Parking Facilities

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Flowbird Partners with Risetek to Enhance Parking Management at Ridge Hill, Yonkers, NY
Data Digital Parking Tech IPMI & Member News Parking Facilities Technology Vendors/Products

Flowbird Partners with Risetek to Enhance Parking Management at Ridge Hill, Yonkers, NY

Yonkers, NY — Flowbird, the leader in curbside and off-street mobility solutions, is proud to announce its collaboration with Risetek Global, an industry leader in cutting-edge technology integration, to deploy its advanced parking access and revenue control (PARCS) technology at the Ridge Hill shopping center in Yonkers, New York. Located in Westchester County, just 18 miles from Manhattan, Ridge Hill is a modern town square that blends shopping, dining, entertainment, and outdoor spaces. Ridge Hill provides a vibrant community hub with over 60 shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. To enhance the customer experience and streamline parking operations, Flowbird has integrated 15 of its ‘Flowbird GO’ Off-Street devices, along with Risetek’s cutting-edge License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras across the center’s three parking facilities: Market Street Garage, Archer Garage, and North Otis Garage. Flowbird’s Off-Street devices have fully configurable touch-screen interfaces, dynamic user management capabilities, and LED signals to communicate real-time parking availability. These features are designed to improve the efficiency of parking operations, reduce costs, and deliver a more seamless experience for visitors. Combined with Risetek’s LPR cameras, which use artificial intelligence to capture and record license plate numbers, this solution enhances security, enforces parking regulations, and ensures parking spaces are used efficiently. “Utilizing both companies’ cutting-edge smart parking technology solutions makes perfect sense for clients who require a hybrid frictionless environment,” said Garrett Hofeld, Vice President of Risetek. By integrating Flowbird’s expertise in parking management with Risetek’s AI-powered LPR technology, the two companies are helping to create a more innovative, sustainable parking environment at Ridge Hill. This collaboration aims to optimize parking operations, improve security, and deliver a user-centric experience for shoppers and visitors alike. The enhanced PARCS solution is part of Flowbird’s ongoing commitment to providing innovative, cloud-based solutions that make urban environments more efficient, user-friendly, and connected.

drawing of cell tower communicating with parking spaces for electric charging
Digital Parking Tech Magazine Parking Facilities Technology

Next-Level Connectivity

An interview with Stephen Kowal of Nextivity

Frogparking Unveils World-First Customized Parking Guidance System at Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport
IPMI & Member News Parking Facilities Technology Vendors/Products

Frogparking Unveils World-First Customized Parking Guidance System at Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport

Frogparking is proud to announce the successful installation of a world-first, customized parking guidance system at the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC). This pioneering system, designed specifically to meet the unique needs of the airport, is set to transform the parking experience for travelers. The Rochester Airport installation includes 1,323 parking spaces equipped with parking guidance technology and an integrated dynamic wayfinding signage package. This advanced system will assist the airport in efficiently guiding drivers to available spaces within its multi-level parking structures, which has been strategically divided into three sections. The implementation of this technology promises to deliver all the standard benefits of a guidance and wayfinding package, including improved utilization, reduced time to park, and decreased cruising within the structure. Responding to the airport's specific safety concerns, Frogparking engineered a unique form factor for its parking guidance system. To mitigate the risks posed by large bird populations nesting on flat surfaces - a significant hazard to aircraft - the system was redesigned to minimize potential nesting sites. Frogparking’s innovative solution positions the LiDAR sensor flush with the soffit and replaces the standard indicator with a sleek LED rope housed within a tube beneath the sensor assembly. This design not only ensures safety but also enhances the overall parking experience for travelers. “We are thrilled to have partnered with Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport to deliver this world-first parking guidance design,” said Shareena Sandbrook, CEO of Frogparking. “Our customized parking guidance system not only enhances the parking experience but also addresses critical safety concerns, demonstrating our commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction.” The installation at Rochester Airport marks another milestone in Frogparking's mission to revolutionize parking management through cutting-edge technology and tailored solutions. About Frogparking Frogparking is a leading provider of smart parking solutions, offering innovative technology designed to optimize parking management for cities, airports, universities, and businesses worldwide. With a focus on enhancing user experience and maximizing efficiency, Frogparking's systems are at the forefront of the parking industry.

Hurricane Irma Strikes United States
Community IPMI Blog Municipal/Cities Parking Facilities

Hurricane Disaster Prep

As many of you all know the City of Charleston, South Carolina is a coastal city.  Hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th.  Hurricane season can provide many challenges for Charleston County.  Parking Operations is a division under the Facilities Department, all parking employees are required to assist in preparation and recovery after a storm.  In addition, we have employees that assist the Emergency Operations Center with the Citizen Information Line. We have three different operating levels at Charleston County- Opcon 1 – Normal Daily Operations Opcon 2 – Enhanced Awareness Opcon 3 – Full Alert At each Opcon Level, the Parking Division is required to take certain action.  This includes securing signage and trash cans, installing flood panels, parking gate removal, securing pay machines, sandbagging, system backups, drain cleaning, shutting down elevators etc.  In addition, as storms approach, City of Charleston and the County of Charleston offer free parking within the garages for residents and visitors during storms.  Parking is limited to cars only.  As everyone knows people don’t always follow the rules, we’ve had boats, grills, golf carts, trailers, everything but the kitchen sink.  Cars must be out of the garages on specific days and times, if not customers will pay the prevailing rate after the day and time has passed.  From a customer service aspect, we do take into consideration people that evacuated and cannot get back in time to remove their car as to whether to require payment.  This is conducted on a case-by-case basis. Paul Whetzel, CAPP is the Parking Operations Manager for the County of Charleston, SC. Paul can be reached at PWhetzel@charlestoncounty.org.

EV Charging Station
Electric Vehicles IPMI Blog Parking Facilities Parking Lots

EV Charging Stations

EV’s and EV charging stations have been a popular topic of conversation within the parking industry over the course of the last four to five years. That conversation intensified following COVID as Cities and States across the Country felt a migration of folks moving from west coast and northeastern regions where EV’s have shown to be more popular into cities that have been slower to make the switch. States such as Florida and Georgia which had an influx of folks move in post pandemic had to make the switch to help better serve the needs of folks with EV’s at residential buildings and retail parking areas. So how do we balance offering preferred parking spaces to EV owners while at the same time not pushing members of our community that have had access to preferred spaces for years to the side? Offering incentives to those that have decided to “go green” will certainly help a facility obtain a park smart certification but will also cause some pushback from long term members of the community. Newer multifamily parking facilities will push us to install charging stations while at the same time not offering this as a free service, charging the consumer per KW. That certainly helps the developers cover building cost but may also keep stake holders at bay knowing that the option is there but it does not mean we are catering to EV owners. Elvis Reyes, CAPP, is the General Manager for The Car Park. Elvis can be reached at ereyes@thecarpark.com.

Rendering of parking spaces
Events Parking Facilities Parking Lots Technology

A Decade of Parking Technology: Predictions, Progress, and Future Needs

This session will take a retrospective look at the evolution of parking technology by revisiting our past Technology Committee presentations, exploring how various parking technologies were developed, identifying the catalysts that facilitated their adoption, and the barriers that hindered others.

Homelessness in front of parking meters
Events Municipal/Cities Parking Facilities Parking Lots

Homelessness: Not Just a Housing Problem

This session will examine tactics that can be implemented in parking, mobility, and transportation management to address the effects of the homeless crisis on parking operations.

Propark Mobility logo - Propark Mobility Expands West Coast Footprint with Acquisition of Drive Hospitality
IPMI & Member News Parking Facilities Parking Lots Technology Vendors/Products

Propark Mobility Expands West Coast Footprint with Acquisition of Drive Hospitality

Hartford, CT - Propark Mobility announced today that the company has acquired Drive Hospitality, a premier parking management company based in Los Angeles. “Drive Hospitality has earned a strong reputation for delivering customized parking solutions that elevate operations,” said David Schmid, CEO of Propark. “Together, Propark and Drive Hospitality are committed to advancing service standards, building authentic partnerships, and innovating for the future. We are excited to join forces to continue providing outstanding results for our clients and customers.” Since its founding, Drive Hospitality has been dedicated to creating customized solutions that reflect the unique needs of each property it serves. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services, including valet parking, concierge and bell services, parking management, and technology integration, all designed to enhance the guest experience. Drive Hospitality's emphasis on personalized service has positioned it as a trusted partner across diverse industries, from hospitality and commercial to residential and events. “Partnering with Propark offers an incredible opportunity for Drive Hospitality to continue pushing the boundaries of operational excellence for our clients,” said Carlos Alcalá, founder and CEO of Drive Hospitality. “Our focus has always been on tailored solutions and exceeding expectations, and with Propark’s support and shared values, we are confident that we will grow while enhancing the services we provide to our clients.” “This partnership with Propark enhances our ability to deliver the exceptional care that defines Drive Hospitality while leveraging Propark’s extensive network and expertise,” said Bechara Imad, Executive Managing Director and Partner of Drive Hospitality. “By combining our innovative approach to branding and hospitality service with Propark’s industry leadership, together, we’re creating a culture of quality and innovation that brings unparalleled value to the properties we serve, setting a powerful foundation for future growth.” This acquisition is the latest in Propark Mobility’s ongoing expansion in recent years, which includes the acquisition of several regional parking and mobility providers across the United States, including Monument Parking and Atlantic Parking in Washington, D.C.; Sovereign Services in Houston; Pilgrim Parking in Boston; Imperial Parking Industries, Inc., in Los Angeles; California Parking in San Francisco; and Southern Valet & Transportation in South Carolina. To learn more about Propark’s acquisition process, visit www.propark.com/acquisitions. About Propark Mobility Propark Mobility is a national, innovation-driven parking management company that provides full-service parking and mobility services for over 1,000 hospitality, healthcare, commercial, and off-airport locations in over 140 cities across the United States. For more information, please visit www.propark.com. This free, comprehensive resource is designed to equip parking operators with the strategies, tools, and best practices needed to streamline event parking operations, boost revenue, and enhance the overall parking experience. The Event Parking Playbook is packed with actionable insights, step-by-step guides, and expert advice on everything from pre-event planning to post-event follow-ups. Whether you're managing parking for a concert, sports event, or festival, this playbook provides operators with the knowledge to optimize traffic flow, implement digitized access and payments, and deliver exceptional customer service. “We understand how critical parking is to the overall event experience,” said Chirag Jain, CEO at Get My Parking. “Our Event Parking Playbook was developed to help parking operators deliver seamless, stress-free experiences for attendees while maximizing revenue and operational efficiency.” Key highlights of the playbook include: Expert Planning Guides: Step-by-step instructions for managing parking logistics before, during, and after the event. Industry Insights: Deep-dive interviews with experts, from industry veterans like Parkwell to the mastermind behind our home-grown event parking platform. Digitization Strategies: Tips on implementing smart parking solutions, including digital passes and app-based payments. Revenue Optimization: Proven techniques to maximize revenue through dynamic pricing, enhanced customer communication, and streamlined operations. Customer Experience: Best practices for improving the parking experience for attendees, ensuring a smooth entry and exit. The Event Parking Playbook caters to parking operators of all sizes, from those new to the industry to seasoned professionals. Download the Event Parking Playbook today. About Get My Parking Founded in 2015, Get My Parking is an award-winning startup that has grown to a team of 100+ members across five continents. GMP provides essential technology to parking operators – ticketless AI-PARCS, white-label parking apps, an IoT gate kit to retrofit old parking gates for modern capabilities, and an interoperable cloud platform that enables centralized and digital operations across a network of parking facilities. GMP spearheads new trends like AI-powered license plate matching, EV charging,  and shared mobility hubs on parking-related real estate with Plug-N-Play API integrations. GMP’s solutions have been deployed across 3,500 locations worldwide, enabling millions of parkers every month. Would you like to be a part of our next playbook? Share your insights with the industry! Reach out to us at teammarketing@getmyparking.com to be a part of our next parking playbook.

Stock photo of Hospitality and Parking, car share to work
IPMI Blog Parking Facilities Parking Lots

Hospitality and Parking

The service industry is made up of multiple areas that all should have a common goal in common. Providing the best service possible to consumers that will leave them with a memorable experience and will leave them thinking how and when they can return to relive that experience. When we think of hospitality the first thought that comes to mind is hotels, entertainment venues and restaurants. All these also share one major factor that affects almost every single City in the world. Parking. We as parking professionals serve as the first and last experience a consumer has when they visit these types of locations. Providing a hospitable and welcoming experience is key to ensuring a guest experience gets off on the right foot. I was once asked if an individual with a hospitality degree and years of experience in the hotel industry can successfully transition into the parking industry? My answer to that question was an emphatic yes. It’s experiences that tailors an individual to offer a warm welcome with the ability to lead with yes. All the attributes that every parking professional should have in my opinion. Forbes training standards are an excellent resource for our industry leaders to promote with front line staff and operations teams on this topic. Elvis Reyes, CAPP, is the General Manager for The Car Park. Elvis can be reached at ereyes@thecarpark.com. With electric vehicles come batteries - lots and lots of batteries. Research and development have been able to extend the life of these batteries, but ultimately these storage devices will continue to have a limited useful life for the foreseeable future. How many batteries are we talking about? An article in Pocket predicts "12M tons of lithium-ion batteries are expected to retire between now and 2030." What can be done with this tsunami of batteries that are past their initial useful life? The most predictable answer is recycling. However, there is another school of thought proposing that a second life as storage cells may actually be the better answer for society and for the environment. It would be interesting to see some of these batteries resurrected to store solar energy in meters or charging stations at the curb, in lots, or in parking decks. From an initial life in mobility to a second life in parking, it is an innovative idea worth considering. Leslie L. Stone, CAPP is the Director of Customer Success for WeDriveU. Leslie can be reached at leslie.stone@wedriveu.com.

Bethlehem Parking Authority logo - BPA Announces Retail Tenant
Community IPMI & Member News Municipal/Cities Parking Facilities Sustainability

Bethlehem Parking Authority Announces Retail Tenant

New Walnut Street Garage Welcomes CAT-Coalition for Appropriate Transportation as a Future Tenant

Zevtron logo - Zevtron Announces Partnership with Parking Concepts Inc.
Electric Vehicles IPMI & Member News Parking Facilities Vendors/Products

Zevtron Announces Partnership with Parking Concepts Inc.

Zevtron Announces Partnership with Parking Concepts Inc. (PCI) to Offer Breeze EV Charging Infrastructure

Smart parking vector illustration. Man user with smartphone touch screen control car driving to parking lot through internet connection of smart technology communication. Isometric cartoon flat design
Digital Parking Tech IPMI Blog Parking Facilities Parking Lots Technology

Should Parking Give More Ways to Pay to Park?

Here is the first question that needs to be answered: Who is your audience?  Are they visitors, commuters, students, downtown business owners and shoppers, or large companies. The more ways you provide for a parker to pay for your services the better customer service experience they will have?  Is the service I want to offer going to lead to confusion for my audience? If you add a feature or application to your current parking services will it be adopted and used frequently by your audience? Make sure that whatever service(s) you choose to adopt it will be received well by the audience you are providing these services for.  This would include pay on foot stations, parking meters, pay by phone application, and garage parking just to name a few. You need to know is your department’s financial goals. Is it to break even or to make money?  Make sure you understand your role, responsibility, and authority level when managing large revenues or changing the way you receive more revenue for your department.  Do your parking research. If you are signing a contract or buying equipment, you will need have involvement from purchasing and legal at the very beginning. There are a lot of items that get left out or over looked in a contract if you are not sure what to look for.   Research, research, research here are few guiding tools Ask as many questions with other parking professionals Demo the product for your others within your organization that will be effected if you add the service Visit a another parking operation that uses the product you are interested in Have the sales representative walk you through the customer’s experience, asked about maintenance, asked about any fees that are expected outside the contract. If you don’t ask the questions the right way (because you are not educated on the services enough) you won’t get the right answers you were seeking to make a good financial decision.  To be a good steward of the tax payer’s dollars, university dollars, airport dollars, you need to do your research!  Be prepared, be honest about what you don’t know and seek to understand all facts to make sure that you are improving the customer’s experience and meeting your financial goals! Michelle L. Wahl, CAPP, is the Parking Services Director for the City of Bloomington, IN. Michelle can be reached at michelle.wahl@bloomington.in.gov.