Parking Guidance Systems Finding Your Space By Chad Snyder Texas Parking Association 2012 March 30, 2012

Agenda: Technologies we are used to seeing Technologies we are hearing about

The basics Parking Guidance Systems: helps parkers find an available space, and/or return to the space after visiting destination Basic types from the user perspective: Trip Info: reservations, rates, directions and availability info available via web/apps/GPS systems Parking Availability Displays (PAD): Dynamic signage Parking Location Reminders: Traditional approaches Electronic approaches GPS-based Photo courtesy TCS Intl

Guiding Principle: The half-life of knowledge in technology is 6 months. Half of what I know sitting here right now will be obsolete in 6 months, that is the speed at which technology moves and why you can never stop learning. - blogger known as everyday CIO If we wait to do this presentation until we know all about todays systems, what we say will no longer be state of the art.

Human Factor….. No matter how great the system, the benefit of a parking guidance system ultimately relies on these things: the driver has to see it the driver has to understand it the driver has to believe it finally the driver has to use it

Poll of 9000 drivers in Britain sponsored by parking operator NCP Average motorist spends more than six days a year circling streets and car parks looking for a spot….over the average life that is nearly a year lost. 42% of people will not attempt to park in space if another car is waiting behind them; 44% have "lost" their car; 50% have gone to wrong floor or section to look for car; and 20% have tried to get into wrong car. News release Oct 2010

User Interfaces

Conventional approaches to remembering where you parked Photo courtesy Standard Parking Static Signs Numbering Color Coding Theme Musical

Web-based approaches Reliability of counting (more later) Info before leaving home outdated by time driver reaches parking Reservations waste spaces, not serving actual customers Safety issues for en-route information San Fran app requires vehicle to be stopped to show data

Another evolution: additional parking location reminders Preprinted reminder cards available at elevators Kiosk issues printed reminder At elevator, location stamped on parking ticket Tie License Plate number to parking ticket at entry Add LPR cameras at Same points as ramp/zone counts At end of every aisle Every stall

Cost benefit of LPR primarily for lost cars? How often do patrons lose cars? How often does patron ask for help? How much would LPR system reduce staff times?

Still in infancy…. Navigation GPS (exterior) /WIFI (interior) To available parking Parking to destinations Back to parking facility, floor or parking stall Of course, parkers have to download and use As with any app, lots of marketing extras/benefits Advertising/coupons of sales/specials at stores in malls Frequent visitor/parker program for those that download lists for construction, tips etc. Rewards, coupons discounts Courtesy Wifarer

Parking Availability Displays By facilityBy floor/zone By aisleBy space Photo courtesy TCS Intl

Facility Management Information Back of house…. Photo courtesy ParkHelp

As often the case with technology, Europe way ahead of US re PGS Aachen, Germany (installed over 25 years ago) Used most by those who live farthest and/or come to CBD least often. Survey: 46% used PGS to confirm availability of spaces. Of those not able to park at desired location, 56% used to find other pkg Cologne, Germany 42% indicated used PGS most of the time or always Of non-users, 40% had preferred parking location, and 35% indicated that they always find a stall. Frankfurt, Germany Survey found that about 80% of drivers were aware of the PGS 20% used system to find parking Photo courtesy Dambach

Studies found #1 benefit is improving confidence that parking will be available San Francisco: PGS on freeways increased parking/use of transit Detroit Airport: 50% of off-airport parkers choose it due to lack of PGS on freeways St Paul MN: 17 facilities in PGS system had 83% occupancy during event vs to 62% occupancy in 25 facilities that didnt participate Milwaukee: implementation of web-based pre-trip parking info In one year, persons who said parking availability prevented them from visiting downtown reduced by 10% Increased perception that downtown Milwaukee was improving as place to visit from 54% to 68% --25% improvement! Montgomery County MD Metro: PGS caused people to change habits (e.g. left home later), resulting in 20% drop in arrivals before 8 AM. Also increased transit use slightly. 1/3 of commuters using one lot indicated that they didnt even know it existed before PGS

ISG also reduces cruising within garages and customer frustration Survey: Baltimore Washington Intl (BWI) vs other DC airports ISG also reduced illegal parking in fire lanes and other no- parking areas in parking facilities

So why arent they… everywhere? Reliability…specifically related to counting technologies Cost Capital Operating Maintenance Cost-benefit

Parking Guidance Systems ISG Features Counting Management Dynamic Signage Space Sensors Photo courtesy of ParkHelp

Accuracy is critical! Lack of accuracy at one facility impacts believability at that facility AND at others in area. 9 and 8 are the only floors that show same count, out of 10!

Why do you have to recalibrate regularly? Count Error for Every 100 stalls Statistics could be even worse for traditional loop detectors

Average/year over at least five years Parking Access and Revenue Controls: ~10% of initial cost PGS: ~ 7% of initial cost Maintenance Contract Costs

Lessons from the field: anything other than ISG Loop detectors NOT ACCURATE ENOUGH for ramp/zone counts Tailgating, speed, high axles, motorcycles vs pickup trucks Use higher quality detectors; specify 97% accuracy and TEST Over time, even with self-tuning, accuracy will decline unless retuned Very difficult to count parking aisles, especially 90 deg With two-way traffic, MUST assure cars drive over loops/under bars Photo courtesy TCS Intl

Lessons from the field: ISG sonar sensor mounting varies by conditions Some ultrasonic sensors need to be centered over stalls Still may not see pickup beds, convertibles, motorcycles, smart cars Red/green lights best at end of stalls Photo courtesy McClain Photo courtesy ParkHelp Photo courtesy TCS Intl

Lessons from the field: ISG Without end aisle signs Patrons stop and peer down aisles to see if there are green lights Congestion at critical points and rear end accidents? At some point, aisles are too long to peer down Will speeds increase to race to the green light? Photo courtesy ParkHelp

Lessons from the field: ISG Market is being flooded by new vendors Experience and system details matter KNOW if you are a beta test site Wireless MAY help bring cost down needs to be proven

Manufacturer marketing claims…. BIG CAVEAT: Yet to see study for most of these claims that is reliable across wide cross section of circumstances Increase in PR? Yes If first in market, will likely get good press. But if everybody does it, is there a benefit to PR Decrease in carbon emissions? Sure some but > 50% as some have claimed? Only reduces inbound travel May only help peak hours, peak days Integration through I/O modules Barriers, lighting, etc...

More claims Increase in parked cars in peak hours? Are you turning cars away now? Do you close floors/facilities and divert to other parking when 90-95% full? Do people not come on peak days/hour that could be accommodated? Come another time of day which actually is good? Some reduction in peak hour parking demand due to cars driving around less, parking sooner. Bigger impact with shorter average stay…e.g., grocery. Will your parker stay longer in destination or same length of time? How often are peak, peak hours when fills to maximum? 2 hours per day? 2 hours per week? 2 hours per Saturday in December?

But…. Does it really give you a competitive advantage? Definitely increases customer service perspective Once multiple places have it, advantage dissipates

More claims Increase in revenue: –Airport had purportedly 10% increased revenue due to: More parkers parking on airport instead of off airport People had more time in terminal, bought more stuff –Other claims +2-5% Decrease in operating costs? Yes –Need less people directing traffic at peak hours/days –Counting is more accurate, less time/frequency to recalibrate Management info –Particularly where no revenue controls –Used data to sell tenant that particular mall entrance is high traffic location

Advantages… specifically for ISG with LPR Finding your vehicle Security Knows when object in space is not a car Easier maintenance; all equipment centered over aisle Enforce parking assignments without nested gates Color coding for specific spaces: reserved, accessible, etc… Can charge different rates without differently encoded tickets 15 minute stalls Differential rates for roof parking from other floors Differential rates for closest parking on a big floor Different rates for different types of vehicles

But... No technology can solve bad parking functionality and parking layout. More complicated equates to more costly and less benefit ISG needs to be implemented with a layout that is complementary

Use dead ends or U loops for individual space monitoring Dead ends gain 36 stalls, +12% U loops gain 8 stalls +2.5% Dead End U Loops But how do you program and sign this???

And our biggest concern…. disturbing reports of PGS systems Once installed it needs to be maintained Not recalibrated regularly Service and support Software on unsecured server corrupted by malware Communications compromised Turned off

Conclusions, specifically for ISG Can be a benefit with the right customer base and garage design More installations in US One of biggest benefits is more accurate counting by floor/zones with less frequent recalibration than loops Another benefit is more accurate information for management. But have to USE IT…. Perception that it helps if not fixes bad function is wrong The more complicated the circulation pattern The more it costs The less it helps parkers find a space

This consultants opinion no matter what type PGS Parking availability displays should show stalls available not simply open Parkers will make better decisions Can override to full manually when appropriate Floor by floor display at entry only not enough Use at or before major decision points With ISG use end aisle signs at key points ISG has many benefits if you can afford it But almost impossible to show dollar ROI TEST to confirm accuracy during installation COMMIT to Calibrating regularly Maintenance USE it to manage parking!

Questions?