Improving On-Street Management Systems The High Cost of Low P By Michael R. Kodama and Alan Huynh
An article in the March 2011 issue of Parking Today, “Bringing theMetered Parking System Into the 21st Cen-
tury” by David Cummins, highlighted innovative partnerships that the public sector can use to increase the value of its parking assets. The article touched briefly on the subject of newtechnolo- gies that have made this revolution possible. One of these is the ability to combine real-time vehicle detection equipment with other innovative technology solutions. The real 21st century advancement ismoving toward a com-
prehensive on-street parking system with real-time data and information that uses the most up-to-date equipment. This
The currency of this ongoing parking technology revolution is real-time information.
moves us from the 1932 Oklahoma City method of chalking tires and parking meters to a data and technology model based on real-time paid parking and real-time vehicle detection. Perhaps the most underrated part of this ongoing technolo-
gy revolution is real-time data provided by new parking infor- mation and vehicle detection sensors. These can give municipal parking operators a complete understanding of the use of their spaces and the ability to use that information to more effectively manage their systems. With vehicle detection equipment,municipal parking opera-
tors can now develop an integrated and more efficient parking management system that is more accurate and reliable, increas- ing the efficiency of enforcement and creating the ability to better enforce parking location and time rules and regulations. This can easily double or triple a parking system’s current
enforcement revenue and support turnover that increases retail sales. Combinedwith newpay station technology, these improve- ments can revolutionize themanagement of on-street parking. Driving this is a concept called curb-parking asset manage-
ment. This uses internet technology to give municipal parking managers real-time information about the parking environment. Typically, a wireless sensor in each parking space detects the
presence or absence of a vehicle and communicates changes in space occupancy to a central server using a short-range wireless telemetry network (radios) and cellphone-based Internet connec- tivity. At the central server, occupancy status from each sensor monitors compliance with posted time limits or matches with payment information froma parkingmeter or pay station.
Real-time information Live parking space status is displayed on a mapping system
(often GoogleMaps) accessible via a web browser on a computer 8
ormobile device. Parking operators can see, in real-time,whether a space is occupied legally, in violation or vacant. Real-time and historical information enables the parking
manager to make smarter policy decisions, increase operational effectiveness and dramatically increase net revenues. Managers can now study parking usage patterns over time
with complete space-by-space information, rather than periodic manual surveys. Data such as occupancy changes during the course of a day, average length of stay, turnover, payment rates, violation rates andmore are now all available at the click of a button. This unprecedented level of information allows managers to
set rates, time limits and hours of enforcement, whichmaximizes parking utility and revenue with a degree of precision never before possible. Moreover, the new curb-parking asset management systems
transform enforcement operations by immediately identifying vehicles in violation and dispatching parking enforcement offi- cers to the location.
Parking Today
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