Technology

The National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) and International Parking & Mobility Institute (IPMI) are joining forces to educate our respective members and communities on the latest research and technology impacting freight parking issues on the highway and at the curb.  This free webinar is open to all interested industry professionals. 

California’s Vehicle Code, which sets the rules for driving and stopping vehicles throughout the state, has tens of thousands of sections. Not surprisingly, some of those sections are relics of the time they were adopted, and do not reflect the evolution—or even allow the use—of new technologies. One example is Section 22508(e).  Until December 31, 2024, this section required cities to use physical parking meters or pay stations if they wanted to charge for on-street parking.  Thanks to SB 532, sponsored by State Senator Scott Wiener, three cities (Santa Monica, Long Beach, and San Francisco) may now pilot paid parking without a physical meter or pay station.  https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB532.  In the last few years, mobile and online payment have exploded for products from coffee to concert tickets to car insurance.  More than 16% of all retail products are purchased online today, an increase from around 7% ten years ago.  https://ycharts.com/indicators/us_ecommerce_sales_as_percent_retail_sales. And according to a November 2024 report from the Pew Research Center: “The vast majority of Americans – 98% – now own a cellphone of some kind,” and 91% own a smart phone.  https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/.  SB 532 reflects the reality of how payments are made in 2025, and allows cities in California to keep up with the private sector—not to mention other cities around the country (like Doral, Florida and Columbus, Ohio) that offer mobile-only parking payment zones.  And it does all this while respecting California values, requiring an “Equitable and Accessible Parking Cash Payment Plan” to ensure non-mobile phone users have a way to pay with cash. Allowing cities to modernize their payment systems saves money on infrastructure purchase and maintenance.  Meters and pay stations are expensive to procure and keep in good working order, and can be targets for vandalism and fraud.  While meters and pay stations may ultimately prove to be an indispensable part of an equitable and robust on-street parking payment system, allowing cities to experiment with modern technology can only lead to improvements for customers and the public.  It will be fascinating to see how SB 532’s three pilot cities (and others that may be added) exercise this new opportunity.  And the answers will come sooner than we think: their pilot authority expires in 2033. Hank Willson is a Parking Policy Manager for the City and County of San Francisco, California (SFMTA). Hank can be reached at Hank.Willson@sfmta.com.  

Finding a parking space shouldn’t be a daily challenge. Yet drivers in urban areas waste countless hours circling for parking spots. This costs cities billions in emissions and lost productivity. About 30% of urban traffic comes from people searching for parking. This results in congestion, frustration, and noise and air pollution. Smart parking technologies and digital mapping are transforming this struggle into a seamless experience. For example, some IoT-enabled maps have directed drivers to open spaces and cut congestion by up to 40%. At UCLA, color-coded digital pathways streamlined foot traffic, reducing bottlenecks at entry gates. But it doesn’t stop there. Real-time parking sensors are now guiding drivers inside garages, making the process far less stressful. Admins have real-time insights, tracking traffic flow, monitoring dwell times, and space closures. For visitors, their journey starts at home. Smart parking technology and digital mapping gets them to their destination, eliminating the guesswork. Some wayfinding apps allow users to mark where they parked, helping them easily navigate back to their vehicle after an event, appointment, or meeting—eliminating common frustrations and saving time. Most facilities rely on disconnected systems. Newer platforms aim to unify these capabilities across kiosks, mobile apps, desktops, and web portals. Integration with tools like payment processors, databases, and ticketing systems helps ensure that parking, mobility, and visitor engagement work together as part of a smart, connected experience. The result? A smoother commute, faster parking, and a better experience for everyone. Join the Discussion How are you tackling parking chaos? Learn more by clicking here. Ally Spinu is the Vice President of Business Development for Vicinia.io. Ally can be reached at ally@vicinia.io.

The International Parking and Mobility Institute (IPMI) Conference is always a chance to spot what’s next in parking and mobility (and maybe a little of what’s not working yet). This year was Peter Richards' 5th year attending (and 1st since he founded Parkicity), and it delivered everything from live drone feeds at NFL stadiums to lessons on permit data pitfalls. Here are a few key takeaways from IPMI in Louisville. I've been saying it wrong all this time! Permits, Pilots, and Parking Near Stadiums On a tour near the Louisville City FC soccer stadium, we heard about a Residential Permit Parking (RPP) program that was launched - and then quickly shut down - because residents said they weren’t notified. But they were. The area, once home to a car junkyard, now hosts 2,200 gravel lot spaces and has big redevelopment plans for retail and apartments. But enforcement and event planning challenges remain. People park for free far from the stadium, and attempts at event programming (like concerts) have literally torn up the turf. It should also be noted that Louisville is a multi-vendor paid parking app, meaning visitors have the choice of their favourite app. Pick an app, any app From LPR to Insight: The Dirty Work Behind Clean Data A major thread at the conference was data and how to collect occupancy, 24/7 or periodically. One presentation highlighted the benefits but also the complexity of turning license plate recognition (LPR) and camera data into useful information. The raw feeds - LPR scans, citations, permits, payment transactions, even drone images need serious cleanup: Enforcement schedules can skew what’s captured Sensor coverage is patchy, especially beyond pay stations License plates need fuzzy matching (is that a Z or a 2?) Metadata like vehicle type or duration is often missing Privacy measures must anonymize plates before analysis One theme emerged: “Data should inform decisions, not lead them.” Cities need “before and after” metrics - occupancy, permits issued, citation volume, and compliance - to prove that a permit or pay program solves an actual problem. Hayes Valley’s “Pay or Permit” program in San Francisco came up as a model, built on three pillars: Most parkers aren’t local Most non-residents are overstaying Occupancy is consistently high Toronto’s Parking Tech and EV Future The City of Toronto shared its evolving mobility landscape - and how parking is still part of the story. A few standout stats and ideas: One lot near Spadina added Purolator parcel lockers and increased revenue by 33%. Multi-functional lots add value 50% of EV charging users lived within 1km of the charger, 57% of users live within 5 km They’ve processed 50,000 new EV transactions Long-term goal: reduce from 3,100 to 2,000 meters - but keep them for the next decade One big idea or dream floated by the TPA VP of Operations: a future monthly bundle for parking, transit, and bike share access. Not here yet - but the bundling / Mobility as a Service joint offering conversation is getting louder. Digital Curb Challenges from Seattle to Boston Cities are still figuring out how to digitize the curb. A few shared challenges: Cameras are tricky to deploy due to mounting, power, and departmental silos Cyclomedia and Cartegraph are used in Boston, but 20% of signs were missing from digital records Trucks and passing vehicles can feed false data into sensors or AI Even with real-time availability, Minneapolis noted delivery drivers likely wouldn’t use this information - routes, schedule, and habits matter more Seattle’s commercial load zone data showed 80% of vehicles were parked illegally, underscoring that enforcement is essential - especially for small businesses that rely on load zones for survival. It was stressed that the management of these commercial loading zones is a key factor to the value of the permit and if they would actually buy the monthly permits Seattle released the CurbIQ digital curb inventory and real-time information of these load zones, and it's super cool: https://seattle.curbiq.io/public-default/ Brian Hamlin from Seattle DOT showing up their real-time public map link NFL Game Day Parking is a Logistics Masterclass Walter P Moore walked us through the logistics of managing 26,000 spaces on NFL game day at the Houston Texans' NRG Stadium: 21,000 spaces are used by fans, the rest for staff, media, and other “back of house” roles Rideshare lots, pedestrian plans, and cashless mobile passes are all part of the playbook “Eyes on approach and egress” with roaming vehicles is key Staff use active guidance to manage entry and exit flow Most fans are parked 15 minutes after kickoff, and the lots are cleared within 1 hour after the game Could Parkalytics and their drone parking surveys support live feed monitoring or drone mapping here in the future? Something for event management planners to consider. Ushering in the New Curbside Management Era: How to Transition from Parking to Curbside Management The Curb Super Group! This municipal workshop was led by experts from Minneapolis, Miami Parking Authority, Washington DC, Fairfax County, City of Richmond (and Parkicity), and centered around various burning questions and issues municipalities are having at the curbside, from policy and regulations, to simply digitizing and mapping their curbs. Despite various sized municipalities, the issues were similar - staffing, budgets, politics, prioritization, coordination, data ownership, and communication Cities want to digitize their curb, but need internal champions Solutions discussed included budgeting for curb-related digitization and studies, using software to aid the process, and starting small with pilots Final Thoughts There’s no single path to modern curbside management, but the ingredients include items such as strong data foundations, clear goals and objectives, city buy-in from top to bottom, smart tech applications, and responsive operations. Open Mobility Foundation bike ride Have questions on any of these takeaways or want to test out some of these strategies in your city? Let’s talk. Peter Richards, P.Eng., is the President and Principal Consultant for Parkicity. Peter can be reached at pete@parkicity.com. This blog is republished with permission from Parkicity: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/volume-8-what-we-learned-ipmi-2025-data-drones-game-day-drama-5jxjc/  

EasyPark, Flowbird, Parkopedia, RingGo, and ParkMobile reveal its new corporate parent company and brand “Arrive”, with the shared vision to make cities more livable.  A new era for urban mobility has arrived. EasyPark Group, the leading provider of digital parking and mobility solutions, unveiled a new name and identity to better align with the company’s vision to make cities more livable. Arrive, the new company name, will replace EasyPark Group and Flowbird Group, and will be the overarching parent company for the consumer brands EasyPark, Flowbird, ParkMobile, Parkopedia, RingGo, Yellowbrick, YourParkingSpace and other brands within the organization. “I’m very excited to be able to celebrate the reveal of our company’s new name and brand Arrive,” said Cameron Clayton, CEO of Arrive. “Our exponential growth over the past 12 months, especially with the integration of Flowbird and Parkopedia, has dramatically expanded our scope of business and product offerings. We need a corporate structure and identity that mirrors our entire portfolio – moving beyond just parking." Arrive is committed to empowering people and decision-makers to make better choices about urban mobility and ease the experience of travel. It's the company’s mission to do this in as many cities as possible, regardless of size, location, or mobility maturity. Arrive believes mobility is about more than function, it’s about simplifying the experience of travel for everyone who lives in a city in an effort to make cities even more enjoyable to live in. “Arrive’s vision of making cities more livable is an inherited testament to the work EasyPark Group, Flowbird Group, and Parkopedia achieved individually over the last 20 years,” said Clayton. “We are building the world's leading global mobility platform. We can't do it alone, we can only do it together with cities, with riders and with drivers. Arrive is tomorrow's mobility platform." Building on EasyPark Group's legacy, Arrive’s new visual identity draws inspiration from the dynamic energy of urban environments. The color palette and imagery were chosen to evoke optimism and clarity, featuring warm tones, blue skies, and light, airy compositions that convey a sense of possibility and forward momentum. The consumer brands and mobile apps, such as EasyPark, RingGo, ParkMobile, and Flowbird, will remain unaffected for the foreseeable future. Arrive will act as the predominant corporate body to the consumer brands.

In-Parking, a leading provider of AI-driven parking intelligence solutions, is proud to announce its latest partnership with the Fort Lee Parking Authority to modernize and optimize local parking operations using real-time data and cutting-edge analytics. This strategic collaboration is designed to elevate efficiency, enhance the parking experience, and empower Fort Lee with actionable insights to manage its parking assets more effectively. The Fort Lee Parking Authority will implement In-Parking SIGHT, a robust AI-powered analytics platform, to gain visibility into parking occupancy, turnover, and performance. By integrating SIGHT with existing mobile payment systems, enforcement platforms, revenue management tools, and other key technologies, the initiative will deliver a comprehensive view of Fort Lee’s parking ecosystem. Key Benefits of the In-Parking SIGHT platform for Fort Lee include: Real-Time Parking Insights: Optimize space utilization and improve availability for residents, businesses, and visitors. Faster Incident Detection: Proactively identify and resolve parking violations or system inefficiencies. Enhanced Revenue Forecasting: Use data to uncover new revenue opportunities and support future planning. Sustainable Operations: Reduce congestion and emissions by streamlining access to parking. Unmatched Reliability: Built on Microsoft’s trusted infrastructure, SIGHT ensures uptime and continuous access to critical data. “We’re excited to bring advanced parking analytics to Fort Lee,” said Hernani Goncalves, Executive Director of the Fort Lee Parking Authority. “This partnership with In-Parking reflects our commitment to innovation, data-driven decision-making, and delivering better service to the community. With real-time insights and predictive capabilities, we can more effectively manage demand, enhance enforcement, and plan for the future of mobility in Fort Lee.” Santiago Morales, CEO of In-Parking, added, “We’re honored to work alongside Hernani Goncalves and his forward-thinking team. Fort Lee understands the value of data in shaping smarter parking policy and improving day-to-day operations. Through this partnership, we are helping Fort Lee harness the full potential of its parking system while setting a benchmark for other cities across the region.” This initiative underscores Fort Lee’s commitment to embracing smart city technologies that support sustainable urban mobility, reduce friction for drivers, and lay the groundwork for future transportation improvements.

Barcelona — ParkHelp has been awarded the contract to upgrade the parking guidance system in the Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 garages at Barcelona Airport, deploying a unified solution that combines next-generation ultrasonic sensors and camera-based technology across a total of 13,092 parking spaces. ParkHelp’s relationship with the airport began back in 2009, when the original U1 ultrasonic system was installed. Since then, the system has remained fully operational and effective for over 15 years, guiding millions of drivers to free parking spaces with speed and accuracy. The new project marks a significant technological leap forward with the deployment of Ultrasonic 2 (U2) and C2 camera-based units with License Plate Recognition (LPR). Of the 13,092 spaces, 8,362 will be monitored using U2 sensors and 4,730 with the C2 system. ParkHelp’s unique mix-and-match approach allows the most suitable technology to be applied in each area, offering a flexible, scalable solution within one seamless platform. ParkHelp’s solution is fully integrated with the airport’s Parking Access and Revenue Control System (PARCS), allowing users to locate their vehicle directly from the pay station. The system displays the car’s location (level and space number), shows a photo of the vehicle, and provides a map with the exact location of the parking space. This project is part of a complete overhaul of the parking system, which demands the highest technical and operational standards within the airport ecosystem. Alexis Puig, CEO of ParkHelp, stated: “We are extremely proud to have been selected for this iconic project. Successfully passing such a rigorous tender process proves that our technology meets the highest standards of quality, reliability, and innovation demanded in an airport setting. Our ability to combine ultrasonic and camera-based systems in one integrated platform gives us a competitive edge in delivering tailored solutions.” With this renewal, Barcelona Airport strengthens its commitment to innovation, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement of the user experience. ParkHelp is proud to support the airport’s journey toward smarter and more sustainable mobility. About ParkHelp Technologies ParkHelp is one of the world’s leading providers of smart parking solutions, offering a range of innovative products designed to optimize parking management, improve the user experience, promote sustainable urban mobility, and help parking owners generate more revenue. The company manufactures, sells, and services advanced parking guidance systems (PGS), digital guidance signage, license plate recognition (LPR) cameras, and integrated software solutions tailored for diverse environments, including commercial complexes, shopping malls, hospitals, corporate campuses, airports, and municipalities. ParkHelp can be found online at www.parkhelp.com.

Celebrating PDC in Parking & Mobility

The Role of Smart Technology

How are planning, design, and construction professionals adapting practices to meet rising expectations around technology, smart infrastructure, and real-time data integration for parking and mobility?

How HD video of in and between parking spaces can prevent fraudulent claims and improve a guest’s experience

Over the last decade, parking technology has evolved at a faster rate than in any other period of history. The IPMI Technology Committee has been there every step of the way, helping the parking and mobility community navigate through the lightning-fast changes. This session took 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.