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Entrepreneur Renting Private Driveways To UNR Students

Rocio Hernandez

Four teams remain in the University of Nevada, Reno’s annual Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition which awards one team with a $50,000 prize. Reno Public Radio’s Rocio Hernandez spoke with one MBA student wants to give university students and visitors more parking options. 

It’s midday and parking spaces are full on the north side of campus. I’m standing with Sontag finalist Ryan Klekas, watching as several drivers circle a parking lot hoping to get lucky.  

Rocio Hernandez: I don’t see any, do you?

Ryan Klekas: I don’t see any. I mean, there’s these metered spaces behind us, but again, they’re only for two hours. Oh, that white one found one.

Ongoing construction and an increase in enrollment have created parking challenges. Last semester, there were about 9,000 parking permit holders for roughly 7,500 spaces. Parking Services Director Michelle Horton says there is an adequate supply of spaces based on the number of vacancies during peak times, but students disagree.

Rocio Hernandez: How would you describe the parking situation in one word?

Alex Chau: Terrible.

Jon Macias: Catastrophe.

Taylor Doolin: Expensive

Macias is a senior who parks in the West Stadium garage. He says parking was more convenient his freshman year. 

"Half the time I try to park there, I end up on the sixth floor ‘cause there ain’t no parking in that parking garage," Macias said. "That’s for sure."

Student Robert Prater doesn’t park on campus often, and when he does, he says it’s stressful. Although he bought a parking pass, that doesn’t guarantee him a spot.

“So, if you are trying to get to class, get to a meeting, you’re just so much better parking at Circus Circus than actually being able to park here on campus, ‘cause you might just turn around and park somewhere else anyways,” Prater said.

Credit Ryan Klekas
Instally founder Ryan Klekas hopes to develop an app for his product in the future.

MBA student Ryan Klekas hopes to solve this problem for university campuses nationwide by taking advantage of private parking surrounding the schools. He reached out to more than 250 homeowners who live near UNR and asked them if they were interested in making an extra buck by renting out their driveways to students.

“Most of them were like, ‘Wow, why didn’t I didn’t I think of that?'" Klekas said. "There was hardly any negative feedback.”

Klekas' startup, called Instally will sell hourly, weekly and monthly parking. Customers will be able to look for parking spots based on distance and price. Klekas has already started testing his product in Reno, without taking a cut for the service since he doesn’t have a business license yet. He says renters and homeowners have had a good experience with Instally so far.

“Do you see that one right there?" Klekas said. "In the back, they have a lot of excess parking and it’s an easy way for them to make passive income, right."

If he wins the Sontag competition, Klekas hopes to use the money to develop a website and later an app to expand his business.

Rocio Hernandez is a former business news intern at KUNR Public Radio.
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