Technology

Some hate them, some love them, and yes, some may abuse them. I think they are great! Our department uses cameras as a force multiplier as well as a tool for situational awareness. We have our dispatcher in a room with a bank of 6 large screen TVs along with 6 monitors on the desk. The dispatcher watches over access control gates, carpool parking areas, timed and metered spaces, and even bus stops and traffic intersections. Our two on-campus parking structures have about 200 cameras covering almost every inch of space. Our department has a significant role in installing well over 50 other cameras around campus to oversee parking areas and major points of traffic and pedestrian flow. High volume bus stops and pay-station locations are top priorities, and our dispatcher routinely monitors and checks them for things amiss. Perhaps unusually, we are separated from the University Police Department which has shared access to the cameras providing a valuable safety resource. One person with a virtual presence across half the campus at same time, managing equipment and various situations. We are not cruel, though. One of the TVs in dispatch has the Weather Channel on all the time and sometimes we even let them have visitors! Harold Robinson, CAPP, is the Assistant Director of Parking and Transportation Systems for The University of Mississippi. Harold can be reached at hdrobins@olemiss.edu. Growing demand for EV charging: Global EV sales surge: in 2023, global EV sales hit a record 10 million, up 55% from 2022. EVs are expected to account for 18% of total car sales by 2024. EV adoption rates: the number of EVs on U.S. roads is projected to reach 26.4 million by 2030, compared to 2.6 million in 2021. Consumer demand for charging: 81% of EV drivers expect access to charging at places where they park for extended periods (such as parking lots, multifamily developments, and workplaces). EV charging as a competitive advantage: Attracting tenants and visitors: 40% of drivers have said they’re more likely to choose a parking facility with EV chargers. Increase in property value: properties with EV charging stations have seen rent premiums increase by 3-5%, and property values can increase by 7% in markets where EV adoption is strong. Parking facilities with charging stations: facilities with EV charging tend to experience higher occupancy rates, especially in urban areas where EV drivers actively seek charging options. Courtney Henry-Irwin is the Director of Partner Development for EVPassport. She can be reached at cirwin@evpassport.com.

How Digital Parking Providers Are Promoting Innovation

Although the internal combustion engine is not yet on life support, the lockstep march towards "zero emissions" is certainly well underway. The supply of petroleum-based fuels is finite and no one is arguing against cleaner air. California is leading the way with an executive order that mandates that all new cars and passenger trucks sold in the state be zero emissions by 2035. It stands to reason that other progressive states, and ultimately an order at the federal level, are not too far behind. Major vehicle producers are announcing additions to their EV line-up, including a 1000HP Hummer by GMC. 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.

Mobile Smart City Expands Solutions in Eastchester, NY

Hartford, CT Elevates Parking Management with Park Loyalty

Parking Base Integrates with Google to Permit Drivers to Reserve Parking with Google Maps and Google Search

University at Buffalo Transforms Campus Parking with Modii's Digital Solutions

What comes next for parking, transportation, and mobility?

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.

“Hey Siri, can you give me directions to dynamic pricing?” Pricing parking appropriately in cities has long been a puzzle for transportation planners. As urban congestion grows and the demand for curb space increases, cities are challenged to find efficient ways to manage their parking resources. While some cities are just beginning to implement static parking pricing models, the conversation is evolving quickly toward more sophisticated, demand-based approaches. But how do cities move along this road—from static pricing all the way to dynamic pricing? “To begin, head west toward static pricing” For cities just beginning to charge for on-street parking, static pricing is often the first step. Parking rates are consistent across time and location and set for an entire service area. This approach is easy to implement and helps cities introduce the concept of paid parking to their residents. However, static pricing often fails to address varying levels of demand throughout the city, leading to inefficient space utilization. The challenge with static pricing is that it treats every space the same, regardless of location or time. In high-demand areas, spaces may fill quickly, while less busy neighborhoods might see spaces go unused. Cities may begin to see that this simple system can be improved by targeting pricing to match local conditions. “In 1,000 feet, turn right toward pricing by zone” The next step in the evolution of parking pricing is implementing variably pricing by location. Cities begin to adjust rates based on zone, charging more in areas with higher demand. For example, parking downtown during business hours might cost more than parking in a less congested neighborhood. This zone-based pricing helps ensure that high-demand areas experience turnover, and it pushes drivers to park in underutilized spaces. However, this system is still somewhat static because the pricing for each zone is typically set for at least a year, and the city might not be able to adjust rates on a short-term basis. “Just ahead, keep left toward variable pricing by time” After pricing by zone, cities can adopt variable pricing by time, adding a new lever to the pricing strategy. In this model, parking rates are set higher during peak hours and lower during off-peak times. For instance, a city might charge higher rates in the evenings near restaurants and entertainment areas or during business hours in commercial districts. By using time-based adjustments, cities can better manage their parking supply based on known patterns of demand. However, similar to pricing by zone, these rates are still fixed for a defined period, and adjustments typically happen annually or less frequently. “In half a mile, use the second lane from the left to turn to demand-responsive pricing” As cities move further along the pricing road, they can begin to implement demand-responsive pricing. This system allows cities to periodically adjust rates based on parking demand data, usually shifting rates seasonally or quarterly to better reflect usage trends. For instance, a city might raise parking prices in a popular shopping district during the holiday season or lower rates in underutilized zones after observing sustained low demand. Demand-responsive pricing encourages drivers to park in less congested areas, freeing up space in high-demand zones. Cities often rely on pre-approved rate ranges they can switch between throughout the year based on the data they collect on parking patterns. This model brings cities closer to a dynamic pricing system but still lacks real-time flexibility. “Your destination is approaching, dynamic pricing is just ahead on the right” Finally, the future frontier of parking pricing is dynamic pricing, where rates adjust in real time based on current demand — imagine “surge pricing” for curbs. With dynamic pricing, cities require real-time data on parking occupancy, allowing them to shift rates immediately by time of day, location, or demand level. This creates a responsive system where parking spaces are always priced to reflect their true value at any given moment. Dynamic pricing is an incredibly advanced approach and requires sophisticated technology, including sensors, smart meters, and powerful data analytics. While most cities are not yet ready to implement this system, dynamic pricing offers a vision of the future—one where cities can seamlessly manage parking supply, reduce congestion, and create a better experience for residents and visitors. “What you’ll need on your trip” Each stage in the evolution of parking pricing requires cities to gather and analyze increasing amounts of data. As cities progress from static pricing to more sophisticated models like demand-responsive and dynamic pricing, having access to comprehensive parking data becomes critical. Parking Insights provides cities with the tools they need to gather, analyze, and act on parking occupancy data. Whether a city is ready to implement demand-responsive pricing or is looking to make the larger leap to dynamic pricing, they can be provided with the insights and infrastructure required for success. With the right platform, cities can track parking occupancy, identify patterns, and adjust pricing models to optimize space utilization and revenue. The Road Ahead The path from fixed pricing to dynamic pricing may seem daunting, but cities don’t need to travel it alone. By leveraging data and digital tools, cities can evolve their pricing strategies step by step, moving toward smarter, more efficient parking systems. Are you ready to explore the future of parking pricing? Ali Barsamian is the Vice President of Growth with Populus. Ali can be reached at ali.barsamian@populus.ai.

The City of Leavenworth Updates Its Parking System with Flowbird

Urbiotica Launches U-Spot VISIO for Detection in Non-Delimited Parking Lots