Blogs

If you work in university parking and transportation, you quickly learn that parking is rarely just about parking. Our departments serve a remarkably diverse group of people—students, faculty, staff, medical professionals, visitors, contractors, administrators, and other university departments. Each group has different needs, expectations, and priorities. Trying to balance those needs can make parking operations one of the more challenging areas of a university to manage.

I am relatively new to my role directing parking and transit services at Kent State University, and, as you can expect, I’ve had some challenges and lessons along the way. I’ve found it both cathartic and beneficial to reflect on the challenges and lessons learned since stepping into leadership in this industry. I’ve learned how much of a collaborator I truly am and how this has helped me to be a better leader. I’ve dealt with the strain of not being fully staffed and struggling to remain operational while also trying to manage burnout for myself and my staff. Finally, dealing with the politics of parking has challenged me and spurred me to grow as a leader.

A major change is coming to private parking operations in Pennsylvania. On July 17, 2026, Pennsylvania enacted House Bill 1862, a wide-ranging transportation bill that establishes a new framework for how private parking operators can issue charges and contact vehicle owners. The new requirements take effect July 1, 2027, giving operators time to prepare.

This Frontline Fundamentals session, "Stronger Together: Building Solid, Supportive, and Successful Teams," was led by Vanessa Cummings (Ms. V), a parking and mobility consultant with more than 32 years of experience. Participants explored four key work styles, task-oriented, time-oriented, risk-taker, and follower, and learned how understanding these styles can improve teamwork, communication, and task delegation. Ms. V also shared practical strategies for collaborating with and managing different personality types across organizational settings.

A parking structure is not just a place to store cars. It is a long-term infrastructure asset exposed to water, chlorides, freeze-thaw cycles, vehicle loads, and daily traffic. The construction method chosen affects:

Parking enforcement has a perception problem, and according to Passport’s 2025 Parking Compliance Trends Report, 72% of compliance challenges stem from human factors rather than technology. That means the biggest obstacle between parking programs and their goals isn’t the tools -- it’s the relationship between enforcement and the public.

At North Carolina A&T State University (N.C. A&T), sustainability is more than a buzzword; it is woven into daily operations. As the nation’s largest historically Black college or university, N.C. A&T hosts a vibrant calendar of events, from legendary homecomings to major athletic matchups. Yet with each event comes the challenge of managing parking logistics efficiently and responsibly.

An unpaid parking citation may seem like a small issue. One violation. One driver. One unpaid fee. But parking professionals know unresolved citations rarely exist in isolation. Often, they're the first sign of a larger challenge that can affect an entire parking operation. When violations go unpaid, repeat offenses often follow. Drivers who face few consequences may keep ignoring regulations, occupying spaces meant for permit holders, visitors, patients, students, or employees.

Parking professionals operate at the intersection of policy, technology, and public expectations, yet one challenge continues to surface across the industry: when outcomes fall short, the blame often falls on frontline employees, even when the issue lies with the system itself.

Every organization experiences turnover, but there’s a particular kind of departure that leaves leaders with more questions than answers — the sudden resignation. When a long tenured employee leaves abruptly, especially after weeks of uncharacteristic quiet, it’s natural to wonder what happened beneath the surface.

This webinar argues that a leader's capacity is one of the most influential factors affecting team performance. When leaders become overloaded, their teams experience delays, confusion, and reduced engagement. Rather than viewing capacity management as self-care, the presenter frames it as an operational responsibility that directly impacts productivity, decision-making, employee retention, and overall organizational success.

Many municipal parking garage owners and operators focus on repairs only after problems become visible, by which point the damage is often expensive to fix. A proactive parking garage maintenance plan that includes regular parking garage power washing and parking structure cleaning can help prevent deterioration, improve safety, and significantly reduce long-term maintenance costs.