Resource Search

TOPIC: Regulatory Environment

  • IPMI’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Readiness Guide

    IPMI EV Readiness Resource Guide available for download. Excerpted from the Executive Summary  Electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure are poised to transform the parking, transportation, and mobility industry. The launch of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, along with complementary federal, state, and local funding, policies, and Read More »

  • Developing a Curb Management Strategy: Three Factors of Formulation

    Developing a Curb Management Strategy: Three Factors of Formulation   By Andrew Lamothe and Jason Sutton, CAPP As cities navigate complex parking environments, adapt new policies, and integrate innovations, curb management continues its trend toward mainstream adoption. Most if not all parking and transportation experts across the U.S. agree that Read More »

  • IPMI News: APDS Releases Version 3.0 of International Data Specification for Parking

    APDS Releases Version 3.0 of International Data Specification for Parking Public Comment Period Open through July 30, 2021 ​These are exciting times—around the globe, new services and technologies are intersecting to create value-added convenience to customers and business owners while better utilizing our available parking, mobility, and transport infrastructure.  Whether Read More »

  • APDS News: APDS Launches Formal Supporter Effort, Support the APDS  with Just a Signature 

    APDS Launches Formal Supporter Effort: Support the APDS  with Just a Signature  The Alliance for Parking Data Standards (APDS) is built on strong, global community support and expertise by parking, transportation, and mobility professionals and the organizations they represent. To further the utilization of the APDS specifications, support the effort Read More »

  • Is COVID-19 a Force Majeure?

    Is COVID-19 a Force Majeure? By Michael Ash, Esq., CRE THE PARKING AND MOBILITY INDUSTRY (like most industries) is held together through a series of interconnected contracts and agreements for goods and services. The on­going pandemic resulted in federal, state, and local jurisdictions issuing declarations of emergency and stay-at-home orders Read More »

  • Where Should the RVs Go?

    Where Should the RVs Go? With more people homeless, isolating due to COVID-19, or embracing a nomadic lifestyle, cities are charged with figuring out where those living in RVs should park. By Christina Jones, CAPP, MBA WHETHER DUE to economic hardship or by choice of lifestyle, inhabited vehicles are becoming Read More »

  • Tire Chalking Ruled Vital and Legal for Parking Enforcement

    Tire Chalking Ruled Vital and Legal for Parking Enforcement By Michael Ash, JD, CRE IN A column published in February 2020, I clarified the ruling from a federal court in Michi­gan that started a misimpression that tire chalking was ruled unconstitutional. The case was sent back from the appellate court Read More »

  • IPMI’s Roadmap to Recovery, October 5, 2020

    Download the document and find out how the industry is adapting and shaping steps for recovery. 

  • Alliance Parking Data Standards

    APDS News: APDS Requests Formal Recognition by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

    APDS Requests Formal Recognition by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) The Alliance for Parking Data Standards (APDS) recently requested that the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) consider adopting the APDS standard for parking data as a basis for a future ISO standard. ISO is an independent, non-governmental network of Read More »

  • special publications

    IPMI News: IPMI Releases Roadmap to Recovery, Special Edition: July 2020

    Download IPMI”s Roadmap to Recovery, a special edition capturing the latest on the parking, transportation, and mobility industry’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. Share your experience and your expertise.  Complete the 2020 IPMI COVID-19 Industry Response and Impact Benchmark Survey before July 30, 2020. One lucky participant will win a Read More »

  • blog

    Why is it Raining in my Parking Structure?

    By Scott Weiland Ever wonder why it is raining inside your parking structure?  Well, it is a sign that your parking structure needs attention. Water is the No. 1 cause of parking structure deterioration. Water-saturated concrete can freeze, expand, and spall. Combined with oxygen, water can also cause corrosion of Read More »

  • news

    Member News: Propark Mobility Launches Certified CleanCo Parking and Transportation Program in Response to COVID-19

    May 26, 2020 Hartford, Connecticut – Propark Mobility announced today that the company’s CleanCo division will be providing industry-leading comprehensive cleaning and sanitation programs for parking and transportation operations across the country, in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. “We are living in a new world, which requires different processes Read More »

  • Accessible Parking Coalition Video: DOT Access & Mobility

    The IPMI-led Accessible Parking Coalition is working to make parking more accessible for everyone; check out this clip from the DOT Access and Mobility Summit for ALL in Washington DC. October 29, 2019.

  • article

    GARAGE CASE STUDY: An Automated Solution to Parking Perils

    By Christian Hermansen PARKING IS A NECESSARY EVIL IN THE PUBLIC’S MIND. It’s something we all do be­fore going shopping, hanging out with friends, or catching a game. It’s the experi­ence before the experience. As someone who has recently joined the parking-sphere, I see parking as something where you either Read More »

  • article

    The California City Embracing the Future of EVs

    By Taylor Kim, AIA, LEED AP HOME TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) PIONEER TESLA, it is no surprise that the city of Palo Alto, Calif., leads the nation in electric vehicle sales at nearly 30 percent of new cars sold. As the city has embraced this technology and its role as Read More »

  • article

    Making Accessible Parking More Accessible

    By Helen Sullivan, APR, Fellow PRSA “I am a quadriplegic in a wheelchair. Parking is the biggest obstacle in my life.” READ AND RE-READ THIS QUOTE from the 2018 Accessible Parking Coalition (APC) National Survey and take in the full meaning of what this survey respondent shared with us. A Read More »

  • article

    Unpacking the APO: Approach to Sustainability

    By Rachel Yoka, CAPP, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP IPMI LAUNCHED THE ACCREDITED PARKING ORGANIZATION (APO) program with a focus on excellence in our industry. The APO program recognizes parking, transportation, and mobility organizations at the top of their game—these organizations can be recognized at one of two levels (Accredited Read More »

  • TIMBER! Considering cross-laminated timber as a solid strategy to future-proof parking

    By Chelsea Webster BUILDING A PARKING FACILITY IS EXPENSIVE—not only because of the land, permits and red tape, and technology you have to incorporate into the facility, but also because of the material and construction costs. To make matters worse, after sinking piles of money into the project, some parking Read More »

  • Just Published: A Practical Guide for Solving Accessible Parking Challenges

    The IPMI-led Accessible Parking Coalition (APC), has just published Let’s Make Accessible Parking More Accessible. This groundbreaking, free, downloadable 24-page publication, written for parking and mobility professionals and decision-makers, was developed by a team of IPMI members serving on the APC Advisory Council, in conjunction with advocacy groups for people Read More »

  • APDS News: UK on verge of revolution to make parking easier and help British high streets

    New national parking data standards introduced which could mean the end of outdated parking systems. Read the full story here. Published 30 May 2019 Department for Transport  

  • Overview: How to Become an Accredited Parking Organization

    Download the summary here. 

  • CURBSIDE MANAGEMENT: Managing access to a valuable resource.

    by Charley DeBow and Mike Drow, CAPP Curbside management is the collection of operating concepts, techniques, and practices that enable a municipality, university, or any entity to effectively allocate the use of their curbs and other high- demand areas. While the curb has been managed for decades, in the past Read More »

  • publications

    A Big Boost from Technology

    Thanks to new advances, parking is improving airports’ bottom lines, in the garage and the terminal. By Bill Smith, APR PARKING HAS ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT TO AIRPORTS’ BOTTOM LINES. For most airports, parking revenues are second only to gate fees and at a large airport can add up to hundreds Read More »

  • KNOW YOUR (PROPERTY) RIGHTS

    By Leonard T. Bier, CAPP, JD; and Michael J. Ash, Esq. Parking requires facility owners, operators, and users to occupy physical space. Therefore, real estate is an essential component of parking. A basic understanding of legal property rights can help guide parking owners and operators in making decisions about the Read More »

  • A Guide to Parking

    IPI’s mission to advance the parking profession manifests in a number of ways – through top-notch education, certification and accreditation, and connecting our community through the conference and expo and now online through Forum.    Publications are another hallmark program of our organization; take a look through this magazine and the Read More »

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    Forum, IPI’s New Online Community

    Forum is an online community that gives members a powerful new way to access and share parking, transportation, and mobility-industry information and on-the-job experiences. IPI members can log in and join vibrant discussions, gain others’ perspectives on questions and challenges, access a robust, online library of member knowledge and resources, Read More »

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    Parking Policy Explained: A Two-Minute Crash Course

    By Giuliano Mingardo Everyone who is professionally involved in our sector knows parking (policy) is a very emotional issue. Very often, a lack of understanding of how parking works leads to very emotional debates among politicians, decision-makers, retailers, citizens, project developers, and other urban stakeholders. Should parking be free of Read More »

  • publications

    Is Big Data Coming to a Parking Facility Near You

    By Mike Robertson When many industries consider big data, they envision large dollar signs. In certain industries, big data is the magic ingredient for guaranteed success into the future. But how could big data affect the parking industry? Big Data Defined If you are unsure what is meant by big Read More »

  • Writing Specifications—Words Matter

    By Chuck Reedstrom, CAPP When writing specifications, the wording you use can make all the difference in ensuring the client receives the exact product or service expected. Too often, the person writing the specifications includes wording that is not specific, not measurable, and just too wordy. Many specifications include wording Read More »

  • Doing It Right

    By William Timmer Up until late 2010, Tacoma, Wash. was one of the few U.S. cities with a population of more than 200,000 that did not have some form of paid on-street parking. The downtown retail core is zoned for mixed use with commercial space for a full range of Read More »

  • A Class Apart

    By Bill Smith It wasn’t so long ago that “sustainable parking” was a bit of an oxymoron. But times change, sometimes drastically, and parking has embraced green practices. This year, seven facilities became the first in the world to earn Certified Green Garage designation—a milestone indeed. IPI is proud to Read More »

  • Green Thoughts

    Green parking is more than a catchphrase: It’s a new way of thinking about the parking industry and doing business in a way that’s attractive to employees, customers, and the bottom line. And it’s moving super fast, with advances and new developments almost every day. We asked four leading experts Read More »

  • Municipal Residential Permit Parking Programs Legal or Not

    By Leonard T. Bier, JD, CAPP Resident permit parking (RPP) is a well-established parking management tool throughout the United States. However, what we take for granted today was not a legal certainty until 1977. Steve Monetti, former executive director of the Fort Lee Parking Authority, N.J., as well as a Read More »

  • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Parking

    By William F. Kavanagh, AIA A ccessible parking requirements are fairly straightforward and easy to comply with if you understand what all of the applicable requirements are for a given garage location. This article will focus on some of the basic accessible parking requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act Read More »

  • Incorporating Green Parking Into a Community

    By Jody Miller There is a range of unique ways parking facilities—both renovation projects and new builds—are incorporating sustainable practices. Some are quite unique and step outside the box of standard parking-facility thinking. Across the nation, more and more parking facilities are implementing interesting ways to make parking garages more Read More »

  • On the Road; In the Lot

    By Irma Henderson, CAPP By now, there are very few people who have not heard the terms “global warming” and “climate change.” While there are some who feel the increasing temperatures are a result of Earth’s natural cycles, others point to the increase of mankind’s use of fossil fuels. Regardless Read More »

  • No Decal, No Hang Tag, No Problem

    By Vicky Gagliano, LEED AP I remember those days during college when I waited in line for more than an hour at the parking office/trailer to pay for and pick up a parking decal. They gave me a plastic card with suction cups that I could use to display the Read More »

  • Parking Woes in Developing Countries

    By Annaliza Vasallo Parking is hell. This is according to a Freakonomics podcast episode dealing with the hidden side of free parking. It made me think that if you think parking is hell in cities such as New York and San Francisco, imagine how the parking situation is in densely Read More »

  • THE BIG PICTURE

    By John W. Martin All of us will spend the rest of our lives in the future. Understanding what’s ahead and what it means has tremendous value, not only to you as individuals, but to your companies and even the entire parking industry. What’s the best pathway for your career? Read More »

  • What’s Going On with Electric Vehicles

    By Michelle Wendler, AIA By 2025, it’s anticipated that there will be seven to 23 times the number of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) in use around the world than are on the road today. As parking professionals, we should be prepared for the increased demand for charging stations. In the Read More »

  • An Image Turnaround

    By Marc Denson It was a beautiful morning when I reported to work years ago, but within a few hours the real picture began to unfold: a parking unit in chaos with only one employee remaining after an internal affairs investigation; 70 percent of meters were more than 30 years Read More »

  • Jurassic Parking

    By Duke Hanson While a lot of people take parking for granted, the one thing I’ve learned in my 35-year career in the business is that you can never stop learning. And while registering for the 2015 IPI Conference & Expo (my 22nd annual), I was pulled back to the Read More »

  • Mixing It Up

    By Bill Kavanagh, AIA, NCARB Mixed-use projects with parking facilities are becoming more common. As land becomes ­scarcer, building a freestanding garage may be a missed opportunity. Often, parking authorities and other parking entities are involved in mixed-use projects that include multiple owners, both public and private. Let’s examine issues Read More »

  • A New Evaluation Criterion For Parking Equipment

    By Vicki Pero, SPRH Not so long ago when an organization considered facility parking equipment for purchase, there were three common areas of consideration: ease of use, durability, and revenue control and reporting. Like many other things in our industry, the criteria have expanded in recent years to include a Read More »

  • Five Key Drivers for Financial and Sustainable Success

    By Daniel Ciarcia Most of us are keenly aware of the changing global climate and resulting critical environmental challenges. A recent Yale University study reported that 87 percent of Americans believe mankind is more (or at least equally as) responsible for climate change than natural events. We agree on the Read More »

  • Simple Fixes

    By Ron Steedly, CAPP, MEd, LCI Let’s face it: Bicycle transportation on a college campus is essential. No matter if the campus is 5,200 acres like Texas A&M University (10th in the nation in overall acres) with nearly 56,000 students or 14 acres like Thomas More College of Liberal Arts Read More »

  • Boosting Credit Security

    By Randy Vanderhoof The U.S. is more than three years into its migration to Europay MasterCard Visa (EMV) chip payments, and 2015 is expected to be a year of great progress. Last year, there were approximately 120 million chip cards in the market, and this number is expected to leap Read More »

  • Being Prepared

    By Bruce Barclay, CAPP This exercise was the culmination of a 10-month process that included a planning team of 35 people from 20 different organizations. In the months prior to the exercise, the planning team worked diligently to solidify objectives and expected actions, confirm extent of play from participating agencies, Read More »

  • Benefits of an Integrated Life Cycle

    By Jeremy Rocha, PE It’s just a garage. Most parking consultants have heard that statement too many times to count. As members of the parking industry, we know parking shouldn’t be an afterthought or mere code requirement. We also understand that the parking experience offers the first and last impression Read More »

  • Parking as Public Policy Priority

    By Perry Eggleston, CAPP For years, we’ve heard the joke, “What does parking policy have in common with jumbo shrimp? Some experts say both are oxymorons.” Historically speaking, parking planning was left to the urban planner, who used antiquated space ratios to determine parking requirements for new construction projects. When Read More »

  • Big Progress in Big Data

    By Michael Drow, CAPP; Peter Lange; and Blake Laufer, CAPP The parking industry has access to more data today than ever before, and the amount of data collected is growing quickly and exponentially. We generate incredible amounts of data from a variety of sources, including space availability tools, meter and Read More »

  • SANDAG Parking Management Toolbox

    By Antoinette Meier, AICP, Marisa Mangan, and Brett Wood, CAPP For cities well-staffed and versed in all things parking, it may seem easy: Assess the problem, apply the solution, and keep moving along. But what about communities or towns who have never even considered the benefits or impacts of parking Read More »

  • The Two Tier Solution

    By Donald Shoup and Fernando Torres-Gil Almost everyone can tell an anecdote about disabled placard abuse. One of mine stems from a visit to the California capitol building in Sacramento. After noticing that cars with disabled placards occupied almost all the metered curb spaces surrounding the Capitol, I talked to Read More »

  • Really Ride Sharing

    By Josh Kavanagh, CAPP Transportation options are expanding rapidly in communities across the United States, and that’s a good thing; expanding choice is good for consumers and can spur innovation and economic development. However, when those choices come in the form of disruptive technologies and business models, they create unique Read More »

  • Pricing Prominence

    By Rachel Weinberger, PhD; Amy H. Auchincloss, PhD, MPH; and Semra Aytur, PhD, MPH Off-street parking prices—not meter prices, fines, or time limits—appear to affect whether people drive or use transit. Parking supply and cost may influence how often people choose to use public transit, but without large-scale data, little Read More »

  • Parking Management in Abu Dhabi

    By Mohammed Al Muhairi and Tope Longe The regulation and civil enforcement of parking, though introduced decades ago in some countries, debuted in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi (AD), in October 2009. The strategic management and implementation of change programs often pose challenges to managers, Read More »

  • A Robotic Revolution

    By Wes Guckert, PTP A report recently issued by the United Nations highlighted a global trend: More than half (54 percent) of the world’s population lives in urban areas. This trend isn’t expected to slow anytime soon. In fact, that number is forecast to rise to 66 percent by 2050. Read More »

  • Not Just Cars Anymore

    By Joe Balskus As a transportation engineer and being relatively new to parking in the last decade, I have learned that the worlds of parking and mobility are merging into a new paradigm. Mobility includes parking but is not defined by it. The principles of Complete Streets are mainstream, and Read More »

  • Very Important Parking

    By Rudor “Dori” Teich In 1926, 18 years after Henry Ford invented the Model T, American merchants said downtown traffic was their most serious problem; poor parking habits and hazardous conditions were the most predominant causes of their challenges. Enter the new millennium. Tens of millions of vehicles travel our Read More »

  • The Future of Parking Policies

    By Sjoerd Stienstra For a long time, parking has been seen as a relatively independent subject that’s mainly connected to traffic and transport policies. Parking policy is largely developed against the background of expectations regarding the future developments of car use and ownership. Over time, the focus started shifting toward Read More »

  • Outstanding Accomplishments

    By Tracey Bruch, CAPP Every year, the International Parking Institute (IPI) honors the best in parking design and programs with its Awards of Excellence, which have become something of an industry hallmark. This year was no exception. What was exceptional, however, was the number of truly outstanding entries that were Read More »

  • That’s Not What I Ordered

    By Neill Hurley None of us would walk into a car dealership and say, “Give me a car, any car will do.” Most of the time, we put a lot of thought into the features and functionalities we need before a final vehicle decision is made. If we don’t spend Read More »

  • Parking Plus

    By June Williamson Parking has been an essential part of suburban development in North America since the Ford Model T was introduced in 1911. More than a century has passed, and it is high time for parking needs to be rethought, just as automobiles themselves and the fuels they run Read More »

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    Garage Ventilation

    By Frank Nagle When it comes to capturing energy savings in commercial garages, lighting retrofits have become the first go-to action. That’s for good reason: Lighting retrofits provide an effective means to reduce energy consumption. But, another big savings generator comes in another area that’s also worth serious consideration: retrofitting Read More »

  • Escaping the 60’s

    By Bill Smith When the parking industry was still in its infancy in the 1950s and ’60s, just a handful of companies worked to manage demand for spaces, and business in general tended to be done through relationships with a handshake. Little thought was given to marketing beyond taking prospects Read More »

  • Smart Moves

    By Eric Woods The introduction of smart parking technology marks the biggest transformation in parking since the introduction of the first parking meters in Oklahoma City in 1935. Parking is being transformed by new technologies that are affecting operational efficiency and customer expectations. Even broader changes are being driven by Read More »

  • Parking Without Apology

    By John P. Blood, AIA and Elizabeth Danze, AIA Parking in central Austin, Texas, is at a premium. Faced with the challenge of locating a much-needed garage along a leafy boulevard adjacent to a residential neighborhood and across from a large park, we at Danze Blood Architects sought to create Read More »

  • Simple as a Wave

    By Monica Tanksley Wave and pay seems to be taking the world by storm, and the parking and transportation industry may be next in the revolution. The basics: wave and pay is a contactless payment system that includes debit and credit cards, smartphones, key fobs, smartcards, and any other device Read More »

  • The Critical Rear View

    By Jason Bare We live in a fast-paced world where everyone is always busy, whether answering phone calls, texts, and emails or trying to get to our next destination in the least amount of time. Sometimes, that split second of turning one’s head to check our surroundings when backing up Read More »

  • Automated Facilities Sustainable Problem or Solution

    By Vicki Pero, SPHR Believe it or not, the first automated parking facility, in which the customer leaves his or her vehicle at the entrance for facility equipment to park, was built in Paris in 1905. These structures have become very popular in Europe and Japan in more recent years Read More »

  • Blowing in the Wind

    By Jacinta Messer Environmental artist Ned Kahn is known for his large-scale art depicting natural phenomena that include wind, water, and fire. His art is sustainable and fluid, often incorporating materials and movement that capture the elements in multiple dimensions; it’s so profound that even Smithsonian magazine has featured his Read More »

  • Greening the Lot

    By Isaiah Mouw, CAPP, LEED Green Associate It’s an overcast day in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., but that doesn’t stop dozens of parking professionals from boarding a shuttle bus to tour a recently upgraded sustainable parking operation. On the way, Green Parking Council (GPC) Executive Director Paul Wessel and Rachel Yoka, Read More »

  • Parking Space Invaders

    By Christopher Speers, CAPP I have to admit right from the start that I did a double take when I received my first call in 2012 from the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP). They were inquiring about the Pittsburgh Parking Authority’s interest in collaborating with BikePgh—the city’s main bicycle advocacy group—to Read More »

  • Integrating Innovation

    By Rachel Yoka, LEED AP BD+C, CPSM We consultants have another big and bold year ahead of us. I don’t mean the next big project we land or the next big conference (such as the 2014 IPI Conference & Expo in Dallas, June 1-4). Although these are undoubtedly at the Read More »

  • Minimum Efforts

    By Daniel Rowe Multifamily residential buildings often provide too much parking, which can be an impediment to achieving a wide range of community goals. King County Metro Transit (Metro), Seattle, Wash., recently embarked on a project to rewrite the rules for multifamily parking. Through its Right Size Parking Project, Metro Read More »

  • Tangible Personal Property Regulations and Parking Facilities

    By Dominick Brook A parking facility can contain all sorts of equipment beyond the actual structure, including meters, signs, attendant booths, entrance and exit gates, lighting, and parking ticket scanners. All these assets and the structure itself are subject to tangible property regulations that provide guidance on whether, how, and Read More »

  • Common Ground

    By Helen Sullivan, APR, Fellow PRSA Parking professionals in the United States are keenly aware of the challenges and opportunities facing the industry in their own country, but what about their counterparts around the world? Do professionals in other countries have similar priorities, successes, and frustrations? Do they prioritize sustainability Read More »

  • From the Ground Down

    By Rich Wagner, CAPP Permeable paving includes a range of sustainable materials and techniques for using pavements with a base and sub-base that allow stormwater to move through the surface. In addition to reducing runoff, this structure effectively traps suspended solids and filters pollutants from the water. Although some porous Read More »

  • Goregous Green

    By Roy Diez New garage decks are obviously developed to fill a perceived need for additional parking in a given area. The bet is that, as in the movie “Field of Dreams”, if you build it, they will come. Mixed-use structures hedge that bet by combining supply and much of Read More »

  • Dispensing the Future

    By Kim Fernandez It’s not often one can win an architecture award for a structure that hasn’t been built, but that’s exactly what Boston firm Moskow Linn Architects did a few years ago. Better yet, they did it with a parking garage. This wasn’t any parking garage, mind you. The Read More »

  • How Much does a Structure Cost

    By H. Dean Penny, PE How much barbecue do you need to feed a group of 30? How many cookies will this recipe make? How many drinks are in a pitcher? Have you ever tried to accurately answer a question that had more than one possible answer? In each of Read More »

  • Upping the Ante on Parking Planning and Design

    By Chris Gray, PE, and Megan Leinart, LEED AP BD+C Atlantic City is well known for its exciting atmosphere, vibrant nightlife, and boardwalk that’s alive with casinos, shops, and restaurants. People from all over the world visit the city to gamble, play on the beach, and experience an affordable and Read More »

  • A Chip on the Old Card

    By Tom Wunk, CAPP Now what? This seems to be the prevailing response when I bring up the subject of open-standard Europay, MasterCard, and Visa (EMV) credit card processing with parking operations folks. Like many industries, parking is slowly emerging from economic malaise and finally seeing some light at the Read More »

  • Parking Power

    City planner and author Jeff Speck talks about the role parking plays in creating walkable cities. Jeff Speck, AICP, CNU-A, Leed AP, Hon. ASLA, didn’t start out writing about parking. A renowned city planner and architect, his first book, Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the Read More »

  • Dialing and Thriving

    By Soumya S. Dey, PE, PMP, and Angelo Rao, PE Washington, D.C., has approximately 18,000 metered on-street parking spaces. The parking program has seen significant changes during the past few years, including two rate increases, lifting a Saturday moratorium on parking meter fees, and extending the hours during which meters Read More »

  • Behind The Curtain

    By Jeff Pinyot Substitute LED for Oz in a memorable movie quote and you get this bold statement: “Do not arouse the wrath of the great and powerful LED. I said come back tomorrow.” This begs the question: is light emitting diode (LED) technology ready today, or do we, as Read More »

  • Robin Hoods or Hoodlums

    By Leonard T. Bier, JD, CAPP While watching morning television recently, I saw a newscast about parking “Robin Hoods” in Keene, N.H. Individuals were following parking enforcement officers (PEOs) performing their duties, and putting coins in expired meters. The Robin Hoods placed a business card on the windshield of each Read More »

  • Aiding & Abetting in a Good Way

    By Eric Crouch and Stacy Moncibaiz Monitoring a campus that houses a population of 35,000 and is the size of a small town often takes on a life of its own. Among the usual student, faculty, and staff activities, stolen vehicles and criminal persons of interest can pass through campus Read More »

  • The Basics of Intellectual Property

    By Ralph G. Fischer, Esq. and Jason P. Wrona, Esq. Technological innovation is driving the evolution of the parking industry. The demand for enhanced revenues, sustainable technology, real-time statistics, and smart products pressure manufacturers and developers to continually innovate or be left behind. Examples of these innovations abound: manual meter Read More »

  • One Year Later NYC’s EStar Test

    By Guillermo Leiva Last year, I wrote about the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Bureau of Parking’s audition of all-electric eStar vans in our meter collection fleet (see the July 2012 issue of The Parking Professional). We began our tests as optimists, hoping this new, sustainable technology Read More »

  • Hands Free Heaven

    By Mark Wright Whoever created the old “God is my co-pilot” bumper sticker was ahead of his time. Today, a lot of companies are praying that drivers will accept a future in which vehicles are piloted by technology instead of by humans. Whether drivers will find such a future heavenly Read More »

  • Prep Work

    by Holly Doering When “Big Joe” McGinnis stole $2.7 million from the Brink’s Depot in Boston (now a parking garage) in 1950, he needed an ice pick to enter the building. Today’s thieves only need to find a way to breach your online defenses. That’s the reason for the rise Read More »

  • Beyond Supply & Demand

    By Brett Wood, CAPP, PE The parking supply and demand study is one of the oldest staples in the parking professional’s toolbox. It happens in all sorts of parking departments and operations, and is always intended to answer the questions: How much parking do I have? How much parking do Read More »

  • EVs EVERYWHERE

    By David Sandalow and Levi Tillemann, Ph.D. For the U.S. parking industry, the question of electric vehicles (EVs) is not if they’ll come, but how soon? The answer is now. The U.S. is already the world’s leading market for electric vehicles. In fact, EV sales in the U.S. tripled in Read More »

  • Garages are for Parking

    By William F. Kavanagh, AIA, NCARB There has been a lot of news recently about a variety of people- gathering events being hosted in parking garages (see p. 28 for one). Some of them include the following: Sports event tailgating. Fireworks viewing. Parade watching. Dances or raves. Grand opening/ribbon-cutting ceremonies. Read More »

  • Energy Efficient Structure Lighting

    By Donald R. Monahan, PE Politicians and the general public have increased their attention on global warming in recent years. This enhanced awareness has resulted in new government and utility-sponsored programs that provide rebates and tax incentives to increase energy efficiency and encourage conservation. Retrofitting your parking facility with more Read More »

  • Establishing a New Technology

    By Clyde Church We are usually skeptical when a new technology arrives in our industry. We wait to see if it will live up to its developers’ claims and who adopts it first, and then listen for unanticipated problems and risks in deployment. When we select new technologies, our reputations Read More »

  • Forward Thinking

    By Chris Gray, PE Leaders in the county of Berks, Pa., understands the importance of long-term maintenance and doing things right the first time. In the spring of 2011, the county set out to undertake a large restoration project for its main office/courthouse building. The Berks County Services Center, a Read More »

  • Here Comes the Sun

    By Mark Botts and Isaiah Mouw, CAPP The American road system is breaking. As materials age and wear from weather, time, and traffic, the infrastructure suffers breakdowns. Traditionally, a patch-and-repair method has been applied to the problem, but that solution lacks the ability to keep pace with decay. And if Read More »

  • Calming the Storm

    By Seth Brown Parking professionals view a highly-used and busy parking lot as an amenity that generates income and adds value to the property being served. Stormwater professionals, in contrast, look at the same parking lot or facility and see a source of increased water pollution, high rates of stormwater Read More »

  • Greening Your Garage

    By Dennis A. Safford Who knew doing the right thing for the planet could make you more money? Implementing sustainable initiatives in parking facilities that benefit the environment and society does not mean you need to sacrifice dollars. At face value, it would seem that the urban parking garage is Read More »

  • The Forest for the Trees

    By Federico Lopez Many industries—perhaps most—directly and indirectly emit greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and are in part responsible for climate change; the parking sector is not an exception. Just like all other businesses, Bogota, Colombia’s City Parking consumes energy, fossil fuels, and water, and generates waste in its daily Read More »

  • The Driver Privacy Protection Act

    By Leonard T. Bier JD, CAPP The federal Driver Privacy Protection Act [DPPA] was signed into law in 1994. It was passed in part in reaction to the death of actress Rebecca Shaeffer by an obsessed fan who obtained her home address from state department of motor vehicle (DMV) records Read More »

  • Growing Pains

    By Justin Bean Roosevelt Island is a small community with big aspirations. Located on New York’s East River between Manhattan and Queens, it is a prime two-mile by 800-foot section of real estate that features housing developments, parks, and commercial areas. The island is linked to Manhattan by a three-minute Read More »

  • Multi Modal Magic

    By Ross Allanson, CAPP, and Atif Saeed, CAPP Infrastructure that’s designed and built to meet transportation needs makes a big difference in how our communities function and grow. The City of Minneapolis’ leadership and regional partners have traditionally been forward-thinking when it comes to creating a favorable environment for a Read More »

  • Walking the Line

    By Hal King, CAPP On-street parking might seem to work against the principles of Transportation Demand Management (TDM). To most observers, it promotes single vehicle trips and undermines mass transit. So how does on-street parking fit into TDM? How do we use it to reduce increasing congestion in urban centers Read More »

  • Hitting Moving Targets

    By Mike Carneiro In some parking enforcement jurisdictions, as few as 25 percent of parking fines are collected in full before the first enforcement escalation. Even the best-run parking programs only achieve voluntary payment rates in the 35 to 40 percent range unless they initiate a process of mailing follow-up Read More »

  • Sustainable Campus

    By Gabriel Mendez and Shereen Shaw Arizona State University has a long history of dedication to sustainability. As the nation’s largest public university in terms of enrollment, ASU leads by example, setting short- and long-term sustainability goals that touch every university department. These include the mitigation of carbon emissions from Read More »

  • Diamond Outside the Ballpark

    By Art Noriega As is true near many major league baseball stadiums, community concerns about parking convenience and availability at the new Miami Marlins Park ran high before opening day this spring. Skepticism subsided quickly once the season was underway, thanks to advance research and planning by the Marlins organization Read More »

  • Staying Green

    By Michelle Wendler, AIA In this column, I offer maintenance suggestions for two common green features that either are or may soon be part of your parking structure. Proper planning and maintenance will make and keep these systems excellent life cycle choices for your facility. Photovoltaic Solar Systems An advantage Read More »

  • Man vs Machine

    By Don Monahan, P.E. Robotic parking structures, more commonly referred to as automated vehicle storage/retrieval systems (AVSRS), are rapidly gaining momentum and popularity. Does an AVSRS garage make sense for you? The first two automated vehicle storage systems in the U.S. were completed in 2002 in Hoboken, N.J. (314 spaces) Read More »

  • Form & Function

    By Michael Greco, Michael Pipitone, Wendy Feuer, and Guillermo Leiva In 2008, the New York City (NYC) Department of Transportation (DOT), in partnership with the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, announced an international design competition for a unique NYC bicycle rack. The goal was to develop an attractive, functional rack Read More »

  • NYC Embraces EVs

    By Guillermo Leiva New York City made headlines last year when it invested in a fleet of Chevy Volt electric cars for its police department, assigning them to traffic control throughout the city. Our parking officers are also exploring where electric vehicles might fit in. “New York City is where Read More »

  • The Modern Toolbox

    By Brett Wood and Adria Koller, AICP Remember middle school? Remember being concerned about everyone talking behind your back? Wasn’t much fun, was it? Do you know what your stakeholders are saying about you now? Because more than your image is on the line; the success of your parking program Read More »

  • Getting Your P’s in a Row

    By Michael D. Martindill Man, it’s tough out there. Cities, states, counties, and academic institutions continue to experience shrinking budgets and reduced revenues. The public financing markets are still erratic and unpredictable. Taxable and non-taxable debt continues to be about the same, which has not happened in decades. All the Read More »

  • Slaying the Mythical Dragon

    By Roy Diez A sustainable parking garage? LEED certified? Conventional wisdom said it couldn’t be done, but conventional wisdom was wrong. Committed to completing construction projects in a manner that is as environmentally sustainable as possible, Duke University in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., made a conscious decision to attempt LEED certification for Read More »

  • Shooting for Three

    By Jeff Petry On January 11, 2011, the University of Oregon opened the doors of its Matthew Knight Arena. The state-of-the-art $227 million, 12,500 seat arena was built next to a traditional residential, university neighborhood in Eugene, Ore. (population 150,000). The night was a success for the Oregon Ducks, as Read More »

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    More Than Conventional Wisdom

    By Norman D. Bates, Esq. A woman went to an urban hospital to visit an ill friend. While walking to her car in the nearby parking garage, she was stabbed and robbed by an unknown assailant. A year later, the garage manager finds himself sitting in a deposition that is Read More »

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    Government Public Records Transparency

    By Leonard T. Bier, JD, CAPP The public has always had a common law right of access to government records and information, balanced by needs for individual privacy, government confidentiality, and the efficient operation of the government. A public record under the common law is one that is required to Read More »

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    Recognizing Advances

    By Joseph Wenzi At one time or another, we have all used the toll road system. If you live on the east coast, traveling on a toll road may be a daily experience. Residents of the south know that Florida’s toll roads can present a welcome relief from the congestion Read More »

  • Press Release, 4/1/14, IPI to Host First Municipality (Smart) Parking Symposium

    IPI to Host First Municipality (Smart) Parking Symposium: Real Solutions for Real Cities,  Sunday, June 1, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Dallas (Alexandria, VA) Don’t miss a rare opportunity to immerse yourself in the latest smart parking technology and innovative approaches to municipality parking at IPI’s first Municipal (Smart) Parking Read More »

  • 2013-01-31 Parking Industry joins with U.S. Department of Energy

    Parking Industry Joins with U.S. Department of Energy to Support Obama Administration Initiative to Expand Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in the Workplace U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu recognizes International Parking Institute, world’s largest parking association, along with leading automotive, communications, high tech, energy and environmental groups during keynote speech Read More »

  • 2012-12-04 International Parking Institute Joins Merchant

    International Parking Institute Joins Merchant Payments Coalition to Combat Unfair Swipe Fees FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA (December 4, 2012) The International Parking Institute announced today it has joined the Washington, D.C-based Merchant Payments Coalition in an effort to fight unfair swipe fees imposed by big banks and credit card companies. The Merchants Read More »

  • 2012-10-29 Smart Parking, Smart Cities

    Smart Parking, Smart Cities: World’s Leading Parking Experts to Share Insights with Latin American Architects, Urban Planners, Developers, Government Officials, and Business Leaders Latin Parking Conference & Expo to Convene Dec. 9-12, in San Juan, Puerto Rico An increasing number of government leaders, architects, urban planners, transportation officials, and economic Read More »

  • Why Parking Matters – 2015 White Paper

    Explains why parking and the expertise of parking professionals are integral to the future of cities. Why Parking Matters – 2015 White Paper

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    EMV and Parking White Paper

    Developed by IPI and the Smart Card Alliance, the publication offers parking-related guidance and recommendations on managing EMV chip-based payments. EMV and Parking White Paper

  • DOE Workplace Charging Challenge

    Led by the U.S. Department of Energy, the initiative urges employers to install workplace plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging stations. DOE Workplace Charging Challenge

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