Parking Facilities

Airport parking used to be a frantic race against the clock—circling crowded garages, forgetting where you parked, and facing long queues at the exit. Now, automated parking technology is finally bringing the convenience of the digital age to the tarmac, transforming the travel experience from the moment you arrive. Modern airports are embracing smart systems that replace traditional chaos with seamless efficiency. These solutions range from sophisticated parking guidance systems, which use sensors and LED lights to direct drivers instantly to open parking spaces, to fully robotic parking garages. In the latter, you simply drop your car in a terminal, and mechanical shuttles whisk it away and stack it compactly. The benefits are numerous. For travelers, it means dramatically reduced parking times, less stress, and the ability to pre-book and pay entirely via mobile app. For airports, automation maximizes space utilization, reduces congestion and vehicle emissions from idling cars, and enhances security through License Plate Recognition (LPR) and constant monitoring. Automated parking isn't just a luxury—it’s a necessary step toward building the streamlined, sustainable airport of the future. Vincent Thomas, MSM, PTMP, is the Vice President, Aviation North for Reimagined Parking, Inc. Vincent can be reached at vincent.thomas@reimaginedparking.com.

In The Shoup Doctrine: Essays Celebrating Donald Shoup and Parking Reforms, edited by Daniel Baldwin Hess, 37 city planners, economists, journalists, and parking professionals analyze three major parking reforms proposed by Donald Shoup, a Distinguished Research Professor of Urban Planning at UCLA.

Carlsbad, CA — Zevtron, a leading developer of hardware-agnostic, white-label EV charging and parking technology, announced LumaCharge, a transformative advancement in EV infrastructure design. The groundbreaking system deploys EV chargers using existing parking lot and parking structure lighting circuits, eliminating the need to install costly new EV infrastructure and offering considerable savings. The system, enabled by Zevtron’s patented USEV Smart Pedestal with built-in breakers, meets all applicable electrical code requirements. For years, the cost and complexity of installing new electrical infrastructure have been the biggest barriers to EV charging deployment. LumaCharge changes that. By safely drawing power from lighting circuits that now have significant spare capacity due to facility conversions from traditional lighting to high-efficiency LED fixtures, parking owners can install EV charging at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. “Across the country we see the same pattern: facilities upgraded to LED lighting now have substantial unused electrical capacity sitting in the lighting circuits,” said Bob Andrews, CEO of Zevtron. “Zevtron’s USEV patented Smart Pedestal is purpose-built to utilize that spare power safely and effectively, and the result is often 40–60% lower installation cost with dramatically faster deployment timelines.” At the heart of this breakthrough is Zevtron’s patented USEV Smart Pedestal, which includes an integrated, code-compliant breaker assembly. This means each pedestal can be connected directly to a lighting circuit without requiring a new dedicated breaker in the electrical room. The pedestal functions as a self-contained, stand-alone protective device, ensuring safe operation on circuits that were never originally designed for EV charging, yet now have ample capacity thanks to modern LED loads. A full energy analysis of the lighting circuit is required to determine compatibility, available capacity, and in turn, the number and size of chargers that can be deployed. “Nothing else in the market works like this,” said Chris McKenty, SVP of Sales & Marketing at Zevtron. “The pedestal’s built-in breaker gives owners the ability to deploy chargers almost anywhere lighting exists, while still meeting all safety and electrical-code requirements. It allows us to turn lighting infrastructure into EV infrastructure, simply and intelligently.” -more- Zevtron LumaCharge press release Because lighting circuits typically run to every row or group of stalls, lighting-fed charging is especially effective facilities offering long-stay or day rate parking, including, airport lots and structures, corporate campuses, municipal parking structures, university facilities, hotels, and event venues. These locations see vehicles parked for extended durations, making them perfect for steady, lower-power charging sourced from existing circuit capacity. Zevtron’s USEV Smart Pedestal allows each charger to be isolated, serviced, or swapped without affecting other chargers on the circuit, another differentiator that reduces downtime, reduces maintenance costs, and enables large-scale deployments without operational disruption. Zevtron LumaCharge is fully compatible with Zevtron’s OCPP/OCPI-compliant software platform, which fully supports: • Dynamic pricing • Driver authentication • Load balancing • PCI-compliant payment processing • Integration with parking access control and LPR systems “Our goal is to remove the infrastructure barrier,” Andrews added. “By using lighting circuits that already exist and by engineering a pedestal that eliminates the need for additional breakers, we’ve created a future-ready charging ecosystem that is cost-effective, scalable, and installation-friendly for any parking operator.” About Zevtron Zevtron is a leading national EV software and hardware provider based in Carlsbad, California. The company’s products and services are designed to provide flexibility, manageability, and profitability to building owners, institutions, and parking owners who offer EV charging. Zevtron is the only leading EV provider to integrate its technology with leading parking access and revenue control equipment for easy and convenient EV charging management, and its hardware agnostic software platform allows owners to keep 100% of EV charging revenues. Zevtron can be found online at http://zevton.com/.

Georgetown, Texas’ Downtown Transformation

Vancouver, Canada – PayByPhone, a global leader in mobile parking payments, has signed a strategic global partnership agreement with Designa, a global leader in fully automated parking systems for more than 70 years. The agreement aims to provide PayByPhone users a frictionless entry and exit at off-street gated garages – including airports, hotels, shopping centers and hospitals – thanks to integration with Designa‘s intelligent parking management solutions delivered through PayByPhone’s AutoPay function. Anthony Cashel, Chief Operating Officer, PayByPhone, says, “This strategic partnership with a global market leader like Designa further cements not only our commitment to simplify our users’ journeys but also continues to expand significantly our global influence and scope in gated off-street parking. Today we are delivering a truly frictionless, integrated experience for our drivers that is backed by intelligent, connected solutions.” Christian Grzona, Chief Digital Officer, Designa, says, “"This partnership reflects Designa's commitment to delivering integrated solutions that simplify everyday life for parking operators. With the connection of PayByPhone's parking use-cases to Designa PARKETPLACE® we enable our customer base to unlock the massive potential from the PayByPhone user base for their parking asset and digitalize more parking transactions." The first city to benefit from the partnership between PayByPhone and Designa is Nuremberg, Germany. Other locations across Germany, Austria and then North America, France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom will follow. To use AutoPay, drivers simply opt-in in the PayByPhone app before starting their journey. Once activated, they can enter and exit participating garages without taking a ticket, visiting pay stations, or even opening the app.  To learn more about PayByPhone, visit www.paybyphone.com. Follow PayByPhone on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. ABOUT PAYBYPHONE PayByPhone is a global leader in mobile parking payments. We simplify the journeys for millions of people through our smart, intuitive mobile payment technology and exciting features. We work with over 1,300 cities and operators across the UK, North America, France, Germany, and Switzerland. More than 110 million drivers worldwide have downloaded the PayByPhone app to simplify their parking and vehicle payments to date. To discover how our products and services can elevate your driving experience, please visit www.paybyphone.com PayByPhone. We simplify your journey, so you can focus on what matters most. ABOUT DESIGNA Designa has been a global leader in fully automated parking systems for more than 70 years. With over 600 employees in more than 60 countries, we develop intelligent parking management solutions that meet the highest standards every day. Our tailor‑made systems adapt flexibly and precisely to individual requirements — whether for airports, hotels, shopping centers, hospitals, or entire cities. For further details on how our solutions can enhance your parking operations and how we are shaping the future of parking, please visit designa.com. Press contact: Celine Borsberry Communications Consultant Indaba celine@weareindaba.com  (+44) 207 692 4964

Survision, a global leader in Vehicle Recognition technology, is pleased to announce its latest integration with SpotHero, a leading digital  reservation service that lets you find and reserve hourly, monthly, airport, and event parking at thousands of lots and garages across North America. This strategic software integration empowers parking operators to seamlessly enforce paid parking policies, improving efficiency, compliance, and the overall parking experience. Through this collaboration, parking operators leveraging SpotHero’s system can now automatically validate payments and enforce violations in real time using Survision’s PlatEnforce solution. This innovation reduces the need for manual enforcement, enhances accuracy, and ensures smoother operations for both parking managers and their customers. “The integration between Survision’s PLATENFORCE solution and SpotHero provides a seamless experience for customers by enabling vehicle verification directly through Mobile LPR. This integration enables vehicle verification directly through Mobile LPR, making the check-in process much faster, and efficient for both operators and drivers.”  - Laura Caillot, Managing Director of Survision Benefits for Parking Operators and Drivers Vehicle recognition capabilities provided by Survision LPR-based Vehicle Recognition is a powerful set of accurate data that boosts the reservation process by: Automating Enforcement: Real-time validation of parking payments eliminates errors and reduces reliance on manual checks. Improving Compliance: Reliable enforcement ensures that parking rules and paid sessions are properly followed. Increasing Operational Efficiency: Automation saves time and resources, enabling staff to focus on higher-value tasks. Enhancing User Experience: Drivers benefit from a seamless and accurate system that minimizes disputes and improves trust. Availability This is happening now! Survision Powered SpotHero App is live and available to all operators. For more information on how this integration can benefit your parking operation, visit survisiongroup.com/platenforce and http://spothero.com/.

To build or not to build a parking deck? Or is the real question, do perspectives need to shift? It’s easy to say, “Build a deck! This will solve all of our parking problems!” and many times, this is the solution that frustrated students give. The question of building a parking deck has come up at our university many times over the years. I have a stack of plans that never came to fruition that I inherited. The last attempt to build a deck was in the spring of 2020. We were in the process of awarding the bid when campus closed due to COVID-19. Financial concerns and enrollment uncertainty scraped those plans, but the question of whether we will build a parking deck continues to come up. We recently received this question from our student senate in a transportation advisory committee meeting. Our university is a suburban campus with a robust public transportation option as well as ample parking on the perimeter of campus and in remote lots. We have plenty of parking spaces for everyone; we just don’t have everyone’s ideal parking area. Parking in these areas requires people to take another method of transportation, whether it’s biking, walking or taking public transportation to reach their destination. This requires a shift in perspective for many people that are not familiar with public transportation or are used to parking close to where they need to be. We explained to the student senate the costs associated with parking decks and how that would directly impact permit prices. We also explained that there is ample parking, so justifying the cost of building a deck and in turn raising permit prices is counterproductive and not fiscally responsible.

New York, NY  — Bendheim, a global leader in specialty and sustainable architectural glass solutions, announced the introduction of  GripGlaze™, a groundbreaking low-profile glass compression clip system that expedites and simplifies the canopy installation process. Specifically engineered to elevate aesthetics and simplify canopy installations, the innovative new clip system requires no special tools to lock in large, expansive glass panels. Without any need for notches or holes, Bendheim’s no-drill canopy glass system is non-penetrating, with clips mounting directly to the steel structure. “This technology is perfect for parking facilities and other mobility infrastructure,” said Said Elieh, Bendheim’s Vice President of Innovation. “Canopies are important design features for parking structures, ride share waiting areas, and pick-up and drop-off areas at airports, transit, and other transportation hubs where users often need protection from the elements. This groundbreaking technology dramatically lowers the cost of building protective canopies, while also reducing the amount of time required to build them.” A breakthrough in design and performance, GripGlaze™ is precise, secure, and fully tested — and installs in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional glazing methods. Up until now, when working on canopy projects, glaziers often have to operate with incomplete or missing specifications. In order to fulfill the job, they have to develop their own approaches, which leads to confusion and inconsistency, and affects a project’s aesthetics and pricing. Drastically reducing installation efforts and expenses, GripGlaze™  is set to replace traditional canopy installation methods, such as spider fittings, glass stand-offs, and point-supported systems. For more information about GripGlaze™, please visit https://bendheim.com/system_product/gripglaze-canopy-system/ About Bendheim Bendheim is one of the world’s foremost resources for specialty architectural glass. Founded in New York City in 1927, the family-owned company offers a virtually unlimited range of customizable glass solutions for interior and exterior building applications. Through its commitment to Building a Clear Future, Bendheim is actively engaged in promoting sustainable practices in architecture and design. Bendheim develops, fabricates, and distributes its products worldwide. The company maintains production facilities in New Jersey and a design lab in New York City. For additional information, please visit Bendheim.com. PRESS CONTACT: Bill Smith Smith Phillips Strategic Communications (603) 491-4280 bsmith@smith-phillips.com

I always knew there was an undercurrent of politics when it came to parking, but until I had to manage those politics I was pretty far removed from it. I’m still learning how to navigate this in my newer role and I’ve had to put my own agenda and thoughts on parking aside. It seems to be a constant battle to get everyone on the same page regarding how parking is run efficiently and for the good of everyone. Why is parking such an afterthought when that is the very first interaction or introduction to a space, place or event? Why do people believe that they shouldn’t have to pay for parking when there is a cost to have parking available, safe and accessible? Why do some feel that their event is more important than the student trying to get to class on time when we exist as an institution to educate students? Education is key when it has come to parking, but with a new class of students every year and turnover in leadership among our staff and student representatives this has proved to be a challenge to reach everyone and maintain consistency. I once was in a training, and someone mentioned that we, as parking professionals, are the biggest advocates for others. I’ve never found this to be more true since I stepped into my current role. Whether it’s the person that doesn’t qualify for accessibility accommodations according to their doctor but is not capable of using stairs or maneuvering inclines or bumping students to the perimeter of campus to accommodate construction. I will continue to advocate, share my knowledge about parking and hope that I am heard, but man some days are harder than others when it comes to navigating the politics of parking. Meredith Garrett, CAPP, is the Assistant Director of Public Safety, Parking & Transit Services for Kent State University. Meredith can be reached at mgarre12@kent.edu.

Like so many others in the industry, my parking career began as a backup option. Having worked as a part-time supervisor while an undergraduate with Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation, followed by a stint with Raleigh NC Parks & Recreation after graduating with a degree in geography, I felt ready to take on any Park Management or Planner position in the southeast or mid-Atlantic. But the opportunity didn’t surface, and the monthly student loan payment couldn’t pay itself, so I took a parking facility management position with a private operator. That holiday season as a newly employed manager in the workforce I recall connecting with a college friend at a holiday party and seeing the confusion on his face when I mentioned the original goal of working in Parks & Rec yet embracing the opportunity in Parking. His response? “One is fun, one is not. So how long do you plan to stick around?” Down the road a few years later in a different parking role and city, I reflected on my work experience while also envisioning career growth and whether the Parks & Rec field remained a goal. I had a conversation with my previous supervisor in this role and she provided memorable input, to this effect of “parking may not be glamorous however there’s room for advancement and opportunities to be creative in this industry, and if you put in the time and dedication you will carve a serious niche”. Then I reflected on the parallels with Parks & serving the public and maintaining customer satisfaction, keeping facilities pristine, managing spaces, and partnering with other departments/organizations, among others. Do I regret my decision to remain in parking? Most days, no. I’ll also take dealing with periodic frustrated parkers over the daily animated skateboarding and dog park patrons any day of the week! Zach Pearce, PTMP, is an Associate Director of Operations for Old Dominion University. Zach can be reached at zpearce@odu.edu.

When you think of the largest buildings in any city, your mind probably goes to soaring skyscrapers, massive stadiums, or sprawling airports. But in Wisconsin, the largest building by square footage isn’t a tower or arena—it’s actually the Parking Garage at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. This six-story, 8,000-space post-tensioned (P/T) structure was built in three phases. The Red Section, closest to the terminal, was originally constructed in 1977. A 1989 expansion, known as the Blue Section, added 126,000 square feet per floor along the western edge, and a 2002 expansion, the Yellow Section, extended the garage along the northern side, adding another 209,000 square feet per floor. Altogether, the garage covers more than 3.5 million square feet, making it the largest building—by square footage—in the entire state of Wisconsin. For comparison: U.S Bank Center (Milwaukee): Tallest building in Wisconsin – 42 stories, 1,077,607 sq ft Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons (Milwaukee): 32 stories, 1,100,00 sq ft Clinical Services Center at University of Wisconsin-Madison: 1,897,439 sq ft Lambeau Field (Green Bay): 1,900,000 sq ft During these expansions, a total of six elevators were added: two in the 1989 section and four more in the 2002 expansion. The 2002 project also introduced an enclosed pedestrian skywalk on the third level, featuring two sets of moving walkways. This climate-controlled corridor connects the garage to the terminal, offering comfort and convenience for travelers during Wisconsin’s hot summers and frigid winters. For most of the year—aside from peak travel periods like Spring Break—this massive structure has ample capacity to accommodate nearly all travelers who choose to park there. So next time you’re planning to park at MKE, choose the garage and take a moment to look around and appreciate the sheer scale of this remarkable facility. You can proudly say, “I’m standing in the largest building in Wisconsin!” Vincent Campagna, PTMP, is a Manager, Parking & Ground Transportation for Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. Vincent can be reached at vcampagna@mitchellairport.com.

How Parking Guidance Tech is Saving Sanity in the Return-to-Work Era