Parking & Mobility, May 2021

INTERNATIONAL PARKING & MOBILITY INSTITUTE MAY 2021

Resiliency is People Becoming more resilient in the face of unforeseen changes

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FEATURES

20

Resiliency is People

Learning to deal with unforeseen change is all about resiliency. But how do we become more resilient?

By Ron Steedly, CAPP, MEd

24

A Primer on Parklets

Never more popular, tiny park spaces are seeing more use than ever next to the curb. Here’s everything you need to know to launch a parklet program in your operation.

By Jonathan Wicks, CAPP, and Chrissy Mancini Nichols

30

The Case for Exclusive Pay-by-Cell

Technology and consumer trends in a lot of different areas may mean now is the time to make pay-by-cell the way to pay for parking.

By Jim Corbett, CAPP, and John Dorsett, AICP

36

Innovation, Collaboration, and a Bright Future

Why thinking like a startup is more important than ever.

By Elizabeth Zealand, Mark Frumar, and Michelle McDonald

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/ EDITOR’S NOTE DEPARTMENTS 4 ENTRANCE Growing Stronger Through the Pandemic

By David G. Onorato, CAPP

6 FIVE THINGS Books on Innovation 8 THE BUSINESS OF PARKING From Capitol Hill to the Curb: Looking to a Shift in National Policy

By Michael J. Ash, Esq., CRE

10 MOBILITY & TECH Overcoming Technophobia

By Jessica Britton

12 ON THE FRONTLINE Don’t Get Mad—Get Curious

By Cindy Campbell

14 THE GREEN STANDARD Getting Perspective on Projections for the EV Market and Industry Effects

By Rachel Yoka, CAPP, LEED AP BD+C

16 PARKING & MOBILITY SPOTLIGHT Using Technology to Enhance Safety at Airport Parking Lots

By Ron Rich

18 ASK THE EXPERTS 41 IN SHORT 43 AROUND THE INDUSTRY 46 PARKING & MOBILITY CONSULTANTS 48 ADVERTISERS INDEX

Learning to Bounce RAISE YOUR HAND if you haven’t learned a thing or

two about resiliency the last year. Nobody, right? To work from home with kids at home, parking revenue that plummeted and devastated organizational budgets literally overnight, Cloroxing anything that didn’t get up and run away, masks, Instacart and Door Dash, and the other million ways our lives and work all changed because of COVID, we’ve learned to duck, weave, and hit the ground running again in nearly every segment of our lives.

Are you still practicing that?

Could you do it again?

Resiliency is often taught by challenge, but it’s a skill everyone needs to succeed—and that includes organizations, which sometimes have to bounce as a unit. And while we talk a lot about it, it’s not something that’s easy to teach, especially in stretches when things are good.

I was thrilled to receive this month’s cover story about just that topic from Ron Steedly, CAPP, , MEd, manager of transportation at Texas A&M University. If you think you’ve learned everything there is to know about resilience this year, flip to p. 20 and take a gander—I guarantee there’s more. And after that, plan to join us for the summer, virtual IPMI Mobility Summit, where Ron and a panel of experts will take a deep dive into the importance of resiliency and how to develop it, both as individuals and businesses. You have a few more weeks to take advantage of early-bird prices and I recommend that group rate—bring your whole team for these and other valuable lessons.

I’m writing this during the first “normal” work day I’ve had since March 2020. The husband is in his office, the kids are at school, everybody’s where they’re supposed to be, and it is blessedly quiet. It’s just for one day but more’s coming—as are the next big, inevitable challenges. Resiliency is top of mind in our house and I hope it is in yours too. Enjoy the feature.

This month marks my 10-year anniversary with IPMI and this magazine. I never dreamed how much I’d learn from parking professionals but it’s been a whole lot—and I’m very grateful. Thanks for reading along and contributing, and please be in touch anytime.

Until next month…

49 CALENDAR 51 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Kim Fernandez, editor fernandez@parking-mobility.org

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 3

/ ENTRANCE

Growing Stronger Through the Pandemic

PUBLISHER

Shawn Conrad, CAE

conrad@parking-mobility.org EDITOR

Kim Fernandez

By David G. Onorato, CAPP

fernandez@parking-mobility.org

Rachel Yoka, CAPP, LEED AP BD+C, yoka@parking-mobility.org CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Bill Smith, APR

bsmith@smith-phillips.com ADVERTISING SALES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

Tina Altman

taltman@parking-mobility.org PUBLICATION DESIGN

BonoTom Studio

info@bonotom.com For subscription changes, contact Tina Altman, taltman@parking-mobility.org or 888.IPMI.NOW. Parking & Mobility (ISSN 0896-2324 & USPS 001436) is published monthly by the International Parking & Mobility Institute.

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A

It has been a little more than a year since the pandemic flipped life upside down. Whether it’s been personally or professionally, nobody has been left unscathed. We all experienced the challenges of mass business closures, remote working, social distancing, online interactions, protective masks and isolation.

S I WRITE THIS,

Remember, it is not these challenges we are facing that define us—it is our response. The challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic have been an opportunity to tap into our greatest potential. The strength, compassion, and agility I’ve witnessed in the past year are unmatched.

I feel very fortunate to be a part of the parking and mobility industry in this difficult time. Colleague-to-colleague networking was a benchmark for our industry prior to the pandemic. As closures and isolation from the pandemic took hold, the prior emphasis on networking served as a springboard to launch new measures to maintain those relationships. IPMI took the lead by offering webinars and Shoptalks online. In addition, IPMI worked with individuals and organizations to maintain the membership affiliations through difficult financial times.

While IPMI took steps to allow people to stay connected, the ultimate credit for it goes to the individual members. Your ability to adapt to these unfamiliar methods of communication and interaction created a seamless adjustment to this new way of life.

On a personal note, I know the isolation many people are experiencing can be

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discouraging. Stay strong. Stay positive.

Stay healthy. We will get through this. I’ve been so impressed with the resilience I’ve seen, as people turn their homes into offices, gyms, and movie theaters—finding new and creative ways to stay busy and connected. This ordeal has shown me how critical human interaction is in our lives.

I’m so inspired to see that even though our interactions may be limited, our spirit and determination to stay connected are allowing us to find new pathways to come together. It we be a great day when we can all meet again in person to rekindle our relationships. That day is coming, and soon.

Until we meet again. Stay strong. Stay positive. Stay healthy. ◆ DAVID G. ONORATO, CAPP, is executive director of the Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh and chair of IPMI’s Board of Directors. He can be reached at donorato@pittsburghparking.com.

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TECHNICAL EDITOR

Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport, Silver Ramp Expansion

Books on INNOVATION The parking and mobility industry learned a lot about innovation this past year—and there’s more to come. With IPMI’s summer, virtual Mobility & Innovation Summit on the horizon, it felt like the perfect time to showcase five books about innovation currently on the bestseller lists. Ready to get creative? Read on.

1

2

3

Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future.

It wouldn’t be a list of books about innovation in the 2020s without Elon Musk on the list, right? This biography looks at his life, his career, and his innovation and tries to answer the question of what makes this constant-idea guy tick.

Bold: How to Go Big, Create Wealth, and Impact the World.

This book by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler offers “A radical, how-to guide for using exponential technologies, moonshot thinking, and crowd-powered tools,” says its description; President Bill Clinton calls it “a visionary roadmap for people who believe they can change the world.” That sounds like a lot of parking and mobility folks we know!

5

4

The Other Side of Innovation: Solving the Execution Challenge.

Lots of us have great, big ideas; its the execution that’s the holdup. So say the authors of this book that says it’ll teach us how to go from fantastic idea to making it real—step by step, through the innovation process.

Driving Digital: The Leader’s Guide to Business Transformation Through Technology.

Author Isaac Sacolick says it’s not enough to continue updating technology. True success, he says, comes with transforming the way you look at your operation as a digital enterprise. Technology is leading the way—now where have we heard that before?

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Competing Against Luck: The Story of Innovation and Customer Choice.

Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen and his co-authors plunge into innovation—the whats, whens, and hows. Customers, they say, don’t buy products or services; instead, they hire them to do a job. Which seems very relevant to this industry.

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From Capitol Hill to the Curb: Looking to a Shift in National Policy

By Michael J. Ash, Esq., CRE

J

ANUARY 2021 BROUGHT A NEW FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION to Washington D.C., and all the chang-

Buttigieg catapulted from mayor of South Bend, Ind., to President Biden’s cabinet, bringing with him the kind of forward-­ thinking agenda on transportation and mobility to be expected of a proactive and pragmatic city mayor. Secretary Buttigieg has set out to define the administration’s goals for the expansion of the successful Complete Streets program he oversaw development of in South Bend.

Complete Streets The Complete Streets initiative is wellknown to our readers. The future of parking and mobility includes many different modes of transportation and different priorities among users. The Complete Streets term refers to transportation policy and design to include the planning, design, operation, and maintenance of safe, convenient travel and access for

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all ages and mobility regardless of their mode of transportation. The Complete Streets formula include a combination of safe walking, cycling, automobile, and public transportation. Mayor Buttigieg made the development of Complete Streets a focus of his agenda as mayor of South Bend and intends to make it a central focus of the Biden administration’s transportation policy.

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es that come with it. Most senior positions are customarily filled by the usual Beltway insiders. Any change on a national level is slow and incremental without the possibility of revolutionary change in a short timeframe. However, every so often, an outsider comes along to bring a fresh perspective on issues of public policy. Enter Pete Buttigieg, the new Secretary of Transportation.

Local Implications Local municipalities can expect policy decisions and funding options to help make city streets safer for all modes of mobility. As implemented in South Bend, the project elements included: ■ Realignment of one-way streets to two-way streets.

■ Reducing the number of driving lanes on other streets from four to three.

■ Addition of bike lines throughout the downtown.

■ Extending sidewalks to create safer pedestrian crossings at intersections.

■ Adding roundabouts to reduce congestion at intersections.

The infrastructure projects were funded by a $25 million bond backed by tax increment financing. The complete streets re-engaged the residents of South Bend with the downtown and economic development soon followed.

South Bend welcomed new residential and commercial development and the opening of new businesses and restaurants.

“Lighting is critical to a well-designed parking garage. Lightwells draw in natural light and bring a sense of nature into the structure.”

- Mike Moretto, AIA San Diego International Airport Terminal 2 Parking Structure

Policies The U.S. Department of Transportation may become an available resource as more urban municipalities look to the model for the implementation of complete streets. Some of the federal policy and regulations to be implemented by Department of Transportation may include: ■ Grants and funding for local municipalities to study, plan, and finance Complete Streets programs.

■ Model guidelines on zoning and parking that includes complete street practices.

■ Improvements to public transportation that can be incorporated into urban planning.

Rather than broad sweeping promises of major infrastructure investment like rail tunnels and airports, the infrastructure projects that make the most difference are the local improvements that implement complete street policies to improve the central business districts across the country and improve the safety of multi-modal urban mobility. ◆ MICHAEL J. ASH, Esq., CRE, is partner with Carlin & Ward. He can be reached at michael.ash@ carlinward.com.

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 9

/ MOBILITY & TECH

Overcoming Technophobia

By Jessica Britton

T

ECHNOLOGY HAS TRANSFORMED PARKING . During the past

generation, the industry has evolved from where cash payments were often collected and placed into cigar boxes to a largely cashless enterprise in which people pay with credit cards and cell phones. Technology has swung toward apps that allow drivers to use their personal devices to find available parking, pay for it, and enjoy the benefits of parking loyalty programs. Soon, many of these appbased parking services will be preloaded onto the dashboards of new cars so we can manage parking transactions that much more efficiently.

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resistance when it comes to technology, and that often means sticking with what they know rather than trying something new.

■ The third and final barrier can be found in common design issues that limit the usefulness of individual technologies. Sometimes, ideas that seemed great on the drawing board don’t work as planned out on the street or in garages.

Overcoming Barriers So, how do you overcome these barriers to achieve widespread adoption of new technologies? Some of the responsibility falls on the municipalities, institutions, and private lot operators who implement the equipment and some rests on the equipment makers themselves.

The first key is education. For large-scale introduction of new technology, like mobile payment apps, the city introducing the app should work closely with the app provider to educate local drivers about the bene-

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The technology revolution couldn’t have come at a better time. The parking technologies that we take for granted every day—mobile payment apps, advanced PARCS, parking guidance, and other tools—were developed to make parking more convenient and manageable. As we’ve discovered during this pandemic, these same technologies can help promote public health by minimizing common touch points on which viruses can accumulate and allowing drivers to manage and pay from their parking from the comfort and safety of their private vehicle.

As we all know, technologies are only useful if they are adopted, and not everyone feels comfortable using new technologies. At least not right away.

There are many potential barriers to adoption, but there are three primary ones: ■ First and most common is people’s hesitancy to try new technologies. People have comfort zones and many don’t like to stray outside those comfort zones.

■ The second common barrier to adoption is confusion about how to use a particular piece of technology. Equipment isn’t always intuitive and people often have difficulty learning how to use new technologies. People will always seek the point of least

fits of using the app to pay for parking and demonstrating how it works. There are a number of communication strategies that can be effective, including strategic marketing programs using fun events and prizes to reward first-time users. Also, video tutorials made available on city websites, social media channels, and via texts can offer step by step guidance on how to use the app.

Modern PARCS equipment also often has video capabilities that can demonstrate how to use the equipment. These video capabilities can be used to increase adoption by offering guidance into how to use the equipment. These are just a few examples of the ways that education and marketing can be used to increase adoption of new technologies.

When it comes to drivers’ comfort levels, it may also make sense to offer drivers choice, particularly when it comes to apps. People like different things. Some are Apple and some are Windows; some prefer Coke and some prefer Pepsi; some like American cars while others prefer foreign vehicles. The same goes for parking apps. Why not offer multiple apps and let drivers choose the platform they prefer? Cities, institutions, and private owners that offer choice tend to experience much higher utilization.

The final barrier revolves around the technology itself, which often isn’t as easy to use as it should be. Take, for instance, mobile payment apps. Some apps require the driver to input a zone designation into the app to let enforcement officers know where that driver is parked. That’s all well and good, but are people really going to want to get out of their cars and traipse up and down the street searching for a zone number? Particularly, when it’s cold or raining or snowing? If the point of mobile payment is to make parking easier, shouldn’t the app recognize the car’s location for the driver?

Technology owners need to do more to make their tools easier to use, both for parkers and for parking managers. This primarily means making sure user and data collection interfaces are simple and intuitive. In the era of multi-tool technology suites, technology providers should also consider offering Open API platforms that allow parking owners and municipalities to customize the solutions to their unique needs and to combine tools provided by different technology companies.

the past decade, and the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically sped up the process. But technologies aren’t useful if they aren’t used. municipalities, institutions, and private parking owners need to choose technologies that are intuitive and easy to use when implementing automation strategies, and once those tools are introduced, they should implement education and instruction strategies to get drivers excited about using them and informed as to how to do so. When they do, they’ll increase the public’s adoption of those technologies and enjoy the full benefits of implementing them. ◆ JESSICA BRITTON is director, marketing & communications, with PayByPhone Technologies, Inc. She can be reached at jbritton@paybyphone.com.

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Era of Automation Automation has been the predominant trend in parking during PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 11

/ ON THE FRONTLINE

Don’t Get Mad—Get Curious

T

By Cindy Campbell

HE ANGRY WOMAN STOMPED TOWARD ME, furiously swinging a crinkled citation in her

This was while I was working as a university parking enforcement officer some years ago, but I clearly remember tensing up, feeling equally defensive and decisive. Defensive, as she had chosen to approach me with judgement and disrespect, and decisive as in nothing she said from that point forward would get her what she wanted. In my mind, she had declared war on me, and I wasn’t about to let her win.

I’m sure it comes as no surprise that the conversation took a steep downhill turn from there.

No doubt you have encountered plenty of these “fighting words” situations in the course of performing your own job duties. Confrontational conversations like these can cause anxiety, stress, and defensiveness for all involved. If we allow ourselves to react instinctively, we may respond to their anger with equal volatility. In my old way of thinking, I used the “don’t 12 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

get mad, get even” philosophy when encountering customers like this. If I felt verbally attacked, I would interpret criticism or irate comments as a threat and my instinctive response was always defensiveness.

Sound familiar?

The good news is that we have the capability to change our instinctive defensive response. When we’re able to recognize the triggering behaviors that cause us to react with defensiveness, we have the ability to choose a different reaction. My suggestion? When situations like this arise, don’t get mad—get curious.

The Concept of Curiosity When others initiate communication with us using disrespectful words and statements, it’s important to remember that there’s always a reason for their outburst. While their reaction may not be fully justified,

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It’s important to remember that there’s always a reason for their outburst. While their reaction may not be fully justified, they perceive they have somehow been wronged.

they perceive they have somehow been wronged. When we encounter this confrontational behavior, our best strategy should include getting curious about why the person is reacting this way to the situation. What is this person’s perception of the situation? What is causing them to respond in this way? What is really happening here? When we can set aside our immediate defensiveness and instead respond with curiosity around what the real issues might be, we become better able to listen to them with sincere interest. Curiosity not only helps us to identify potential solutions to the issue, it can also reduce the stress we feel during a difficult conversation—better for them, better for us.

Questioning Our Assumptions Most of us tend to make decisions based on assumptions, life experiences, and our view of the world. The fact is, we rarely question our assumptions (after all, we created them). Of course, our experience can be a good thing, but it can also mislead us at times. The key is realizing that you can consciously choose to change your thought patterns when you find yourself feeling challenged or confronted by someone.

If you’re responding defensively, stop and ask yourself: ■ Do I perceive danger in this situation?

■ If not, is their reaction about something I’ve done or said?

■ What’s contributing to their angry reaction in this situation?

■ Is

there something about this I don’t understand?

When we’re able to get curious about what is happening, it helps suspend our judgement and feelings of defensiveness regarding our perception of their message.

Asking clarifying questions demonstrates that you are listening to them and that you want to better understand their issue.

When we can change our mindset and mental approach to their hostility, it can lead to improved communication and may provide us with a greater likelihood of positively addressing their issue.

Hearing Others The fact of the matter is this: Everyone wants to be heard. It becomes our professional responsibility to take the high road in these difficult exchanges with customers. We are more effective when we can respond with curiosity instead of anger or defensiveness. There’s an additional benefit to us: We can learn to feel less anxiety about unpleasant interactions. The next time you encounter a hostile customer and you feel yourself reacting with defensiveness, stop and change your mindset to include genuine curiosity. After all, who doesn’t want to feel less stress and a greater sense of accomplishment? ◆

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CINDY CAMPBELL is IPMI’s senior training and development specialist. She is available for onsite and online training and professional development and can be reached at campbell@parking-mobility.org.

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 13

/ THE GREEN STANDARD

Getting Perspective on Projections for the EV Market and Industry Effects

By Rachel Yoka, CAPP, LEED AP BD+C

W

E TALK A LOT ABOUT ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EVs) and the state of the market.

Parking operations will probably not be running the show when it comes to driving adoption and more widespread use of electric vehicles. Automakers, federal and state requirements, and code will certainly play a central role in how that unfolds for our industry.

Preparing for the Future

Survey Says Here’s your sneak peek from the 2021 IPMI Industry Trends and Market Recovery Survey findings: Nearly 40 percent of respondents identified “electrification and demand for electric vehicle charging infrastructure and technology” and “anticipating the effects of connected and autonomous vehicles” as critical trends affecting our industry. That’s not surprising, given the current focus on “pressure to recover revenue from the COVID-19 crisis (40 percent).”

“Demand for parking revenue” and “pressure to generate new revenue streams” are also near the top of the list of trends and concerns (60 percent).

The industry’s shorter-term focus on revenue and recovery underlies our future success at expanding our worldview to create efficient multi-modal mobility systems, including preparing for more connected, electric, and autonomous vehicles.

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Resources We’ve shared a snapshot of a few of them here with a bit of insight from each: ■ For a global market summary: Electric vehicle trends.

Per Deloitte, “The sales of battery electric and plugin hybrid electric cars tipped over the two-­millionvehicle mark for the first time in 2019. …Take a new approach to market segmentation and exemplify how to seize opportunities and manage risks.”

This digital report is a great place to start to get a high-level overview by industry. The report identifies four considerations that will factor in global adoption: consumer sentiment, policy and regulation, OEM strategy and the role of corporate companies.

SHUTTERSTOCK / OLIVIER LE MOAL

That said, the increased adoption of EVs and the electrification of fleets will require parking, transportation, and mobility providers, both public and private, to alter operations and programs.

Here are a few questions for consideration as you think about how to do just that: ■ Do you intend to take a proactive or reactive approach to plan for electric vehicles (beyond the ­personal/commuter single-occupant vehicle)?

■ Will your focus be on charging infrastructure investment or partnering with private companies innovating in this space?

■ What are your resource constraints and competing priorities given limited resources, people power, and funding?

■ What indicators are you following and researching to make decisions about how and when to prioritize programming and infrastructure related to EVs? If you have these answers, I’ll be waiting by my laptop and phone! Our committees and task forces are activity engaging in research on these topics to provide a comprehensive perspective. Our volunteers provide some terrific resources for further reading.

■ Global

and regional indicators: McKinsey Electric Vehicle Index: Electric Vehicle Trends | McKinsey McKinsey’s analysis of global electric-vehicle markets addresses both challenges and opportunities. It’s proprietary Electric Vehicle Index (EVI) investigates 15 countries and shares global insights on regional differences, market share, and supply-chains.

■ For a U.S. perspective on timelines and phases : Electric Cars Are Coming. How Long Until They Rule the Road? This March 2021 graphic report from the New York Times explains how the timeline looks with a transition to more EVs while accommodating the current vehicles on the road, and the need to manage both over the next decades.

■ More on fleets and electrification: Integrating Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure into Commercial Buildings and MixedUse Communities: Design, Modeling, and Control Optimization

Opportunities: Preprint (nrel.gov). This NREL report dives into electrification of fleets and proposed code requirements.

■ IPMI’s summer Mobility & Innovation Summit on June 2930 will dive into this discussion as well during the session Pushing the Envelope on Electric Vehicles: Planning, Design, and Operational Impacts—be sure to attend to join in the live discussion and presentation on readying your operations for EVs. What are you reading to gain a better perspective? Feel free to pass it on! ◆ RACHEL YOKA, CAPP, LEED AP BD+C, is IPMI’s vice president of program development. She can be reached at yoka@parking-mobility.org.

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/ PARKING & MOBILITY SPOTLIGHT/AIRPORTS

Using Technology to Enhance Safety at Airport Parking Lots

By Ron Rich

T

ECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES HAVE CHANGED THE WAY we order coffee and pick up groceries. With just

a few quick taps on our smartphones, our orders are available and ready for pickup in seconds, just the way we like them. These everyday activities have become more efficient because of the investments businesses are making in technology.

These same digital improvements are now becoming the norm for airport parking. Operators and suppliers have made many advancements in infrastructure and processes to enhance our customers’ visits while creating a safer parking experience. The physical safety of customers and their vehicles has always been of the upmost importances, but customers’ own health and wellness have shifted to the forefront of their decisions.

Embracing a Touchless Experience Gone are the days of having to keep track of paper reservations. Mobile applications have transformed the way customers store their travel information—from hotel reservations to yes, airport parking reservations. This was on its way before COVID and has greatly accelerated as a result of the pandemic.

If your organization has not yet invested in a mobile application for your loyal customers, it may be the time.

Mobile application users are specifically benefiting the most from technology.

Smartphone pay is available so customers don’t need to see a cashier to check out and can have a safe touchless experience. Additionally, some apps offer a digital locator feature so customers can store their vehicle’s parking space number inside the app rather than referencing a physical card as they did in the past.

To create a truly touchless experience, QR codes (short for “quick response”) have been engaged to fully automate multiple touchpoints. This improvement has increased lot security, as it eliminates the possibility of customers losing paper tickets or mixing up paper tickets with other customers. Moreover, it increased customer safety, as customers can now enter and exit lots without needing to touch a button to print a ticket.

Whether or not your company has invested in a mobile app, implementing QR codes is a quick and simple technological update you can leverage now. QR codes can simplify processes and help customers avoid physical interactions to reduce any health exposure.

16 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

Safety and Health The Coronavirus pandemic encouraged the airport parking industry (among so many other industries) to enhance health and hygiene measures. Many operators invested heavily in sanitation stations and PPE for staff and customers in an effort to do their part to combat the pandemic while maintaining a pleasant and safe environment.

Along with other industry sectors, airport parking operators also introduced touchless check-in and checkout experiences. If your organization is considering revamping its technology capabilities, a telltale sign that it may be time to make changes is when workarounds or dead ends are being hit, or when you are making sacrifices on business developments due to your current systems. With technology constantly evolving, it should never restrict your company’s goals—it should empower them!

EXPERIENCE, RELIABILITY, COST EFFECTIVENESS

Seek Customer Feedback If your organization is looking for the best ways to invest in technology to enhance your customers’ experiences, begin with listening to what your parkers have to say. Regular surveys can be key to knowing what they’re thinking.

Tying surveys to individual transactions can help you understand employee and technology interactions, variables that affected an experience, and even the weather when a customer checked in and out. This helps process whether a guest’s comments, positive or constructive, were something unique to a specific location or moment, or an opportunity for improvement.

Regularly asking customers for feedback is an easy way for your organization to identify where to incorporate new technology. Customers will tell you exactly what they’re looking for. As an example, we found customers were experiencing sun glare on self-service kiosks. By isolating the surveys that provided this feedback, we could pinpoint the exact time of day the sun glare became a problem and implement preventative measures to block the glare during these hours.

MeyparUSA, innovative Parking Access and Revenue Control Systems manufacturer. We provide complete solutions tailored to your needs, with local support and complete service in the US. Every kind of parking facility imaginable, office buildings, hospitals, airports, mixeduse buildings, and high-volume lots. Everything in one place, we manufacture all of our hardware, and design and implement all of our software and firmware, including our on-cloud solution, Nexus. We seek to streamline and optimize control of your parking facility, its management, productivity, and security. Our differentiation and competitive advantages enable you to improve the level of service, while exploring new business opportunities.

Ask about our new touchless solutions.

SHUTTERSTOCK / SEAN PAVONE

Avoid Hurdles The phrase “crawl, walk, run” especially rings true when introducing new technology customers will use. When your business decides to incorporate ground-breaking technology, you don’t want that overshadowed with a poor implementation execution. Communicate any experience updates with your customers early and often, providing plenty of time for everyone to adjust to changes.

Technology enables the customer experience but educating and communicating with customers is even more important. Any automation and technology developments should always keep customer experience at the forefront, with a constant focus on improvements. ◆ RON RICH is chief information officer at The Parking Spot. He can be reached at rrich@ theparkingspot.com.

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PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 17

ASK

THE

EXPERTS We’ve learned a lot about resiliency the last year. What advice would you give someone to help them face an unexpected challenge with resiliency now?

Tiffany Peebles

Josh Cantor, CAPP

Executive Director Parking Authority of River City, Ky.

Director, Parking & Transportation George Mason University

It was once said that the only thing constant in life is change. The key to success must be to stay focused and steadfast and learn how to ride the waves of change by keeping your eye on the prize and adapting when and where necessary to win the race. Don’t get stuck—keep adjusting, improvising, and moving forward.

Life is about change but don’t lose focus of your goals, whether it’s at work or personally. Change can be scary but while I scoffed at this notion when I was younger, believing in yourself and being willing to take a chance can open more doors than you ever imagined.

Larry J. Cohen, CAPP Executive Director Lancaster Parking Authority The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us, both financially and operationally, that we should always be prepared for a worst-case scenario. Resiliency comes from these experiences, hopefully resulting in being better prepared in our contingency, continuity, and emergency plans.

Katherine Beaty

VP of Implementation TEZ Technology Focus on understanding the triggers that cause the need to be resilient and develop a strategy to deal with it in a healthy and productive manner. Flexibility, adaptability, and perseverance can help people tap into their resilience by changing certain thoughts and behaviors—we have learned that there is no playbook for maintaining emotional health during a multitude of challenges.

Pamela E. Chikhani General Manager SP Corporation Car Parking Management LLC The best advice I can give anyone on resilience is the faster you embrace change and act to implement it, the faster the recovery.

Resisting change never resulted in any positive outcome, whether internal such as management or process change, or external such as the most recent life-changing pandemic.

/ HAVE A QUESTION? Send it to editor@parking-mobility.org and watch this space for answers from the experts.

The opinions and thoughts expressed by the contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinions and viewpoints of the International Parking & Mobility Institute or official policies of IPMI.

18 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

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RESILIENCY I Learning to deal with unforeseen change is all about resiliency.

But how do we become more resilient?

By Ron Steedly, CAPP, MEd

L

ET ME START BY SAYING I LOVE MY TITLE

for this article. It reminded me of a dramatic scene in a 1973 movie involving green wafers that looked like Wheat Thins or Triscuits. Full disclosure, I was not compensated by Mondelēz International to name-drop their products.

To be sure, the world is changing at a rapid pace. I’m talking about the perfect storm of VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) and a rapid pace. This past year with COVID-19 and its unforeseen effect on everything worldwide is an excellent example that VUCA is here to stay.

Change, the VUCA way, seems to be the next normal, so we need to learn to deal with it. Did you catch that? Change is the next normal so how do we manage constant change?

Personal Experience Please take a moment to think about a personal VUCA or other change event you made it through. Jot down what it was about and what you did to get through it. It may have been easy or hard, but you did it. Ask yourself why. The answer is probably that you wanted and were willing to put in the work. The converse is also valid—why we have not been successful.

This has everything to do with our comfort zone and our willingness to push and extend its boundaries.

I remember back in the day, when the current state and future state were, for the most part, definable and the change necessary to move from the current state to the future state was doable and manageable. In my opinion, that situation rarely exists anymore. Planned change is too slow and if we do it that way, we will always be behind. We need to be agile and take action. I know it is frustrating when our current state, desired future state, and the required change in between are all on a sliding scale, but that seems to be the case more often than not.

20 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG SHUTTERSTOCK/ DAN LEAP/ KAI PHOTO VECTOR

IS

PEOPLE Change is the next normal.

So how do we manage constant change?

RESILIENCY IS PEOPLE

Successful Change

Change Adoption and Resiliency

According to Wikipedia:

Change is difficult, and our innate nature is that we do not want to change. I wrote an article awhile back for The Parking Professional that addressed adopter groups and how they respond to change. These groups are: ■ Innovators.

■ Early adopters.

■ Early majority.

■ Late majority.

■ Laggards.

We all fall into one of these depending on the change and our willingness to do it. It is important to know we have all fallen into all of these groups at one time or another. So how can you be a laggard one day and an innovator the next? Well, it depends on what it’s about and your willingness to embrace the change. It’s all about the mindset. It is all about resiliency.

We all have our working definition of resiliency.

Many likely include words and phrases from these examples I pulled of the Internet: ■ The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties (Google dictionary).

■ Psychologists define resilience as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress—such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors. (apa.org).

Change management is a collective term for all approaches to prepare, support, and help individuals, teams, and organizations in making organizational change. Drivers of change may include the ongoing evolution of technology, internal reviews of processes, crisis response, customer demand changes, competitive pressure, acquisitions and mergers, and organizational restructuring.

I find it ironic that management consulting company McKinsey and Company, which developed a change management model in 1982, recognizes that 70 percent of change initiatives fail. Why is that? It is not about the model or the process. It has everything to do with the people. Our desire to resist rather than embrace change in our exponentially changing world affects us on a personal level through our physical and mental wellness. On a business/organizational level, it limits our ability to adjust, thereby affecting our desired outcomes.

We experience events when we come out on the other side better than when we started. When I say “we,” I mean as people. When we do it as people, we do it collectively as an organization. So how did we manage to come out better dealing with this change?

As leaders, I challenge you to identify your resilience muscles’ current state and develop a workout plan to get stronger and resilient fit.

SHUTTERSTOCK/ MONSTER ZTUDIO

22 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

■ Resiliency is the ability to overcome challenges of all

kinds-trauma, tragedy, personal crises, plain ‘ole life problems-and bounce back stronger, wiser, and more personally powerful. It’s important because this is what we need to do when faced with life’s inevitable difficulties. (resiliency.com).

■ Resilience is the psychological quality that allows some people to be knocked down by the adversities of life and come back at least as strong as before. (psychologytoday.com).

The Aha Moment Let me break it down for you how I did for myself when I had my aha moment: ■ My current state is excellent and I do not need an unplanned future state.

■ I have a new current state due to some unexpected change (regular or VUCA) to my current state.

■ I have an unplanned need for a future state (same as my old current state or different and better).

■ The gap between the new current state and the desired future state requires change, and change equals stress.

■ Dig deep using my “resilience” skill set to get to my new desired future state.

My aha moment was realizing resilience is required to help people deal with the unexpected and the unplanned change needs of life. If that skill set helps with the unexpected and unplanned changes, it can surely help when expected and planned.

Here’s the good news. We have all been resilient at one time or another. The skill set necessary to be resilient is in every one of us. We need to intentionally identify the traits, characteristics, skills, etc., that make one resilient and exercise them. They become muscle memory and easier to call on when we need them. We then need to decide to use those muscles more often than not.

As leaders, I challenge you to identify your resilience muscles’ current state and develop a workout plan to get stronger and resilient fit. Commit to becoming a certified resilience fitness trainer and train those in your care to be resilient fit. Our organizations can be resilient if each member is resilient before we need it.

The best part is we do not need to do this alone. Take care of those in your care, and the organization will automatically be cared for by all.

Resiliency is people, so let’s tap into what is already there and succeed together. ◆

Resiliency as Innovation

R

ESILIENCY IS JUST ONE OF THE SKILLS parking and mobility professionals will need as the industry recovers from COVID-19 and advances forward—and it’ll be a long-term requirement for success.

Ron Steedly, CAPP, MEd, will present on resiliency as part of a panel of industry professionals during IPMI’s summer Mobility & Innovation Summit, June 29-30, online.

No matter where you are or what your position is in the industry, it’s your chance to collaborate with the brightest minds in mobility, transportation, and parking. Connect with innovators, start-ups, and industry veterans as we tackle the toughest challenges and prepare you and your organization to rethink the way people get from place to place to stay ahead of demands and trends.

Topics include resiliency along with: – The Mobility Landscape and the Role of Transit and Parking.

– Pilots, Data, and Real-Life Outcomes at the Curb and in our Facilities.

– Pushing the Envelope on Electric Vehicles: Planning, Design, and Operational Impacts.

– Closing the Gap: Innovation in the Mobility Space Meets Policy & Regulatory Frameworks.

– Frictionless Parking: Smoothing out the Edges for a Seamless Mobility Experience.

– Integrating Data for Effective Collaboration: APDS Outlook and Applications for our Industry.

Members can take advantage of early-bird rates through June 7: $79 for one person and $199 for teams of up to five from the same organization. Get all the details, start writing down your questions for chat, and save your seat—click here.

RON STEEDLY, CAPP, MEd, is manager of transportation services at Texas A&M University. He’ll present on this topic during the summer IPMI Mobility & Innovation Summit, online, June 29-30, and can be reached at rsteedly@tamu.edu.

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 23

a PRIMER Never more popular, tiny park spaces are seeing more use than ever next to the curb. Here’s everything you need to know to launch a parklet program in your operation.

By Jonathan Wicks, CAPP, and Chrissy Mancini Nichols

I

F THE CURB IS THE GATEWAY TO YOUR CITY,

then a parklet might be a business’s front porch. What are some design considerations for creating safe and comfortable parklets to

visit with family and friends? Read on to find out what you might want to consider for your parklet program planning.

General Considerations Parklets generally entail the conversion of one or more parallel or angled parking spaces. The number of spaces varies according to the site, context, and desired character of the installation. A parklet can serve one or multiple businesses depending on what’s desired as your city or campus allows. Safety elements at the outside corners of the parklet, such as flexible posts or bollards, alert drivers to the presence of a parklet, which may not have existed the last time they parked in this neighborhood. Wheel stops installed on either end of the parklet also serve as a buffer between parking and sitting spaces.

24 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

on parklets

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 25

Streets maintain drainage so parklets must maintain stormwater drainage to curbs. A parklet flush with the curb (no more than 1/2-inch gap), level with the adjacent sidewalk, and accessible at several locations by pedestrians may be accessible without the addition of a ramp. Minimize horizontal and vertical gaps between the curb and the parklet surface to have a seamless connection with the existing curb to meet ADA requirements. Additional street design elements such as fire hydrants, transit stops, driveways, manholes, or public utility valves/covers will also need clearance.

Sight Line Elements Avoid creating a buffer or obstacles in between the outside edge and railings where sightlines are needed for pedestrians to safely enter and exit the space. In no

case shall any portion of the parklet, or any furniture placed upon it, obstruct the view of a traffic control device. Provide sufficient space and gaps to allow for fire department to be able to attack a fire in the adjacent buildings is critical. Check with the local fire department for requirements.

A one-foot setback from the edge of an adjacent bike lane or vehicle travel lane creates an edge to buffer the street. This edge can take the form of planters, railing, cabling, or some other appropriate buffer. The height and scale of the buffer required will vary depending on the site’s context. The parklet frame should be a freestanding structural foundation that rests on the street surface or curb. No features or structural components may be permanently attached to the street, curb, or adjacent planting strip. Parklets must

26 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

be designed for ADA compliance and shall be easily removable if/when necessary.

Single-level parklets shall only be installed on streets with a grade less than 5 percent. Multi-level parklets can handle steeper grades but will need at least one accessible entryway. In general, parklets should be placed at least one parking space from corners. The presence of a bulb-out, an on-street bicycle corral, or some other physical barrier may allow placement closer than that. Parklets shall be placed no closer than 15 feet from catch basins or fire hydrants.

The parklet design must ensure visibility to passing traffic and pedestrians and not create a visual barrier. The parklet shall maintain a visual connection to the street. The parklet should have a notable, defined edge along the side of the parklet facing the roadway and adjacent parking stalls to protect parklet users from moving traffic. This can be accomplished via a continuous railing, planter, fence, or similar structure. The height of the outside wall is dependent on the context but should be between 30 inches minimum on the street side to a maximum of 42 inches. A minimum 1-foot buffer should be maintained between the parklet features and the travel lane to increase safety adjacent to moving traffic.

Parklets in Loading Zones or Short-term Spaces If you are considering putting a parklet or streatery in a loading zone or other specialty designated space, it is recommended you first look for a nearby location to move that zone and then notify other businesses on the block of your desire to do so. Consideration can be given to removing the special zone with acknowledgment from the impacted block’s other property managers,

owners, street-level businesses, and/or residential property associations. There may be a public hearing requirement in some jurisdictions for the removal of special zones.

Parklet Amenities

Seating

All parklets are encouraged to provide built-in seating, which can be integrated in a variety of creative ways. These seats can be a part of the structure, planters, or creative features within the parklet. Comfortable places to sit are important to creating welcoming and inviting public spaces. Additional movable seating is recommended as well. This seating can be removed and stored at the end of the day or locked with cables to the parklet structure.

Landscaping

Your parklet should consider some type of landscaping. Landscape plantings help soften the space and can serve as a pleasant buffer along the street-facing edge. Landscape elements may be incorporated as planter boxes, hanging planters, green walls, raised beds, or similar features. Drought-tolerant and native plants are good choices for ease of maintenance. Edible plants and plants with fragrance, texture, and seasonal interest are also recommended.

Signs

Jurisdictions should consider requiring signage indicating the space is public. In the case of streateries, the sign must explain the hours when the streatery is for the use of the adjacent business and when it’s available to the general public. These signs should be mounted to both ends of the parklet and should be

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 27

A PREMIER ON PARKLETS

visible from the adjacent sidewalk. Signs acknowledging sponsorship, logos, or designs that “brand” the parklet must comply with local codes or regulations.

Heating and Gas Power

Outdoor heaters and elements that use gas or propane fuel can help to make your parklet more comfortable throughout the year. Heating and gas-powered features are allowed in parklets/ streateries but will require an additional permit.

Lighting

Lighting is allowed but may require a permit, depending on what you propose. Self-contained low-voltage systems, such as solar or battery-powered lights, are a good choice. Decorative or seasonal lighting may be allowed in street trees near the parklet.

■ Fire hydrants and Fire Department connections on adjacent

buildings.

■ Street furniture (litter cans, benches, etc.).

■ Street trees, including tree surrounds.

■ Sidewalk and street grade elevations.

■ Parklet dimensions.

■ Parklet materials and details as necessary.

■ Parklet planting plan.

■ Flexible delineator posts and wheel stops.

■ Material, design elements, or other proposed features.

Learn more about parklets, including design and other considerations, in an IPMI Education Development Committee video here. ◆

Plan Submittal Elements Plans should include sufficient detail as to allow for adequate review. Consider including these items on plan submittals and permit applications: ■ Location on the street.

■ Street and sidewalk utilities (i.e., manholes, water valves, etc.).

■ Street poles and signs.

JONATHAN WICKS, CAPP, is a project manager with Walker Consultants. He can be reached at jwicks@ walkerconsultants.com.

CHRISSY MANCINI NICHOLS is lead, curb management and mobility, with Walker Consultants. She can be reached at cmancini@walkerconsultants.com.

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Early Member Rate: $79 Early Team Registration: $199 Rates go up June 8!

The Case for Exclu

By Jim Corbett, CAPP

C

ITIES should increasingly

consider whether now is the time to switch from an on-street parking program that features metered parking or a combination of metered parking and pay-by-cell phone to a program that requires all parking payments be made by cell phone. Cities can save significant expense including capital and maintenance costs and the costs to collect and account for coinage, plus avoid shrinkage from compromised revenue controls.

Capital costs to meter an on-street parking space typically range from $800 to $1,200 for the meter, pole and housing or kiosk, signage, and installation.

Depending on the size of the system, significant dollars spent on operating expenses could be saved.

This is relevant in a time where parking volumes

30 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

SHUTTERSTOCK/ WANPATSORN/ SABA VECTOR

uslve Pay-by-Cell

and John Dorsett, AICP

and subsequent revenues are down, and cities are scrambling to balance operating budgets.

Pay-by-cell provides a higher level of customer service than parking meters. Visitors do not have to fumble for coins. Pay-by-cell allows contactless payment, a desirable feature during a pandemic. Time can be added to the parking session remotely and without a visit to the parking space. Payment can be made from the comfort and security of one’s personal vehicle as opposed to standing on the street.

There are several arguments for not making the change, but these arguments are diminishing with time and may no longer be valid reasons for cities to not take the plunge and enjoy the cost savings and improved customer service levels that pay-by-cell phone offers. Concerns include the fact that pay-bycell can be a frustrating experience for the “technology-challenged” among us and also requires that one have a cell phone. The following counterarguments are offered to those who may advocate for the status quo: ■ Cell phone ownership and smartphone usage are at all-time highs and ownership differences by income cohort and ethnic groups are immaterial.

■ While a small percentage of people are unable to secure the credit required for a cellular phone,

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 31

THE CASE FOR EXCLUSLVE PAY-BY-CELL

many of these same people are also not car owners and therefore do not need a parking space; also, in larger cities, car ownership ratios are lower.

■ An even smaller percentage of this demographic are patronizing commercial business districts that require payment for parking.

■ If payment by cell phone is not possible, visitors can find plenty of available parking off street, and typically at a lower cost, or they can perhaps buy a gift card at a local drug store that would allow them to pay for parking by card.

■ Of those 49 years of age or younger, 92-99 percent1 own ­smartphones—a large percentage of the 8 percent who do not own smartphones are not likely to do business in an urbanized commercial district and park on street or they are not likely to own a car.

■ If you don’t have a smartphone, how likely is it that you are going to be someone who patronizes a business in an urbanized commercial district and must park on street?

■ Pay by phone has been around for two decades and is well established. The three primary U.S. pay-by-cell phone providers of ParkMobile, Passport, and PayByPhone reported that they have installations in an estimated 1,000 U.S. cities.

■ City administrators and elected officials owe it to tax-paying constituents to exercise financial prudence and not unreasonably spend unnecessarily to benefit a very small minority, especially when other options exist.

Pay-by-cell phone has been proven to be effective and the arguments for parking meters and against exclusive pay-by-cell phone are dwindling. This discussion explains why and how this shift is occurring.

marked on the street, meter, sign or space. Then the motorist can either call the pay-by-cell phone service provider (via a tollfree number) or use their mobile application.

The motorist must identify their parking zone or parking space number and communicate this information to the pay-bycell phone provider via phone operator or mobile application.

When calling the pay-by-cell phone operator, the motorist will be guided through the registration process to include communicating vehicle and credit card information. Once completed, the motorist’s mobile phone number will then be associated with the account for future parking sessions. Prior to activating the parking session, an opportunity to confirm the duration of stay, applicable charges, and correct vehicle license plate information will ensue before the motorist completes the transaction.

Mobile text reminders may be programmed to notify the motorist when their parking session is about to expire. In the event a motorist needs more parking time, an option to extend the parking session may be executed with parking systems that support this option. Extended parking sessions may be initiated using the prevailing rate structure.

Prevalence of On-Street Parking Pay-by-cell Phone Fifty U.S. state capital cities were surveyed to identify the presence of on-street parking payment by cellular phone. This sample data set represents a wide variety of U.S. cities including some large cities with large footprints and dense vertical downtown urban environments such as Atlanta, Denver, Nashville,

What Is Pay-by-cell Phone and How Does It Work?

Mobile payments have been around for two decades and are a proven and widespread payment method. In 2000, a patent for mobile payment technology was granted in the U.S.,2 enabling a motorist to pay for parking charges using a mobile network provider and mobile payment application. Most pay-by-cell phone solutions require pre-registration, including the need to provide either a credit card for parking charges or the use of a credit card to pre-load a prepaid account. Typical information required upon registration includes data such as the mobile phone number(s) that the motorist wishes to use to initiate the parking session, license plate information of the vehicle(s) that the motorist wishes to utilize and credit card information.

To activate a parking session, the motorist must first arrive at a designated pay-by-cell phone parking area. For the service to be available, the operator of the parking space, whether a city or a private owner, must have contracted with the pay-by-cell phone service provider. If the service is available it will be clearly 32 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

SHUTTERSTOCK/ EHRACH

Figure 1: Percentage of U.S Adults Who Own a Cell Phone Versus a Smartphone 100 90 80

Cellphone

70 60

Smartphone

50

Factors and Considerations for On-Street Pay-by-Cell Phone Exclusivity

40 30 20 10 0

and others with small footprints and two- to three-story buildings such as Cheyenne, Pierre, and Helena.

The results of the survey revealed that 7 of the 50 cities do not charge for on-street parking. Of the 43 cities that do charge for on-street parking, 33 offer on-street parking payment via cellular phone app. One city does not yet but is in the process of introducing the service. With this additional city, 79 percent of the capital cities that charge for on-street parking, offer payment by cellular phone.

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER; SURVEYS CONDUCTED 2002-2019

Table 1: Percentage of U.S. Adults Who Own the Following Devices

Category

Any cellphone

Cellphone, but not Smartphone smartphone

Total

96%

81%

15%

Men

98%

84%

14%

Women

95%

79%

16%

Ages 18–29

99%

96%

4%

Ages 30–49

99%

92%

6%

Ages 50–64

95%

79%

17%

Ages 65+

91%

53%

39%

White

96%

82%

14%

Black

98%

80%

17%

Hispanic

96%

79%

17%

Less than high school graduate

92%

66%

25%

High school graduate

96%

72%

24%

Some college

96%

85%

11%

College graduate

98%

91%

7%

Less than $30,000

95%

71%

23%

$30,000–$49,000

96%

78%

18%

$50,000–$74,000

98%

90%

8%

100%

95%

5%

Urban

97%

83%

13%

Suburban

96%

83%

13%

Rural

95%

71%

24%

$75,000

SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER; SURVEY CONDUCTED JANUARY 8TH THROUGH FEBRUARY 7, 2019

The vast majority of Americans—96 percent—now own a cell phone of some kind. The share of Americans that own smartphones, a form of a cell phone, is now 81 percent, up from just 35 percent in Pew Research Center’s first 2011 survey of smartphone ownership. Along with mobile phones, U.S. citizens own a range of other information devices. For example, nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults now own desktop or laptop computers, while roughly half now own tablet computers and roughly half own e-reader devices.3 Mobile payments continue to trend in the U.S. smartphone market, as the penetration of smartphone payment services is projected to reach more than 30 percent of U.S. smartphone users.4 Smartphone ownership is immaterially lower for lower income groups and the 65+ age group. While the U.S. numbers continue to grow across age groups, persons of the 65+ age group are most likely not to have access to a smartphone.

Arguments for Pay-by-Cell Exclusively ■ Cost savings to city—no parking meters needed; no cash collec-

tions, no coin jams or malfunctioning meters, no meter maintenance or repairs, and no ongoing SaaS (Software as a Service) subscription services.

■ Staff may be repurposed for other essential city service needs.

■ More efficient cash controls with the removal of manual cash handling.

■ Enhanced public safety of motorist initiating their transaction in a secured and sheltered environment of their personal vehicle.

■ Reduced liability in the form of less coins collected and temporarily housed in on-street meters.

■ Motorist ease of adding time to their parking session while away from their parked vehicle.

■ Inability to piggyback on prepaid time when using single-space meters.

■ Eliminates motorist frustration with the requirement to carry coins to pay for parking.

■ Allows for the reservation of parking sessions in many paid parking environments.

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 33

THE CASE FOR EXCLUSLVE PAY-BY-CELL

Arguments Against Pay-by-Cell Exclusively ■ Requires motorist to use cell phone; and may be difficult for

some who are technology-challenged.

■ Fear of sharing and storing personal data with a third-party

app provider; and fear of identity theft.

■ A percentage of the general population do not have the ability

to place a credit card account on file with the mobile application provider for payment privileges.

Systematic Approach to Successful Implementation of Pay-By-Phone Exclusivity A successful implementation of a pay-by-cell program requires the consumer’s willingness to adopt this method of payment for parking transactions. In recent years we have seen many communities implement a pay-by-cell solution as an alternative payment method to single and multi-space meter payment options.

In a few instances, municipalities have made the operational leap from a single-space, coin-only parking meter, to the addition of a pay-by-cell solution. Usually, this implementation comes as a result of a neighboring municipality’s successful implementation and adoption, creating political pressure for other municipal agencies to follow. We find this common approach instrumental in our short list of recommendations for a successful implementation of an exclusive pay-by-cell program.

Attrition Approach As the operation and utilization of multi-space meters decline throughout certain areas of downtowns, consider downsizing physical parking meter assets and repurposing inventory to push motorists to use the pay-by-cell option versus the meter option.

Requiring a behavioral change, motorists may be willing to use the pay-by-cell option if it means they do not have to walk out of the way to find the next available parking kiosk.

Destination District Approach Frequent and popular destination districts, otherwise known as entertainment and recreation districts, will often provide an opportunity to introduce new technology solutions. Users of these districts generally want quick and easy access to parking options to allow more immediate access to enjoying the amenities the district has to offer. The absence of parking kiosks and single-space meters will most likely enhance the look and feel of the pedestrian pathways within the district.

On-Street Program Expansion Approach Procurement of additional meters to expand an on-street parking program typically requires a capital funding plan with a justified return on investment analysis. Expanding an on-street program with a pay-by-cell only strategy substantially reduces the capital 34 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

funding to the simple cost of adding an instructional sign package and promotional advertisement. Implementation of this type of program expansion may also occur in much shorter time frame.

Parking Benefit District Approach Parking Benefit Districts are designed to charge a fee for a motorist to park on street only to have the proceeds from their parking transaction used to make various infrastructure improvements such as street sweeping, tree planting and trimming, sidewalk and street repair, street lighting, graffiti removal, historic preservation, or simply putting overhead utility wires underground. Use of a pay-by-cell only program contributes to the unique branding efforts of the district and allows the revenues to be electronically tracked, appropriated and spent using a secure tracking environment, free from cash handling discrepancies and mishaps.

Arena and Performing Arts Center District Approach Typically, these types of districts allow an opportunity for motorists and event attendees to receive the benefit of promotional advertising and venue discounts with their payment transaction.

Motorists completing a pay-by-cell parking transaction may be eligible to receive a venue discount for food and beverage or team and gift shop purchases when paying to park during pre-event hours.

Transit Corridor Approach Municipal streets providing heavy transit use may consider the need to incorporate a pay-by-cell only program to reduce rightof-way obstruction and prevent the ability for motorists to pay for parking during restricted hours. Integrating a pay-by-cell solution with this business rule may also be tied to a pay-by-cell parking guidance solution to inform the motorist when a parking space is available for use. ◆ JIM CORBETT, CAPP, is director of studies for Walker Consultants. He can be reached at jcorbett@ walkerconsultants.com.

JOHN DORSETT, AICP, is senior vide president for Walker Consultants. He can be reached at jdorsett@ walkerconsultants.com.

REFERENCES 1. https://www.google.com/amp/s/9to5mac.com/2018/09/30/pew-data-smartphoneownership/amp/ 2. https://patents.google.com/patent/US20020073027A1/en 3. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/ 4. https://www.statista.com/topics/2711/ us-smartphone-market/#dossierSummary__chapter1

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, N O I T A , N O I T A R O LAB tup r a t s a e ing lik k ver. n i e h n t a y h h t t W rtan o p m i e r is mo E R FUTU OPINIO

N

By Elizab

eth Zeala

n

ich ar, and M m u r F k r d, Ma

elle McD

onald

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”

—ALBERT EINSTEIN

A

DRIVE-THROUGH OPERA

performance in a parking garage in Chicago? Safe curbside food pickups from your favorite restaurant? Repurposed parking lots into pop-up kitchens supporting local restaurants and delivery services? Huge surges in contactless payment options? New digitized curbsides and mapping technology?

It is clear to see how innovative and adaptive thinkers are revolutionizing the parking and mobility space. This way of thinking goes hand in hand with why thinking like a startup is so important.

Several years ago, one of this article’s authors (Elizabeth) was fortunate to grow a career working in the state and federal government in Australia. This meant driving large-scale mobility and transportation initiatives in the customer experience space, to improve a more seamless journey for millions of daily commuters in the Greater Sydney region.

It wasn’t until 2016, after seeing a gap in the market for the need to digitize curbsides, parking garages, lots, and university campuses that she decided to trade the corporate life and founded a startup, Spot Parking. Being one of a scarce number of CEOs who doesn’t own a car yet runs a technology parking company translates into never a dull moment working in this ever-changing industry. During the past 5 years, she has seen firsthand the benefits of being agile, innovative, and swift moving to work on collaboration projects with organizations.

Let’s unpack this some more: why is thinking like a startup is so important?

Here are some key reflections and observations after moving from working in government to startups.

■ Experiments can reduce, not increase risk.

■ Get out of the building.

■ Move faster.

■ Create proof-of-value opportunities.

■ Procure for outcome not process.

SHUTTERSTOCK/ KISELEV ANDREY VALEREVICH

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 37

le to Curbside assets are too valuab

simply be used

for single, private-use parking, and asset owners need to be

more innovative in their thinking around asset utilization.

The Philosophy of a Startup The philosophy of a startup is to test things before they are ready with customers, a view which often does not sit well with government risk appetites, but can often be managed successfully through targeted communication and test groups. The greatest value to a startup is having the product tested in a live environment and seeing if we are solving the problems we think we are.

Many cities and universities don’t realize the unique opportunities of partnering with a startup or emerging technologies.

Beyond the benefits of working in an agile and often breakthrough way, there are many private and government incentives to support cities and universities to partner with emerging tech, including grants, live labs and smart city alliance projects.

It is important to note that procurement documents and specifications are often written in isolation of emerging technology and are out of date by the time the tender is written. While pilots are a great way to experiment, it’s important to consider: What happens if this goes really well? What is the future path forward that doesn’t stop the momentum?

One barrier to effective engagement with startups is the decision-making time cycle and the lack of emerging industry consultation. Cities and universities that are most successful are proactive with tech communities, startups, incubators and smart city communities and get out of the building, actually using their own products and services and learning from these experiences.

Elizabeth experienced the get-out-of-the-building phenomenon rolling out a Sydney-wide transport ticketing system cutover.

After endless assurances that the technology was in place and working, she traveled around on the rail network using it herself—only to find several glitches not previously surfaced!

It is surprising how often people don’t use their own technology as a customer, or even try and find information from their own websites. Don’t leave it to the technologists or product managers to improve your product—walk through your business in the customers’ shoes regularly.

Create Proof of Value Opportunities Innovation challenges and projects can hold immense value if they are constructed to be leveraged for multiple use (such as smart cities, health and university campuses, airports and the like), and include open-data applications and learnings to inform larger procurements.

It is important for large, established companies providing transportation services to look at collaboration with startups 38 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

to add value to their existing contracts, as they often don’t have a team size (or the current capacity) to conduct specific and unique projects. Rather, a more viable option is to outsource and drive a project with startups, as these small to medium-sized enterprises can deliver key parts of projects much quicker re: the speed of execution.

For many, now is the time to engage in these types of initiatives. The U.S. is in a unique limbo state, not quite open entirely, yet bracing for new changes in driver habits, mobility, and parking demands.

Procurement strategies that drive collaboration with startups include: ■ Innovation KPIs in existing contracts.

■ Live labs & hackathons.

■ Innovation proposals.

■ Unsolicited proposals.

■ Be the willing customer for tech vouchers, MVP, grants, test beds, pilots.

■ Industry collaboration—can the “usual suspects” partner with new and different resources.

■ Shared infrastructure—within and without cities and universities.

As they say, you don’t know what you don’t know and you won’t always find the best solution through traditional procurement. A fresh perspective through the lens of a startup could be exactly what you’re looking for.

Pillars In the past 12 months, we have seen numerous developments within the industry of parking and mobility. Change is occurring rapidly due to technological developments, a growing demand for sustainability and the pressing need for flexibility. The future of parking and mobility not only promises of innovations that will ease the ordeal of parking for the user, but also promises a bright future of possibilities to thrive for the parking provider.

Three emerging pillars for parking and mobility: Frictionless—contactless, end-to-end solutions where parking spaces can be pre-planned and pre-booked, with driver guidance to the space, and paid for digitally.

Sustainable—increase in curb usage for mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) strategies to reduce single private vehicle use, and use of parking as a carrot for EV usage and rideshare.

Connected—integration of different technologies through IoT for better prediction, analytics, and real time-data.

In a perfect world, digital infrastructure will allow anybody to search, find, understand, and pay for curbside use directly from our car, phone, or wearable device.

Through key data-first insights parking providers can better model capacity and utilization. Such capabilities can be extended to allow cities and traffic planners to better shape their curbside assets. Ride-hail, rice-share, carpool, and autonomous shuttles (COVID notwithstanding) will need priority curbside space to operate effective first- and last-mile solutions. The ability to change curbside rules rapidly and communicate them to the public using digital infrastructure will be crucial to MaaS initiatives. For example, during events drop off-only zones can be created where paid street parking typically exists.

Green initiatives will continue in the parking industry from environmentally friendly power sources and green building material to the overall push to reduce emissions.

COVID-19 showed a rethink of curb use. On- and off-street parking spaces became COVID drive-through testing centers, outdoor dining areas, storage facilities, pickup and dropoff zones, community performance spaces, and mobility zones. Curbside assets are too valuable to simply be used for single, private-use parking, and asset owners need to be more innovative in their thinking around asset utilization.

In this rapidly changing world, all industries have been affected by innovation and evolving consumer demands. It has never been as important to ensure that your operations stay current in this market place.

The journey’s end is a great place to start.

“There can be no life without change, and to be afraid of what is different or unfamiliar is to be afraid of life.” —Theodore ­Roosevelt. ◆ ELIZABETH ZEALAND is CEO and founder at Spot Parking. She can be reached at elizabeth@spotparking.us.

MARK FRUMAR is general manager, North America for Spot Parking. He can be reached at mark@ spotparking.us.

MICHELLE MCDONALD is business development lead for Spot Parking. She can be reached at michelle@ spotparking.us.

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 39

by the

Numbers As the parking and mobility industry recovers, Parking & Mobility will publish the latest regional parking statistics in every other issue.

This month’s numbers: Data and graphs provided by Smarking

North America Off-Street Garages YoY Demand

North America On-Street Garages YoY Demand 0

% Change 2021 vs 2020

% Change 2021 vs 2020

0

-20

-40

-60 1/4

1 1/1

8 1/1

5 1/2

2/1

2/8

5 2/1

2 2/2

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-60 3/1

3/8

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1 1/1

8 1/1

5 1/2

Week of

5 2/1

2 2/2

3/1

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Southwest Off-Street Garages YoY Demand

West Region Off-Street Garages YoY Demand 0

% Change 2021 vs 2020

% Change 2021 vs 2020

2/8

Week of

0

-20

-40

-60

-20

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-80

-80 1/4

1 1/1

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5 1/2

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Midwest Off-Street Garages YoY Demand

Northeast Off-Street Garages YoY Demand 0

% Change 2021 vs 2020

0

% Change 2021 vs 2020

2/1

-20

-40

-60 1/4

1 1/1

8 1/1

5 1/2

2/1

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-60 3/1

3/8

1/4

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Week of

Sample Sizes: North America—540+, West—200+, Southwest—240+, Midwest—60+, Northeast—90+

40 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

8 1/1

5 1/2

2/1

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Week of

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IN

short

Highlights from the IPMI Blog

What Is That New Normal?

By Brett Wood, CAPP, PE For the past 12 months, we have been pontificating about what the postpandemic world might look like: ● Would we all just work from home forever? ● Would we have all of our goods delivered out of convenience? ● Would the state of our downtowns and campuses forever be shifted? ● Would people even commute and park anymore?

If you talked to some people this time one year ago (me included), you’d have thought the new environment would be a completely different world than the “before times,” while other people were convinced we would bounce back and go right back to where we were. And as with everything in life, the answer likely lies somewhere in the middle: A little bit of good from the before, a little bit of good from the quarantine days, and you find yourself in a postpandemic world that begins to reshape life without radically transforming our industry’s landscape.

I’ve had the good fortune of doing some interesting work with several programs over the past few months, evaluating what change was beginning to look like– analyzing data and patterns about how people were commuting and parking and what those shifts taught us. As the country opened up further and further in the summer and fall of 2020, we began to see more people come back into the office or emerge for destinationbased trips. And as we’ve entered into 2021, we can begin to start seeing some of the patterns that will

shape our industry, including hybrid work models (two to three days per week in the office) that create alternative commute patterns Shifts in demand peaks, like higher demand levels in the evening for destination-based demands (restaurants and entertainment districts), are likely different in every community. As a parking program manager, it’s critical to begin looking deeper into your data now to understand how the new demand patterns will affect your programs, policies, and practices. Begin to review permit patron patterns: How often are they coming in and when are they coming in? Look at transient patterns: When do they occur and how does this compare to similar times in 2019?

Looking at how those shifts are occurring can begin to help you shape what you offer your patrons and how you manage your system. And as the country returns to a more stable activity pattern, you will be prepared to define what the new normal is for your program to serve the community around you.

BRETT WOOD, CAPP, PE, is president of Wood Solutions Group.

Ready for more? Read IPMI’s blog every business day in your daily Forum digest email (10 a.m. Eastern) or at parking-mobility.org/blog.

Have something to say? Send post submissions to editor Kim Fernandez at fernandez@parking-mobility.org.

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 41

The Silver Lining of Gathering Virtually

By Josh Cantor, CAPP I recently had the opportunity to participate in an active transportation summit hosted by my office and coordinated with 11 other regional organizations. While the all-day Zoom meeting may have been more complicated to coordinate than the in-person conference we initially had planned, I came away thinking how this virtual environment brought us an opportunity we could not have replicated in person. For starters, we had speakers from around the state and the country who may not have been able to come to Fairfax, Va., all at the same time. We had a great mix of speakers, panelists, and moderators, including state elected officials, mayors, county supervisors, local and state transportation officials, and even a local television reporter.

One of the highlights was a presentation by Charles T. Brown with Equitable Cities, who addressed the attendees about “Arrested Mobility,” and the effects of social, political,

economic, and health outcomes on BIPOC as it relates to equity in transportation.

Out of the disappointment of not being able to host an in-person conference came this creation of a virtual summit that was larger and more diverse, both in content and participants, which drew together so many dedicated and passionate experts in active transportation. We connected people who might not otherwise have a chance to be together to advocate for topics such as bicycling and walking, safety, and more livable communities.

This effort re-energized me and hopefully hundreds of others for what we can do in the transportation community and the responsibility we have to serve the needs of our communities.

JOSH CANTOR, CAPP, is director, parking and transportation, at George Mason University and a member of IPMI’s Board of

Directors.

Time to Re-think the Goals of Transit

By Lesli Stone, CAPP I was recently listening to an NPR Podcast, All Things Considered, where the topic was “What is the Future of Public Transit in the U.S.?” There were a lot of great points made in reference to system budget deficits and what relief could be expected.

The discussion continued with the expected, well-thought-out arguments regarding service cuts being a result of lower ridership–the resulting reduced service being a catalyst for even lower ridership, and the death spiral continues.

Then I heard the following: “One of the problems we have is that we’re very focused on maintaining the status quo. Everything about the investments we make in our transportation system are ensuring that people can continue to get around in the same ways that they did, you know, 10 years ago. And so for the most part, the transit options we’ve been giving people have been very similar year in, year out. And many of the support programs that have been announced during

the COVID crisis have been about maintaining that status quo.” Yonah Freemark, Urban Institute.

What if we are doing it wrong?

What if our “new normal” requires a new way of thinking about an old problem? The morning commute now looks very different for many people. Our choice travel destinations are no longer the same.

Maybe now is the time to think about transit in a very basic way.

Who is going places and where, exactly, are they going? How can we help them get their safely and conveniently? How can we help them plan their trip?

Before we can decide what the future of transit in the U.S. actually is, we probably need to decide if the status quo is actually what we are aiming for. If so, then we should feel free to carry on. If not? We should redefine the actual problem that we are trying to solve.

LESLI STONE, CAPP, is general manager at National Express Transit Corporation.

42 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

/ Propark Mobility’s Luis Garcia to Lead University, Campus, Municipality, and Stadium Initiatives PROPARK MOBILITY announced that Luis Garcia, senior vice president of mobility for the company’s mobility sector, will now lead its university, corporate campus, municipality, and stadium divisions.

“For more than a decade, Luis has contributed to Propark’s growth across a variety of verticals on the West Coast,” says Rick DiPietro, president of Propark. “Even amidst one of the most challenging economic times in our country, he has driven growth within the mobility sector, making us confident that, under his leadership, our university, corporate campus, municipality, and stadium divisions will continue to thrive.”

Throughout his tenure at Propark, Garcia has been a leader of the company’s mobility initiatives, previously implementing a suite of mobility programs at Google’s Corporate Headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. In his first year as

senior vice president of operations, he developed Propark’s business model to respond to the changing landscape of the parking industry. Now, Garcia will leverage his mobility expertise and operations experience to further enhance services within Propark’s university, campus, municipality, and stadium divisions.

“Luis has been a valuable Propark team member since day one,” remarks Propark CEO John Schmid. “His vision has been integral to our success in the mobility sector. We look forward to seeing what he will accomplish for Propark in these additional areas.”

Garcia joined Propark as an account manager more than 10 years ago, before growing within the company. Prior to his current role, he most recently served as senior vice president of Propark’s West Region, where he developed an existing small portfolio of assets to 60 properties.

The Catholic University of America Launches Flowbird App For Campus Parking

SHUTTERSTOCK / BUMBLE DEE

FLOWBIRD GROUP , a global leader in smart city and campus solutions, has announced that it has launched the Flowbird app on the campus of The Catholic University of America.

Located in Washington, DC, Catholic University faces the same challenges many schools face, especially schools set in urban areas. With a limited parking supply, and a parking population with varied needs, the university looked to Flowbird to help manage daily parking with a simple, touchless solution—the Flowbird mobile app.

Catholic University started working with Flowbird several years ago when multi-space parking kiosks were installed in three parking locations. In 2020, university staff decided to add mobile payments as an additional way to pay for parking in kiosk locations and the app was launched for the start of the Spring 2021 semester. Additionally, the Flowbird app was rolled out into additional parking areas to bring better parking controls and automation to those locations.

The Flowbird app, available on the App Store for iOS and the Google Play Store for Android, provides users with a mapbased user interface, making it simple for users to select their parking location without man-

ually inputting a zone code or scanning a QR code. Parkers can get a reminder notification when their time is about to expire and they can extend their time right from their mobile device.

Walking directions back to their original parking location is also a handy feature of the app.

A key aspect of the Flowbird solution that has been adopted by the university is the use of validation codes for campus visitors that are taking a university tour. University staff create the electronic validations using Flowbird’s back-office management suite, and provide the codes to the visitors. Upon arrival on campus, the visitor opens the Flowbird app, enters the validation code, and they are on their way.

Another important functionality that Flowbird delivers to the university is the integration of all kiosk payments and Flowbird app payments in the same reporting module. This provides university staff the ability to view all parking activity in one place, broken down by payment method.

“We are very excited to launch the Flowbird app on campus,” said J. Charles Lavallee, associate director of transportation and parking services.

“As more and more people are returning to campus, we are seeing the Flowbird app as an extremely convenient and beneficial tool.”

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 43

/ Parkopedia Announces Launch of Indoor Mapping Tech for In-vehicle Navigation Use PARKOPEDIA announced the launch of the production version of its indoor mapping technology for in-vehicle navigation use. Indoor maps are based on high-definition 3D models of indoor parking facilities, where GPS signal is typically restricted.

Indoor parking facilities currently present many challenges for drivers. These include navigation system blackouts, finding a vehicle within large parking facilities, and locating vital services such as EV charging stations, a key area of focus for car manufacturers in their pursuit of delivering premium driver experiences for new EV owners.

Parkopedia’s indoor mapping technology can be used to deliver the following key use cases: 1. In-vehicle indoor navigation—no GPS dead zones 2. Precise indoor positioning—locate your vehicle 3. Automated Valet Parking—self-parking cars require indoor maps As the automotive industry embraces a connected future, indoor mapping technology will deliver further key benefits to users. For drivers, this would mean never being lost again within parking facilities and enabling end-to-end, uninterrupted navigation to available parking spaces, independent of GPS availability. In addition, vehicle indoor positioning without GPS is a fundamental step in enabling autonomous parking.

EV Charging Finding EV chargers is still a significant pain point in the automotive industry as drivers transition to electric vehicles.

Ensuring fast and easy access to public charging points is essential for automakers looking to persuade drivers to switch to electric vehicles. The largest concern with drivers is around range anxiety and where to find available charge points. Many char-

gers are hidden away in remote areas of parking facilities, with unclear signage and no navigation option to access these locations, only amplifying the issue. To address this, Parkopedia has developed ‘as built’ indoor maps based on current layouts, as opposed to ‘as designed’ when EV chargers and other services were not featured in the original plans. This gives drivers the most accurate and fresh view of parking spaces and EV chargers, enabling seamless navigation regardless of GPS availability or on-site signage.

Future Plans Parkopedia’s indoor mapping solution supports common industry mapping formats required to deliver a superior end-to-end navigation user experience.

For self-driving cars that will go on sale in the near future, indoor maps will enable Automated Valet Parking, which will be one of the first use cases due to high driver demand, slower driving speeds and controlled environments inside parking facilities.

Parkopedia is a proven leader within automotive indoor mapping technology, delivering successful projects with leading European, American and Asian car manufacturers. The announcement follows the completion of the Autonomous Valet Parking project, which successfully

44 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

demonstrated the use of indoor mapping technology to autonomously park a vehicle within a multi-story parking facility without GPS signal.

Parkopedia has already mapped key parking facilities across Europe, with coverage increasing daily. In the coming months, Parkopedia will expand this coverage into new regions to cater to growing OEM and driver demands.

Commenting on the announcement, Dr. Brian Holt, head of HD maps at Parkopedia, says, “Parkopedia had a clear vision from the start and we have worked tirelessly to deliver an unparalleled level of accuracy to our indoor maps. We have closely monitored the direction the industry is heading and the associated benefits with connectivity and autonomous driving, so starting to deliver an indoor mapping solution with OEMs is essential in meeting driver demands. Parkopedia, as a market leader within parking services and the associated infrastructure, has an unparalleled depth of knowledge which puts us in a unique position to deliver an optimal solution for both industries and drivers alike. I look forward to seeing our product in production vehicles, helping drivers to effortlessly navigate, park and charge, and to the day when navigation systems going blank inside parking facilities becomes a distant memory for us all.”

Diamond Parking Using Parker Technology’s Customer Service Solution PARKER TECHNOLOGY’S customer service solution is successfully providing live customer service support for K Street Garage, a Diamond Parking facility in Anchorage, Alaska.

“Parker Technology’s platform for tracking intercom calls and customer issues is intuitive, convenient, and searchable. Having a reliable and responsive intercom service 24 hours a day is great for both our customers, and our operations team,” says Greg Harrison, city manager, Seattle Garage Operations.

“We are excited to grow our relationship with Diamond Parking,” says Brian Wolff, CEO & president of Parker Technology. “When our customers ask for our help in more facilities, we are always grateful. It speaks to the strength of our software platform, and the value of our call center services.”

Parking patrons expect to enter and exit garages without interacting with staff, but when they call for help, they want and need it immediately. An intercom call solution can instantly connect parking guests to trained professionals who can guide them through a successful transaction, according to facility business rules. Each year, an estimated 85 million parking intercom calls are made in the U.S. This statistic is from the Parker Technology platform, which records and analyzes call data to help parking operators better manage their facilities.

WGI Hires Marcía Alvarado as Tampa Structural Market Leader National engineering design and professional services firm WGI, Inc. is proud to announce the hire of Marcía L. Alvarado, PE, as its new Tampa structural market leader. Tampa is one of WGI’s most significant locations and a pivot point for both Florida and WGI’s national presence.

Alvarado will be responsible for all aspects of WGI’s structural engineering practice in the Tampa Bay region, including client interaction, recruiting, and developing team members, while overseeing her department’s production and business operations. She provides a unique skill set including structural engineering utilizing the latest Building Information Modeling (BIM) for coordination as a project manager, along with 16 years of structural engineering experience and project management of new construction and renovation in healthcare, commercial, higher education, multi-story residential, federal, aviation, and parking garages.

“I’m proud to join WGI and apply my experience to its continuing expansion in the Tampa Bay region,” she says. “This is a major step forward for both WGI and me, and I’m excited to start building – both our team and projects.”

Marcía is also experienced in restoration construction and forensic engineering investigations; analysis for existing buildings for seismic, wind, and AT/FP blast resistance; and progressive collapse upgrades, including National Technical Reviews for various FEMA programs. She is licensed as a professional engineer in Florida, New York, and North Carolina.

Arnaud Thibonnier, PE, SE and Director, Structures + Parking, says, “Marcía is key to WGI’s significant expansion of our Florida Structural and Parking platform, helping our focus on growth and synergy utilizing her high profile in the Tampa Bay region.”

“Marcía’s wide-ranging experience and her activism are a perfect combination for WGI,” adds WGI Vice President/Buildings Shad Shafie. “Her commitment to mentorship, leadership, and inclusion are vital to WGI.” “One of our over-arching objectives is to be a great place to work for our associates,” adds Senior Vice President/Transportation Nancy Clements, PE. “To that end, Marcía will be among a select group of firm leaders who will renew and grow our diversity and inclusion efforts. Her DEI expertise will be a huge asset for WGI, and I’m really looking forward to working alongside her in those efforts.”

Alvarado is a graduate of Leadership Tampa Bay, and serves as its Diversity and Inclusion Chair for the Board of Directors. She served on the Board of Directors as President/Vice Chair for ACE Mentor Program of Greater Tampa Bay, and has been a part of the program since its inception. She received the University of South Florida (USF) College of Engineering Young Alumnus Award, and named a “Top 40 Under 40” by the Building Design + Construction, a national architecture, engineering, construction (AEC) industry publication, as an emerging design professional. She also created a consultancy geared toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consulting in 2020.

Alvarado graduated from Florida Institute of Technology with a degree in civil engineering while playing collegiate basketball, and then started her career in structural engineering in New York City. She received her master’s degree from the University of South Florida.

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 45

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48 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

/

CALENDAR

2021 MAY 4 Free Frontline Training (Virtual)

Surviving & Thriving: 5 Steps to Developing Your Workplace Resilience

MAY 5 Free Industry Shoptalk (Virtual)

JUNE 16 Free Learning Lab (Virtual) JUNE 29-30 IPMI Mobility & Innovation Summit (Virtual)

Data-driven Parking and Mobility Management

MAY 18 Free Frontline Training (Virtual) Using Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace

MAY 19 Webinar

Operational Measures that Produce a Positive Customer Experience and Drive Organizational Success

MAY 26 Free Learning Lab (Virtual) JUNE 1 Free Frontline Training (Virtual)

Fortune Cookie Communication: Using their “Why” to Guide Your “How”

JUNE 2 Free Industry Shoptalk (Virtual)

Curb Management in the Real World: Case Studies and Conversation

JUNE 8 Free APDS User Group: Owners & Operators JUNE 15 Free APDS User Group: Suppliers, Consultants, & Service Providers JUNE 15 Free Frontline Training (Virtual)

Cybersecurity

AUGUST 24 Free Frontline Training (Virtual)

Find Your Potential, Develop Your Path

SEPTEMBER 1 Free Industry Shoptalk (Virtual)

MAY 11 AND 13 Online, Instructor-Led Training (Virtual) Wicked Problem Solving

AUGUST 17 Online, Instructor-Led Training (Virtual)

JULY 6, 8, 13 AND 15 Online, Instructor-Led Training (Virtual) Parksmart Advisor Training

JULY 13 Free Frontline Training (Virtual) Demystifying the Parking Audit: The Important Role You Play

JULY 14 Webinar

The Parking Study is Done. Now What?

JULY 27 Free Frontline Training (Virtual)

Cultivating the Seeds of Support within Your Organization

AUGUST 3 Free Frontline Training (Virtual)

Addressing Customer Expectations in an Ever-changing Landscape

AUGUST 10 Free Frontline Training (Virtual)

Never Stop Learning: Why Professional Development is the Key to Success

AUGUST 11 Webinar

Hospital/Medical Center Parking and Mobility: Unique Challenges and Solutions

SEPTEMBER 14 Free Frontline Training (Virtual)

Life at Work is Like a Legos Set: All the Blocks are Necessary to Achieve the Bigger Picture

SEPTEMBER 15 Webinar

Collecting Lost Revenue: The Payment Behind the Parking Payment

SEPTEMBER 21 Online, Instructor-Led Training (Virtual) Disaster Recovery

SEPTEMBER 28 Free Frontline Training (Virtual) Managing Customers in a Remote Environment

SEPTEMBER 28 AND 30 Online, Instructor-Led Training (Virtual) APO Site Reviewer Training

OCTOBER 19 Free Frontline Training (Virtual) The Undercover Consultant

Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers: Improve Your RFP Procurement Process to Receive Quality Proposals

OCTOBER 20 Webinar

How U.S. Cities can Learn from Smart City Innovations in Europe

Mastering Your Mentor Mojo – Unlocking the Power of Mentorships to Propel Your Career

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 49

/ CALENDAR OCTOBER 19 AND 21 Online, Instructor-Led Training (Virtual) Wicked Problem Solving

OCTOBER 27 Free Learning Lab (Virtual) NOVEMBER 2 Free Frontline Training (Virtual)

Refocused and Refreshed: Experiential Customer Service

NOVEMBER 3 Free Industry Shoptalk (Virtual) Diversity: Rising Through the Ranks

NOVEMBER 4 Online, Instructor-Led Training (Virtual)

Accredited Parking Organization Site Reviewer Renewal

NOVEMBER 10 Webinar

The Truth Behind Common Parking Myths

NOVEMBER 16 Free Frontline Training (Virtual)

DECEMBER 7, 9, 14 AND 16 Online, Instructor-Led Training (Virtual) Parksmart Advisor Training

DECEMBER 8 Free Industry Shoptalk (Virtual) The Year Ahead

DECEMBER 15 Webinar

Getting Smart: Strategies to Get Started Creating Smart Communities

Situational Awareness

NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 2 2021 IPMI Parking & Mobility Conference & Expo, Tampa, Fla.

State and Regional Events Calendar AUGUST 4-6 New England Parking Council (NEPC) Annual Conference and Trade Show

SEPTEMBER 13-15 Mid-South Transportation and Parking Association (MSTPA) Annual Conference and Tradeshow

OCTOBER 13-15 Pacific Intermountain Parking and Transportation Association (PIPTA) Annual Conference & Tradeshow

AUGUST 9-12 Texas Parking & Transportation Association (TPTA) 2021 Conference & Tradeshow

OCTOBER 12-NOVEMBER 16 California Public Parking Association (CPPA) Virtual Conference

OCTOBER 25-27 Southwest Parking & Transportation Association (SWPTA) Annual Fall Conference

AUGUST 18-20 Pennsylvania Parking Association (PPA) 2021 Conference & Expo

OCTOBER 12-14 New York State Parking & Transportation Association (NYSPTA) Fall Conference and Tradeshow

NOVEMBER 8-10 Parking Association of the Virginias (PAV) Fall Workshop & Tradeshow

Boston, MA

Round Rock, TX

Pittsburgh, PA

Chattanooga, TN

Watkins Glen, NY

Denver, CO

Las Vegas, NV

Virginia Beach, VA

NOVEMBER 16-19 Florida Parking & Transportation Association (FPTA) Annual Conference & Expo Orlando, FL

Stay up to date on industry events and activities!

Visit parking-mobility.org/calendar for the latest updates and additions.

50 PARKING & MOBILITY / MAY 2021 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG

W W W . PARKING-MOBILITY. OR G

In Case You Missed It...

ON THE IPMI BLOG

➚The Global Automotive & Mobility Innovation Challenge, by Ben Wesley, CAPP. ➚Get Out of My Lane! By Diana Alarcon, CAPP. ➚Virtual Conferences—Silver Linings, By Gary Means, CAPP. ➚On the Road Again, by Matt Penney, CAPP. ➚ASU Transforms Garage into Mile-long Art Show ➚Read the blog every day at parking-mobility.org.

IPMI’S SUMMER MOBILITY & INNOVATION SUMMIT

➚June 29-30, wherever you are. ➚Collaborate with the brightest minds in mobility, transportation, and parking. you and your organization to rethink the way people get from place to place to stay ➚Prepare ahead of demands and trends. ➚Early-bird rates for individuals and groups in effect now ➚Don’t miss this! parking-mobility.org/mis THE 2021 IPMI PARKING & MOBILITY CONFERENCE & EXPO

➚Nov. 29 - Dec. 2, in person in Tampa, Fla. ➚New this year! Golf lessons available during William Voigt CAPP Classic Golf Tournament! ➚Shoptalks, Education Sessions, Expo Hall!

COVID-19 precautions, including masking and social distancing, will be in place, including ➚All advance registration for sessions and Expo Hall time. ➚Learn more and register: IPMI.parking-mobility.org. We can’t wait to see you!

All from your desk, on your time, at parking-mobility.org.

PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG / MAY 2021 / PARKING & MOBILITY 51