cease and desist interfering with or infringing upon Campus Park & Ride's right to exercise its first amendment commercial speech rights in handing out commercial handbills on public streets and sidewalks in the City of Philadelphia in accordance with Section 10-723 of the Philadelphia Code and the handbill distribution license issued to Plaintiff, number 400178. In an effort to combat the University of Pennsylvania's efforts to stifle Campus Park & Ride's business, the company is offering free parking until Apr. 1, 2007. After Apr. 1, Campus Park & Ride's daily rate will be just $6, which is half of what University City lots are charging. The monthly rate is only $69, which also half of what is charged on the Penn. "Our client did not ask for this fight. It merely asked for the right to compete fairly," added Bochetto. "Through its bullying tactics and monopolistic mentality, the University of Pennsylvania and its intimidating police force gave us no choice but to seek relief through the courts. My client fought and won not only for his own business, but for the rights of every small entrepreneur who dares to compete with the Goliath known as the University of Pennsylvania."
