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TAPS Goes Online By Donna Justice Anyone who uses the Internet regularly knows how easy it is to purchase everything online from airline tickets to zoo admissions. Now UC Davis Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) is offering e-commerce convenience to students, faculty, and staff. In early April, TAPS began offering UC Davis affiliates the ability to purchase a limited range of parking permits with their credit cards on the Web (http://www.taps.ucdavis.edu/). "This really came out of a desire to provide better service and convenience to our customers," says Roberta Devine, TAPS' Administrative Services Manager. "Now students, faculty, and staff can buy a permit from any computer linked to the Internet, anytime." TAPS set up its site with the help of IT's Distributed Computing Analysis and Support programmer Larry Johnson, in cooperation with the Cashier's office. "We had this idea to offer people the chance to buy permits online and mentioned it to Peggy Hoos [UC Davis Cashier]," says Devine. "We are really fortunate that Cashier's office took the lead on this and set up an e-commerce server that will securely process credit card transactions and securely tap into DaFIS [UC Davis' Financial Information System]. This could be a great help to other units on campus, as well." "TAPS' project is our first and we need time to analyze the system before adding other departments," says Hoos. Working with the Cashier's office reduced the need for departmental Web masters and designers to build the e-commerce capabilities on their sites," according to Loren Bennett, TAPS' Network and System Manager. "The Web designer at the department level need only worry about the front-end of the site and any database integration that is necessary. All of the credit card processing occurs on the Cashier's end," says Bennett. "Larry Johnson is the wizard behind the Cashier's ability to connect the information in DaFIS to the credit card transactions," says Hoos. "Without Larry and Loren, this project would never have happened." TAPS hopes its e-commerce solution can serve as a model for other units on campus who wish to create an e-commerce option on their Web; they welcome inquiries from colleagues. 
From the TAPS home page, click on the TAPS Store/Permit Sales button. This will take you to a page where you will be asked to enter your identification number. By "tapping" into the Payroll and Personnel System (for faculty and staff) or the Banner Student Information System, TAPS' site cross references who you are, determines what permits you are eligible for, and provides you with a list of permits you can purchase during a given fiscal year (July 1 - June 30). You can choose to have your permit sent to your office or home. Either option takes two days. (Remember to park legally with a valid permit until you can display your new Web site permit on your vehicle.) Permits forwarded to a home address are sent certified mail, so expect to be charged for the postage when you purchase the permit. Of course, you may also choose to pick up the permit at the TAPS trailer (by the Rec Pool). If you choose this option, you won't need to stand in line at the counter. Eventually, TAPS plans to enable people to pick up their permits at various kiosks around campus. Currently, TAPS' site does not verify users via Kerberos (a secure authentication method), but the system does verify users through their identification number. Every person who purchases a permit will receive a confirmation message sent to the email address of record. All credit card transactions occur on the Cashier's secure server and all credit card numbers are encrypted, so your transactions are safe.
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