VCU PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION'S QUARTERLY EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER
Message from the director - 2
Neighboring friends pay a visit to VCU - 3
Ride Pingo app takes over RamRide, RamSafe - 6
News you can use - 8
Happy spring, everyone! The grass is getting greener, and the days are getting warmer It is hard to believe it is already April–time sure flies when you are busy, which is what P&T has been no stranger to this past quarter
We’ve had several strides in technology over the past few months First, special events officially went cashless on January 1 to significant effect While it took visitors a few weeks, almost everyone knows we only accept card payments for parking at special events This has been met with great enthusiasm by our special events staff, who no longer have to deal with ripping tickets or counting cash; they check out a handheld and turn it back in! It has made special events flow much smoother, and we receive real-time updates on event parking stats. Our multiple T2 upgrades continue to push forward, with Phase I updates on WBSD, WMSD, WCSD, and ESD being complete. Phase II started with complete underground loop cutting and new gate equipment installed on all other decks. LPR camera installation is scheduled to begin around March 13
LED lights were installed on Bowe Street Deck, with West Main St Deck installation expected to begin on April 3 Cameras are also live on West Main St Deck, with the Henry St Decks receiving upgrades We hope these projects continue steadily for six to twelve months
We submitted our accredited parking organization application late in February We believe we met 100% of the required criteria and 90% of the remaining criteria and the accredited with distinction criteria We are awaiting news from the APO board VCU is undoubtedly one of the top parking organizations in the country, and I have high hopes for positive news I appreciate everyone who participated in this process
We experienced one resignation on the management side, Kate Dehart (Special Event Manger) resigned to pursue an opportunity in the music industry Danyel Derricott was promoted to Special Events Manager and has already hit the ground running We welcomed Blair Johnson to the Operations Center, and Max Dewald and Andre Ellis in Enforcement. We hired a new Accounts Rep, Seth Moore, and expect to bring on two Enforcement & Safety Supervisors early next quarter.
Within a few months I expect to have more updates on summer 2023 construction and additional details on the launch of LPR and the continued installation of cameras and LED lights on our parking decks Also stay on the lookout for invitations for “Coffee with the Director” - these occur at Eighth St Deck and you can spend time with P&T leadership and ask any questions you may have
Thank you to those working special events, as it is much appreciated Please be on the lookout for sign-ups for upcoming Broadway shows, Les Miserables, Hamilton, and high school graduations
If you ever need anything, my door is always open
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Josh Stone, CAPP
In February, Old Dominion University administration invited Parking and Transportation leadership to an in-depth virtual conversation on license plate recognition As LPR customers with T2, ODU shed light on the inner workings of the software, enforcement operations, and opportunities and challenges that they have experienced P&T team members appreciated the opportunity to “pick their brain” and learn more about this upcoming investment An in-person person visit will be scheduled soon
On March 7, VCU Parking and Transportation hosted representatives from neighboring institutions–George Mason University, Old Dominion University, and Eastern Virginia Medical College–at West Main Street Deck The group saw a full demonstration of the CleanStreak surface cleaning system the department utilizes for its parking decks. Following the demonstration, the group partook in lunch at Village Cafe and returned to the office to discuss all things parking software
Since announcing the transition to license plate recognition earlier this year, the department has been moving full steam ahead All of the older PARCs equipment is being upgraded to accommodate the new system requirements for LPR.
Additionally, cameras will be added to facilities over the next few months. The complete LPR system is expected to go live in August 2023 In the meantime, customers are encouraged to update their vehicles in their online parking accounts to avoid issues on launch day
The department had to prove to the designated site evaluators that three facilities met 43 site review criteria to secure APO certification with distinction. West Main St Deck, West Broad St Deck, and Eighth St Deck were selected Each criterion point was documented with photographs before the site visit; the P&T team had to demonstrate each of the 43 points at all three locations when the APO evaluators arrived.
Additional photographs were shot, and P&T had the opportunity to walk evaluators through any needed follow-ups or points of clarification. News of our award status should arrive in the coming days.
In January 2023, all VCU Parking and Transportation facilities transitioned to cashless payments. Hourly parking can be paid using a credit/debit card or the Passport parking app (in surface lot facilities). Additionally, special event parking is now cashless, accepting debit/credit cards only
The transition to cashless offers a safer collection process and is expected to create greater operational efficiency and provide a quicker entry process for guests We are excited to take this next step in event parking with cashless payment options
You may have heard the "a" term mentioned across the department recently, The department is undergoing a routine audit "to determine whether P&T collects sufficient revenues to sustain operations as an auxiliary enterprise and maintains required reserves While there is no concern for the standard, routine process, it is a rather tedious one, with multiple units involved Special thanks to all who contributed to ensuring this process has remained successful
VCU Parking and Transportation is intentional about improving the parking environment for customers. This starts with creating safe, clean, and efficient facilities. As part of this effort, the department has invested heavily in a new power washing contract, camera installation, LED lighting, and LPR
Earlier this fiscal year, Eighth St. Deck was outfitted with 31 new cameras. Since January, cameras have been installed in the West Main St Deck, Jefferson St Deck, and Bowe St Deck At least 20 to 30 additional cameras were installed within each facility and integrated with the VCU Police security network Before this installation, just 125 cameras were positioned at the deck entrance and exit lanes, stairwells, and outside, providing limited visual access When this project is completed, over 400 total cameras will be installed
Bowe St Deck and West Main St Deck have now been retrofitted with LED lighting. While Eighth St. Deck is the next facility in line to undergo the retrofitting, funding has been allocated for all on-campus VCU parking facilities
On Monday, December 19, the app for RamSafe and RamRide transitioned to Ride Pingo. Students and employees interested in tracking their RamRide shuttle and/or scheduling a ride through RamSafe now do so using the Ride Pingo mobile app, available for download in Google Play, Apple app stores and VCU Mobile
Ride Pingo provides several new, substantial technological improvements through its platform, such as multi-ridership, enhanced bus tracking and greater efficiency
At the peak of demand at the beginning of the semester, RamSafe transported 3,000 students. The current average still remains between 2,000 to 3,000 passengers weekly, with an average wait time of 11 to 12 minutes While certain platform parameters are still being adjusted to enhance service, overall, the app has produced great results.
WE'RE
Enforcement Officer:
Andre Ellis
Maximilian Dewald
Operations Controller:
Blair Johnson
Accounts Management Representative
Seth Moore
Congratulations to Danyel Derricott on her promotion to Special Events Manager.
The Virginia Department of Human Resource Management has updated its annual leave policy (Policy 4 10) for classified employees to include a veteran's period(s) of military service in calculating their annual leave accrual rate Along with applying this provision to classified employees, VCU will adjust the annual leave accrual rate for faculty and the university leave accrual rate for University and Academic Professionals in a similar manner. More information regarding this update can be found here.
If you have not already done so, please meet with your manager to discuss your annual review and then sign off in Talent@VCU. This is a great time to reflect on last year's performance and opportunities for growth and development in 2023. All manager and employee conversations, as well as employee's sign off on the review in Talent, should occur by Monday, April 10, 2023
The Annual Service Recognition Celebration will take place at the Siegel Center on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. All VCU and VCU Health employees who reach a 5 year milestone between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 will be recognized at the event If you have questions, please contact rewrdrec@vcu edu
Open enrollment for state employee health coverage and flexible spending will take place May 1 through May 15 for the plan year that begins July 1, 2023 Details will be published approximately the third week of April at www hr vcu edu/open-enrollment VCU HR will hold an Employee Benefits and Wellbeing Fair during open enrollment, on May 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the University Student Commons. Details will be announced shortly.
Any excess leave carried forward as a result of the pandemic (up to 160 hours were possible for University employees) will expire on January 10, 2024 (This leave is not payable upon separation from the university.) Now is a great time to begin planning how you will use your excess leave!
You can find information about wellness resources, as well as a list of new well-being programs scheduled for the month of April here. Or, check out the RamStrong On Demand Sessions.