Curb Management

Somerville, MA — At the annual New England Parking & Transportation Council Municipal Forum, Ken Wollins of Municipal Parking Services (MPS) shared how communities are using state-of-the-art technology to address illegal parking and transit rider safety.

The European Parking Association (EPA) hosted its EPA Parking Day at Intertraffic Amsterdam on March 10–11, 2026, bringing together industry leaders, city representatives and mobility experts to discuss key developments shaping the future of urban mobility and parking. The program included three themed sessions at the Intertraffic Summit, two European Women in Parking (E-WiP) events, a members’ networking lunch and an EPA Board meeting with representatives from close to 20 national parking associations (EPA Full Members).

In dense downtown communities, limited parking availability often leads drivers to make short-term decisions that carry real safety consequences. Vehicles parked illegally near crosswalks, bus stops, and intersections may be stopped for only a moment, but they routinely block sightlines, force pedestrians into traffic, and create hazards for motorists and transit riders.

Extreme weather events are becoming a more regular occurrence. As I write this blog, large portions of the country are digging out from significant winter weather events – many of whom do not experience ice, snow and subzero temperatures on a regular (or even occasional!) basis.

Indianapolis, IN — A new study from T2 Systems finds that the time city drivers spend searching for a parking space is causing many to choose rideshare or public transit to avoid parking challenges. In some cases, frustration over limited parking availability is escalating, contributing to conflict.

Charlotte, NC – Cities across North America are increasingly focusing on compliance when it comes to how they manage parking, prioritizing behavior change and operational efficiency over citation volume, according to a new study from Passport, the most trusted technology partner for innovative curb management solutions. Based on responses from hundreds of Passport’s 800 cities and private operator partners across North America, the Passport 2025 Parking Compliance Trends Survey finds nearly half of cities cite driving compliance as their primary parking goal. “The sentiment around investing in enforcement technology and similar tools to drive payment compliance has evolved drastically over the last several years,” said Khristian Gutierrez, co-founder and CEO of Passport. “These survey results reflect a broader shift in how municipalities emphasize payment behavior, reinforcing Passport’s mission to help cities seamlessly update antiquated models and modernize curbside operations.” Digital tools are playing a central role. Most respondents report that between 26% and 75% of parking transactions now occur via mobile payments, highlighting wide variation across cities. Smaller and mid-sized cities often remain at the lower end of this range due to more limited enforcement capabilities, but as cities invest in enforcement software, mobile payment adoption accelerates, positioning many to exceed 75% of transactions via mobile payments by 2026. More than half of respondents have already moved to digital, license plate–based permits, and mobile enforcement software was cited as the technology with the greatest impact on operational efficiency, followed by license plate recognition. Despite growing technology adoption, staffing constraints and public perception remain major factors shaping compliance outcomes. Limited enforcement resources and community resistance were cited more frequently than technology limitations, highlighting that compliance is as much a human challenge as a technical one. Cities are also refining how they measure success. While increases in paid parking transactions are the most common metric, many still rely on citation counts, signaling a shift toward outcome-based evaluation models. Looking ahead, respondents expect greater digital enforcement, automation, and connected systems to define parking compliance in the next three to five years. “Disconnected systems and limited staff capacity often force teams into manual workarounds, driving slower translation of insights into action,” added Gene Rohrwasser, CTO of Passport. “As systems become more integrated, real-time, and data becomes more actionable, compliance-first strategies will be easier to implement, measure, and scale.” Passport has processed over $4 billion in curbside payments and supports more than 800 municipalities and private operators across the U.S. and Canada, including a new partnership with the City of Boston. Its platform touches one in five Americans through tools like digital permits, mobile parking payments, and citation management. To see the full study, visit passportinc.com/trends-report. About Passport Passport is the trusted technology partner for over 800 cities and private operators across North America, unifying paid parking, enforcement operations, and payment infrastructure into one platform. By simplifying how municipalities manage and monetize the curb, Passport empowers local leaders to boost compliance, unlock new revenue opportunities, and improve how people move around their communities. Passport helps cities thrive by delivering the tools and insights they need to meet evolving mobility challenges and create community-focused outcomes.  Media Contact: Aimee Eichelberger (312) 952-1528 Passport@983group.com

If the past several years revealed anything about urban mobility, it’s that the curb has quietly become one of the most politically charged, economically valuable, and publicly visible pieces of city infrastructure. Leaders from Austin, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. participated in IPMI’s Building Blocks webinar, where they shared how curb space has transformed from simple parking real estate into a multi-use frontline for transportation, commerce, and public life in their cities. In the not-so-distant past, the curb was a brief pause. A moment between where we were and where we were going. We parallel parked the car, checked for signs, maybe paid a meter, then went on to our destination. Much has changed. The once quiet edge of the street is now a full-blown stage for rideshare zones, sidewalk cafes, e-commerce deliveries, bike lanes, EV charging, micromobility, and bus priority projects. As Ken Hustings noted, curb space has become so valuable that a meter rate increase in Los Angeles was not only acceptable; it helped the city preserve staff positions during a fiscal crisis. The public’s relationship with the curb shifted in a very real way during the pandemic. As downtowns emptied and front doors became loading docks, people noticed just how much work the curb was doing behind the scenes. Take-out, package deliveries, and temporary restaurant patios all depended on it, and when it wasn’t managed well, the impacts were hard to ignore. David Lipscomb, Washington, D.C.’s curbside manager, recalled that this moment was eye-opening for residents. A minor inconvenience had quickly become a safety and access issue as delivery vehicles stacked up, cafe tables spilled onto sidewalks, and curb space was pushed to its limits. The public began paying attention to what mobility professionals had long understood: unmanaged curb space creates chaos. Awareness is just the first step. Turning that awareness into better outcomes requires updated policies and a different kind of leadership. Today’s parking and mobility professionals aren’t just managing assets; they’re also storytellers, educators, and coalition builders. Joseph Al-Hajeri, Austin’s Park Enterprise Manager, described his role as “getting the public to nerd out” about curb management using data, pilots, and transparent communication so that complex policy becomes shared understanding. In today’s rapidly evolving mobility landscape, the curb has become the new City Hall: a high-stakes, high-visibility arena where decisions play out block by block. And those who manage the curb are emerging as some of the most influential communicators shaping urban policy and public understanding. Maria Irshad, PTMP, MPA, is the Deputy Director for The City of Houston (ParkHouston). Maria can be reached at Maria.Irshad@houstontx.gov.

How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Urban Mobility

Automotus, a Los Angeles-based software company that sells curb management, traffic and associated payment technology, has raised $9 million in a new funding round. According to Jordan Justus, the company’s CEO and co-founder, the round includes $7.5 million in equity and $1.5 million in credit from a single investor. Total equity funding to date for the company, which traces its roots to 2017 while Justus and co-founder and CTO Harris Lummis were students at Loyola Marymount University, stands at $26 million, Justus said. This funding round included Santa Barbara Venture Partners, Weatherford Capital, BarronKent Ventures, Techstars Ventures, kineo, and other investors, according to a statement. Automotus offers a platform powered by computer vision that cities and airports can use to monitor and control traffic at curbs, including via data analytics and automated payments. The rise of ride hailing along with consumer dependence on retail deliveries help make curbside spaces increasingly busy. An example of the technology in use comes from Lincoln, Neb., where cameras provided by Automotus have helped officials craft parking policies for downtown. Automotus says it has deployed its tech in “dozens of markets across the country.” The fresh capital will go toward deeper product offerings, market expansion and customer support. “Cities and airports are under immense pressure to modernize the curb as commercial traffic surges and they’re forced to grapple with AVs,” Justus said. “This investment allows us to scale our impact and continue delivering technology that makes streets safer, more efficient and more sustainable.”

Is the curb for parking, deliveries, valet, ride-share, taxis, horse and buggy, or buses?   If I had been asked this question over 20 years ago, I would have said it was for parking and generating revenue to help pay for infrastructure improvements to drive economic growth. But today, the answer is all above! Our industry has changed so much over the decades due to many different needs. But what I do know is that the curb is at capacity! So, the big question becomes, how do we manage it? Today’s technology plays a major role in helping us manage the curb.   I remember what a big deal it was to put solar pay stations on the street that allowed me to remove 12- 14 single space mechanical meters.  But looking at the technology today, you can place a sign with a QR code and that will lead the customer to platform to pay for parking by using the phone.   You do not really need anything else!  Nashville has been spending the past year working on a technology platform that manages the curb - all uses of the curb! This program is called Connect Downtown.  From the study, we set goals for a safe and comfortable downtown, one that’s connected and convenient, focuses on equitable and accessible, meets sustainable and resilient needs, is vibrant and inviting but balanced and reliable.   Wow, that is a lot to deliver to the community.  We are accomplishing this with five (5) big moves.   The first big move is managing congestion.   We are upgrading our signals to real time to manage special events, people and safety of all modes.  The next one is improved safety.  Being a vision zero county, we are making our roadway network safer for people.  Move three (3) is prioritizing our transit for better service and reliability throughout the region.  Building complete street networks with connected walking paths, bikeways, and micro mobility options for first and last miles is the fourth big move.  And the last big move, maximizing the curb by flexing the use based on needs, creating passenger loading or service unloading zones for deliveries, rideshares, taxis and AVs. Do not forget to include local businesses’ needs, venues and their modes of transporting people.  But mostly, make sure you address everything for your residents.  They are the foundation of everything that’s planned.   In the last year, we have added over one hundred and forty-five (145) bike and scooter corrals.  We’ve piloted a transit lane designed for special events that’s allowed for improving the time of exiting from the downtown Hub by over 50%.   We’ve established additional unloading zones that are flexed at 4 PM to 4 AM for ridesharing, taxi, etc and did a ridezone pilot that improved the traffic flow.  We’ve also organized the parking system for the curb, so that we have technology providing turns for businesses.  And now we are working closely with the community on the technology platform for managing the curb, similar to parking.  Technology is allowing us to advance and optimize how the city manages the curb, and we’re transforming how our downtown operates — making life easier for residents and business owners Diana W. Alarcon, PTMP, is the Director for Nashville Department of Transportation & Multimodal Infrastructure. Diana can be reached at diana.alarcon@nashville.gov.

Waterloo, Ontario – eleven-x®, a leader in smart parking and curbside management solutions, announced a smart parking initiative with the City of Virginia Beach, VA which is designed to improve the parking experience for drivers while helping parking managers understand how their parking is being used. With the recent launch of the eXactpark™ solution, the city has begun collecting data from more than 1,000 parking spaces located within their new Oceanfront parking garage. The goal of the project is to better understand parking behavior to improve the overall parking experience for the city’s 450,000 residents and over fourteen million annual visitors. The initiative is focused on serving drivers in a busy area located between the city’s ocean front Boardwalk and the Virginia Beach Convention Center which includes restaurants, retail businesses and accommodations for residents and visitors. Real-time data collected through the eXactpark solution will enable the implementation of digital displays and the eXactnav™ app (iOS, Android), to help drivers quickly locate available spaces in the garage, saving time and reducing the search for available parking. The City of Virginia Beach expects the project to deliver multiple benefits, including: Improved Traffic Flow: Reduces congestion caused by drivers searching for parking, particularly during peak summer tourist months. Enhanced Visitor Experience: Helps visitors find spaces quickly, improving their experience and encouraging repeat visits. Economic Benefits: Optimizes existing parking infrastructure, boosting revenue, and supporting local businesses by providing convenient customer access. Environmental Impact: Lowers emissions from idling vehicles and supports the city’s sustainability goals. Data-Driven Decisions: Provides accurate, true occupancy data to generate actionable insights for planning, infrastructure investments, and resource allocation. Support for Smart City Initiatives: Demonstrates the city’s commitment to leveraging innovative solutions that enhance residents’ quality of life. City officials are already seeing the value of the solution. “The data we’ve begun collecting through eXactpark is revealing important trends in how and when spaces within the garage are being used,” said Casi Hansford, Parking Operations Supervisor at the City of Virginia Beach. “The benefits of this solution are already helping us in many ways including reducing congestion due to searching and providing valuable analytics and insights which will help in terms of planning for future infrastructure, all while improving the day-to-day experience for residents and visitors.” “Virginia Beach is one of the most vibrant coastal cities in the U.S., and we’re proud to help deliver a modern parking experience that reduces congestion, supports local businesses, and advances their smart city goals,” said Dan Mathers, CEO, eleven-x. “With eXactpark, the city is setting a benchmark for how parking technology and data-driven solutions can create meaningful improvements for residents, visitors, and the community as a whole.” The city was able to streamline procurement of eXactpark™ through Sourcewell, which empowers public agencies with cooperative contracts, expertise, and resources to meet evolving community needs. As the second eXactpark deployment of its kind in the state, building on the pioneering program in Arlington County, the project highlights the state’s continued leadership in adopting innovative mobility solutions that enhance quality of life and support long-term growth. About eleven-x Inc.® eleven-x is a leader in smart parking and curbside management solutions, helping organizations improve the efficiency, safety, and accessibility of their parking operations. The company’s award-winning eXactpark™ solution delivers real-time, 24/7 stall occupancy data, enabling cities, airports, campuses, and parking managers to gain a comprehensive, data-driven understanding of their parking assets. With eXactpark, organizations can streamline curbside management, improve compliance, implement demand-based pricing and enhance the overall parking experience. The solution also supports real-time parking guidance through eleven-x’s eXactnav™ app and integrates seamlessly with third-party systems, helping drivers quickly locate available spaces, reduce congestion, and optimize mobility. Fully scalable, eXactpark empowers communities to balance parking and space utilization in any parking environment to help address evolving transportation challenges and improve quality of life. For more information, visit eleven-x.com and follow eleven-x on X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Every legislative cycle brings forward new ideas about how cities should manage parking, mobility, and the public realm. Most proposals are well-intentioned. Some even sound appealing at first glance. But every so often, a bill emerges that deserves the parking industry’s full attention because its implications reach far beyond the curb. Florida’s House Bill 323 is one of those bills. On the surface, HB 323 appears consumer-friendly: refunding unused parking time, extending grace periods before enforcement, and prohibiting certain uses of public property for paid parking. But underneath that simple narrative lies a much more complex reality that affects revenue stability, technology systems, curb management, university operations, and long-standing public and private partnerships. And this is not the first time we have seen an idea like this circulate. A few years ago, a similar concept surfaced in Iowa that proposed refunds for unused parking time or the ability for leftover minutes to automatically transfer to the next vehicle using the same space. The idea resonated with the public but unraveled quickly once cities, universities, and parking professionals explained the operational and fiscal consequences. The bill ultimately died before advancing. The lesson was clear:  Parking policy may seem simple from the outside, but the operational ecosystem behind it is anything but. In Iowa, the proposal collided with the realities of modern parking systems such as pay-by-plate technologies, LPR enforcement, turnover management, and the financial responsibilities that support local services. Refund mandates and time-transfer requirements introduced accounting complications, revenue instability, and enforcement challenges that could not be resolved with current infrastructure. The industry spoke up, and policymakers listened. Florida now faces a similar moment of decision, and the stakes are even higher. HB 323 extends beyond refunds and leftover minutes. It introduces statewide enforcement delays and eliminates many forms of public and private collaboration on public property. These collaborations support downtowns, campuses, tourism districts, and event venues across the state. The national parking community should care deeply about these conversations, even if the legislation is not in your state. What happens in one large state sets precedent for others. Bills spread. Ideas resurface. Once policy narratives take hold without industry input, they are difficult to unwind. This is the moment for parking and mobility professionals to engage rather than react. We are the practitioners who understand how these systems actually function.  We are the ones who see the downstream effects on safety, turnover, economic development, and municipal budgeting.  We are the ones who bridge technology, compliance, public expectation, and financial stewardship every day. If we want better policy outcomes, we must be part of shaping the conversation early. So here is the call to action: Stay informed. Track legislation in your state that touches the curb, parking enforcement, or public and private partnerships. Educate policymakers. Many lawmakers simply do not understand how operationally complex parking systems are, and they should not be expected to without our help. Share lessons learned. Iowa’s experience matters. Florida’s debate matters. Each gives us insight into how to frame the discussion constructively. Advocate proactively. Reach out before decisions are made. Once a narrative is set, it is far harder to change. Parking is not a passive industry. It shapes how cities move, grow, and thrive. Legislation that affects parking ultimately affects communities. Whether or not HB 323 passes, the conversation it sparks is an opportunity for our industry to show up, share expertise, and ensure that future policies strengthen mobility rather than disrupt it. Now is the time to engage. Brooke Krieger is a Regional Sales Director for Arrive. Brooke can be reached at brooke.krieger@arrive.com.