By Shakesha Holmes, PTMP
Parking and mobility systems have never had more data at their fingertips: real-time dashboards, occupancy sensors, license plate recognition, payment platforms, and mobility feeds. Yet many organizations still face the same challenges: curb congestion, underutilized facilities, staffing misalignment, and unpredictable event-day operations.
The issue is not access to data. It is how that data is used.
In this feature, I explore the shift from collecting information to acting on it. Parking and curb management are no longer just about occupancy or enforcement metrics; they are about understanding movement, behavior, and demand patterns across an entire mobility ecosystem.
When data is interpreted in context, it reveals operational stories that are often missed: predictable congestion windows, misaligned curb regulations, visibility issues that impact facility usage, and staffing needs that shift based on real arrival behavior rather than assumptions.
The most effective programs are not defined by the most advanced dashboards, but by their ability to turn insight into action, adjusting operations, refining policy, and improving the user experience based on what the data reveals.
Ultimately, success in parking and mobility is not about collecting more information. It is about making better decisions with the information already available, and building a culture where insight consistently leads to improvement. Click here to read the full article.
Shakesha Holmes, PTMP, is the Director of Parking and Mobility for Oak View Group. She can be reached at ssholmes00@gmail.com.