PARKING IS HARD. Event parking…well, that is its own level of challenge.
All of the things that make parking a challenge in an everyday setting—the number of spaces, wayfinding and signage, rates, staffing, safety, technology, and payments—are heightened in the high-volume, quick-turnaround environment of events.
Parking is a huge responsibility in event management. It is the first interaction your attendees have with your event, and the parking process can significantly shape their entire experience, for better or for worse.
When heading to a sporting event, a concert, a play, or moving into a college or university, we are focused on the excitement of what happens at our destination. If visitors have a negative experience with parking at your facility, no matter how excellent the event ends up being, you will be what they remember. To be considered a success, parking needs to be a non-event.
This issue explored the event parking process from various angles. We looked at community-based parking experiences, the impact of technology, and best practices at some of the biggest event venues. We even gave you a real-time case study of traffic and parking patterns influenced by one of my favorites, Taylor Swift (yes, I am a Swiftie. The question is—why aren’t YOU?).
I hope we have managed to include something for everyone in this issue. Looking for something you don’t see? Reach out and let’s talk!
As always, we thank you for spending some time with us. Have a great summer!
PUBLISHER
Shawn Conrad, CAE s.conrad@parking-mobility.org
EDITOR
Melissa Rysak, CPSM rysak@parking-mobility.org
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Rachel Yoka, CAPP, LEED AP BD+C yoka@parking-mobility.org
ADVERTISING SALES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
Tina Altman taltman@parking-mobility.org
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Event Parking So Much to Consider!
By Gabe Mendez, CAPP
PLANNING THE PARKING AND TRANSIT plans for large event venues, campuses for universities and healthcare systems, and special events presents unique challenges requiring specialized solutions.
Hopefully this finds you well and recovered from the 2024 IPMI Parking & Mobility Conference & Expo last month in Columbus, OH. There are plenty of great takeaways from the conference education sessions and trade show, but for me the most valuable are always the relationships new and old.
This month’s Parking & Mobility magazine focuses on addressing the challenges of providing access to, from, and through destinations. These can be large event venues that hold 50,000+ people, large employment centers like a downtown or campus, or a festival hosted in a large public space or downtown area.
In my career, I’ve had the opportunity to experience the challenges of all these events present as a customer, event staff, vendor/talent, neighbor, event organizer, and parking and mobility expert. In each of these roles, our satisfaction and measure of success of the event are shaped by the experience of getting from one’s home to the venue and back home again. For each of these roles there are some considerations as you plan and manage your event and enjoy the articles to come:
How do we get event deliveries to the venue—i.e., equipment load-in, food and beverage, hospitality, etc.?
● If we are in an urban or campus environment, do we need to work with local planners to close streets or block off parking to accommodate large delivery vehicles?
● Do you have a plan for deliveries during the event?
● If we are bringing in talent (sports teams, performers), do we have plans to get them through detours and a loading/staging area designated?
How do you get event day staff to the venue? This includes administrative staff, parking and traffic staff, police and security personnel, venue staff such as ushers, docents, ticket takers, and any other staff.
● Does public transit run early and late enough that they can take a bus or train?
● Do you have dedicated employee parking? Is it offsite, and do you have a shuttle available?
● Do you have a secure area for police and emergency services to park? For larger events, you may have federal agencies and other entities to park.
Does the event impact the neighborhood you are in and people getting to and from businesses or their homes?
● Have you coordinated traffic control for both pre-and postevent with local law enforcement and city traffic engineering?
● Have you provided alternative routes around the venue for local traffic?
● Special permits distributed for access through closed access roads?
● Should you consider advertising opportunities to park at a business, eat or shop there, and walk or shuttle to the venue?
● What is your plan for getting event attendees to the venue, to the gates, and then from the venue to their next destination?
● Are you selling prepaid parking passes? How will you validate them in the field?
● Do you have a plan for change and cash drops for the event, or are you going cashless?
● Do you have the proper event signage from the interstate to your parking lots?
● Once you get your customers parked, do you have pedestrian signage to the gates?
● Do you have a drop-off and pickup location identified for taxis, TNCs, and others?
● Is an area planned for bike valet, bike share, or e-scooters?
● If you plan to have shuttles for guests, do you have staging areas for pre-and post-event?
● Have you considered partnering with local transit agencies to give free or discounted bus or rail rides?
Some things to consider from a safety and security perspective.
● Do you have clearly posted rules and regulations that speak to alcohol policies for the parking area?
● Can you post venue policies for folks before they leave the parking area, such as a clear bag policy, allowed items, and prohibited items?
● Parking lot lighting, trash cans, and restroom facilities.
● Maintaining fire lanes and access aisles.
● Do you have any onsite plans for dead batteries or flat tires?
No matter how big or small your next event is, hopefully, some of these considerations can help make it an even more successful experience for you, your staff, and your customers.
I hope you enjoy the articles in this month’s magazine and can grab some ideas to add to your toolbox!
GABE MENDEZ, CAPP , is the Director of Transportation Operations for UW-Madison Transportation Services, and a member of the IPMI Board of Directors. He can be reached at gabe.mendez@wisc.edu
Not Just Another System
The Value in Unifying your Technology Ecosystem
By Mark Frumar
WE’VE ALL HEARD IT BEFORE— I’m certain many of you have said it before—the all-too-common complaint from parking administrators about the siloed nature of their technology stack. The eclectic mix of vendor systems, tracking devices, and piecemeal spreadsheets that underpin their operations each accumulate a wealth of data, though it tends to be insular to the system in which it’s housed, and rarely is the data shareable between systems. What seems a simple task of compiling a consolidated report on the performance of your parking assets can take days at a time, days that are littered with frustration and deliver little but premature aging.
Don’t throw in the towel just yet—there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Traditionally, there exists a distrust of technology that attempts to “disrupt” the parking industry, a view not unwarranted given the history of implementations that served as expensive lessons. I’m not here to dispute the validity of this mindset but rather to rejuvenate your interest. To do so, I’ll start by mentioning that a key development of the digital transformation of parking is a dramatic reduction in the manual labor required to conduct your operations, an outcome we all aspire to achieve.
The parking industry itself is experiencing a notable paradigm shift away from vendors claiming to be the ‘onestop-shop’ that can do everything (but rarely do so) towards an increasing focus on specialization. A promising byproduct of this shift is the increasing requirement for these specialist vendor systems to communicate with one another. As an aside, if the vendors you work with are not openly advertising the ability of their systems to integrate seamlessly with others, then you can start the clock on their business.
By now, many are likely familiar with the concepts of cloud computing and data storage or ‘warehousing.’ For those that aren’t –simply put, no longer must you spend exorbitant amounts of money on physical servers, printer ink and paper. Your operations can now be conducted entirely from your laptop and mobile device, accessible from anywhere at any time.
The slightly more tech-savvy readers may also be familiar with Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), which are
leveraged by external solutions, assuming they have first been granted permission to access the data via the API.
In recent years, we have seen the introduction of the final core component to solving the eternal woes of the parking administrator—data standards (aka specifications). The catalyst driving the inception of data standards has been the need for disparate vendor systems to structure their data in a similar format, allowing for connected systems to “speak the same language.” This, in turn, removes the need to manually input the same update into multiple systems and allows for the aggregation of data to achieve outcomes greater than the sum of their parts.
One key example of a leading data standard within our industry is the Alliance for Parking Data Standards (APDS), overseen by IPMI in collaboration with the British and European Parking Associations. APDS is a consensus-built international standard establishing a common language for data elements and definitions in the parking, transportation, and mobility
sector that helps to facilitate seamless integration, compatibility, and communication between parking entities, the automotive industry, IT developers, map and app providers, and other peripheral stakeholders.
Another key example is the Curb Data Specification (CDS) overseen by the Open Mobility Foundation (OMF). This standardizes communication and data-sharing between cities and private mobility providers such as e-scooter and bike-share companies and encourages innovation between public agencies and private companies by providing a common language to describe how the curb is being used, optimizing policies that govern the curb, communicating regulations to curb users in real-time, and measuring impact by calculating ROI and curb productivity. The OMF also provisions the Mobility Data Specification (MDS), standardizing communication and data-sharing between cities and private mobility providers such as e-scooter and bike share companies.
Now here’s what that means for you—the parking administrator wondering why it seems so difficult to make the left hand speak to the right. Through the advent of cloudbased solutions offering APIs to their data, systems are now built by design to seamlessly integrate and share data with each other. To go even further, innovative platforms also offer the capability of acting as a data hub, centralizing data from a multitude of systems. As forward-thinking technology vendors now adhere to common data standards, real-time interoperability between disparate systems is not only possible but already working effectively for many parking and transportation operators that have charted the course. By establishing a unified technology ecosystem that utilizes a centralized data hub of integrated data sources, we
have arrived at a point where live and historical data from disparate systems can be aggregated and tailored to provide operators with live dashboards of real-time metrics, plus ondemand and automated reporting into the performance of your parking assets. Intuitive platforms now allow operators to create trend graphs, utilization reports, and revenue forecasts in real-time using their own data, providing precisely the information they need, when they need it, without a prerequisite computer science degree.
Having access to a holistic view of their parking inventory and granular insights into the performance of each of their assets, operators are empowered to make informed planning and policy decisions in confidence, supported by concrete data on their combined operations.
Customer-focused vendors are taking it one step further by providing operators with not just the ability to implement new policies that better serve their customers but also a medium to immediately communicate updates to end-users via a visual interface of unified real-time parking availability, time-dynamic regulations, and live conditions at a groundlevel before they leave home. No longer should people walk out the door under the assumption that “we’ll find a parking spot when we get there.”
With access to the crucial data insights we’ve all been waiting for, now is the time to focus on optimizing the usage and turnover of your existing parking assets rather than building more. ◆
MARK FRUMAR is the president of President of Modii. He can be reached at mark@modii.co
Building Brand Lessons from a Spork
By Sarah Becherer
MORE BRAND MARKETERS SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THE SPORK. In the event that you’re not a Boston Market regular, let me set the stage: the spork is an eating instrument that merges the bowl of a spoon with the tines of a fork.
Its inventor, Samuel W. Francis, was a mid-19th century doctor who ran in NYC’s elite circles. In addition to his aptitude for complex abdominal surgery, Francis was known for his eccentric inventions. He received a patent for his combination fork-spoon device in 1874.
implementing these technologies, a functional ecosystem is challenging to build and maintain. Not all parking tech is cut from the same sheet, nor should it be. But fuse-able technologies that can be integrated with others into a seamless ecosystem will pull ahead of those that cannot.
But Francis never heard the term “spork” in his lifetime.
The branding came later, in 1951, when Hyde W. Ballard of Westtown, Pennsylvania, applied for a trademark on the name.
When the patent expired in 1970, the Van Brode Milling Company scooped it up and began manufacturing a plastic version of the ragtag dining implement we all know and love.
I was researching sporks recently (don’t ask), and it occurred to me that the spork’s evolution into a fast food mainstay is a branding transformation that can also be applied to parking.
After all, how do we build our brands?
1. Find purpose
2. Define positioning
3. Provide value
4. Promise and deliver
Let’s get into it.
Find Purpose
At some point, it occurred to Francis that there were simply too many utensils.
Though they comprise a functional ecosystem, the spoon, knife, and fork operate in silos, and there are many variants (size, weight, materials) of each.
Francis envisioned his invention cut from one single piece of sheet metal, eliminating fragmentation and increasing operational efficiency.
Sound familiar?
Many parking experts today will tell you that the influx of new technologies means more utility, more ability, and more data. However, due to inefficiencies around assessing and
Define Positioning
The spork defies categorization.
Is it more aligned with a spoon or with a fork? As an object, it does not challenge or compete with anything other than the general concept of “there are simply too many utensils”.
There is a common branding exercise: market surveying. We research competitors (defined as those the prospect will perceive as competition), investigate their market-facing identity, and use the findings to differentiate our brand’s visuals and vocabulary.
In parking, we find ourselves in one of two positions:
1. The perception is that the market is saturated with other companies that do exactly what we do, so we need to rise above the noise;
2. Introducing a new product to the market, so we need to prove that what we offer is actually needed (a solution to a problem that exists).
I’d argue that we all deal with a little of column A and a little of column B. Which brings us to…
Provide Value
The idea of “centralizing” the separate functions of a fork and a spoon isn’t compelling by itself. It brands the spork as a vitamin, not a pain pill.
Using fewer utensils means running the dishwasher less often; not picking up and putting down a spoon and fork while eating conserves energy. But these pitches are, respectfully, kinda silly. The benefits are irrelevant or immaterial.
Brand is rooted in actual value:
● The obvious pitch to restaurants is economics. The spork makes business sense: two utensils for the price of one.
● Prisons were quick to adopt sporks for inmate safety; it’s easy to eat with a spork and hard to stab somebody with one.
● As far back as WWI, armies used sporks in their mess kits to preserve space and make it easier to keep track of utensils.
According to the Washington Post, consumer adoption has been slow: less than 35% of Americans own sporks compared to forks (99%), spoons (98%), and dinner knives (96%).
Ultimately, parking is about providing a solution to an actual problem. Missed revenue opportunities, erosion of the bottom line, operational inefficiency… whatever it is, you can’t invent it. It has to exist.
Promise & Deliver
Ever used a spork? No? I don’t believe you, you silly goose!
Linguistically, “spork” is a portmanteau that communicates the conflation of two separate entities into a single entity of combined utility. The spork brand promises centralization, standardization, and efficiency. The experience of using a spork
delivers on this promise. I’d argue that this follow-through is the most critical part of successful branding.
If you’ve nailed your positioning and know exactly what value you provide, you won’t find yourself in the tough spot of losing a prospect or partner’s business because you promised them the world and came up empty-handed.
Conclusion
Branding is stimulating, challenging, nuanced, methodical, and fun. It’s a perfectly potent potion of people, product, and problem-solving.
If I leave you with anything from this article, I hope it’s that 1) parking can learn from unexpected brand transformations, and 2) you should never underestimate the power of a good portmanteau.
If “parketing” can achieve 0.01% of the success of “spork”, I’ll be a happy parketer indeed. ◆
SARAH BECHERER is VP of Marketing at Ocra and a member of the IPMI Technology Committee. She can be reached at sarah@getocra.com
High-Performance Doors
Making parking garages safer, better, and more convenient
Searching for equipment that will make your garage better?
High-performance doors can help.
Fast opening and closing speeds allow for convenient access while controlling tailgating & unwanted pedestrian access. Modern door technology performs and looks dramatically better than outdated, slow cycling doors.
IStriving Towards Inclusive and Equitable Leadership
Prioritizing fairness and equity to foster just organizations and a better society
By Matt Darst
N TODAY’S DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE, prioritizing fairness and equity isn’t just a moral imperative but a strategic advantage. Diverse perspectives fuel innovation and grant a competitive edge, making inclusive leadership not just ethically commendable but also smart business sense.
In other words, the most innovative leaders— those working to solve difficult problems through collaboration and engagement with a wide range of viewpoints and needs—are also inclusive leaders.
Yet, despite the evident benefits, the question remains: why do leaders hesitate to champion equity initiatives? The answer lies in our cognitive makeup. We’re wired to rely on mental shortcuts, which often lead to biases. Overcoming these biases is central to becoming an inclusive leader and, in our profession, promoting equitable curb access, fairness, and upward progression.
Self-reflection is a cornerstone of this journey.
Acknowledging personal biases and blind spots requires a level of self-awareness that’s essential for effective leadership. Understanding how our experiences have shaped our values and beliefs— and how they may align or differ from others—is uncomfortable but necessary to challenge our ingrained perspectives.
As a child, my father imparted a valuable lesson: “It takes a big person to admit they’re wrong.” Contrary to popular belief, apologies are not a display of weakness; they signify personal growth and accountability. Embracing inclusive and transformative leadership necessitates the courage to acknowledge one’s mistakes and confront uncomfortable personal biases head-on. This leadership journey requires a deep level of self-awareness and the capacity to recognize our blind spots. Without such introspection, challenging assumptions and advocating for fairness become formidable tasks.
Furthermore, broadening our vantage point and embracing data are essential. As leaders in parking and mobility, we must move beyond our silos to grasp the entirety of curbside management processes rather than focusing solely on isolated elements. This comprehensive approach allows us to pinpoint potential obstacles contributing to racial, cultural, and economic disparities. For instance, consider the process of obtaining parking permits. Initially appearing straightforward, it may inadvertently favor certain demographics. For example, if permit application facilities are predominantly situated in downtown or affluent areas, accessibility becomes a challenge for underserved communities. Moreover, delays in processing mail-in permit requests— potentially resulting in ticketing for disadvantaged motorists—highlight systemic inequities. Additionally, disparities in the outcomes of in-person ticket contests, coupled with limited access to such hearings for marginalized groups, further exacerbate the cycle of financial hardship. This cascade exemplifies the start of a downward debt cycle.
As leaders within our industry, it is imperative that we enhance our ability to detect systemized inequity and address hidden disparities effectively. This involves consistently and meticulously analyzing data to uncover racial and socioeconomic discrepancies, allowing us to establish benchmarks and devise strategies for ongoing improvement. By proactively identifying and addressing these disparities, we can ensure a more equitable and inclusive environment within our field.
Creating an inclusive culture goes beyond rhetoric; it necessitates embedding equity into every aspect of our work. By recognizing that challenges like congestion and safety intersect with equity concerns, we can develop solutions that benefit everyone. Take, for example, the problem of illegal parking in bike lanes: it’s not solely a safety concern but also an equity issue, given that Black bicyclists face an alarming four-fold higher risk of fatalities in collisions per researchers at Boston and Harvard universities. Moreover, implementing demand-based pricing strategies not only alleviates congestion but also expands access to affordable parking options within walking distance of destinations. Similarly, redirecting enforcement efforts to congested metered areas not only enhances safety but also lightens the burden on marginalized communities. These examples underscore the interconnected nature of curbside challenges and equity considerations.
Leading by example is paramount, inspiring with words and actions. Empowering teams to innovate fosters a sense of ownership and ensures that our efforts toward equity are sustained and effective. Inclusive leadership isn’t a destination but a daily practice of authenticity and accountability, allowing us to tackle an ever-evolving range of social issues.
Inclusive leadership isn’t just the buzzword du jour—it’s the foundation of success in today’s world. By committing to fairness and equity, we not only empower individuals and teams but also drive meaningful innovation and growth. ◆
MATT DARST is the Director of Professional Services for Trellint, a Modaxo Company. He can be reached at matthew.darst@trellint.com
WORLD, cities are under immense pressure to address greenhouse gas emissions, especially those stemming from vehicular traffic in densely populated urban areas. This growing awareness of emissions and their profound impact on climate change is driving cities to reassess and revamp their infrastructures, aiming to reduce their carbon footprint and promote cleaner, more sustainable modes of mobility.
Against the backdrop of congested cities and heavy traffic, the need to address vehicular emissions becomes glaringly evident. This urgent scenario underscores the need for decisive and impactful measures to combat these challenges effectively. What strategies are being implemented to accelerate this transition towards more sustainable urban mobility?
In recent years, Europe has witnessed a significant trend: the conversion of spaces once dominated by vehicular traffic and parking into green areas and zones conducive to alternative modes of transportation, such as bike lanes and public transit. This shift aims to repurpose lanes and parking areas into pedestrian zones and green spaces, with the dual objectives of alleviating traffic congestion and improving air quality, all while promoting a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle for urban dwellers.
An exemplary illustration of this trend is evident in Barcelona, especially in the picturesque neighborhood of Gràcia. Previously, this neighborhood was marked by vehicles occupying nearly every available corner, exacerbating air pollution and congesting narrow streets. However, Gràcia has undergone a notable transformation. Recognizing the urgent need to rejuvenate the urban landscape and adopt sustainable transportation practices, local authorities took decisive action. They embarked on initiatives to reclaim public spaces, prioritizing the needs of pedestrians and cyclists over vehicular traffic. As a result, parking spots in Gràcia are now scarce, reserved only for loading activities and for handicapped people. This profound change signifies a fundamental departure from conventional transportation paradigms, challenging established norms and redefining our perception of urban mobility.
However, this transformation in Europe has introduced an additional challenge: ensuring that these changes do not negatively impact citizens’ daily lives or the economic and social fabric of the city. To address this challenge, smart parking projects are being implemented, leveraging technology for more efficient parking space management.
These projects rely on technological solutions to alert authorities to cases of fraudulent use of the curb, employing sensors or detection cameras integrated with smart parking management platforms and software applications. This technological amalgamation not only facilitates more effective parking supervision but also contributes to ensuring regulatory compliance. Furthermore, as citizens perceive increased surveillance, they are more inclined to comply with parking regulations.
On the other hand, in the urban context of the United States, parking regulations can be extremely complex and varied, adapting to the specific needs
of each city and its different neighborhoods. In addition to variations by time of day, some cities implement specific regulations for special events, holidays, or emergency situations, adding an additional layer of complexity to parking management.
A growing trend in American cities and in busy cities around the world is the implementation of parking guidance systems. These systems use technology to direct drivers to available spaces through digital signage or mobile applications. This not only reduces the time spent searching for parking but also decreases traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions associated with unnecessary vehicle circulation.
While this transformation towards sustainable urban mobility is imperative to mitigate the repercussions of climate change and foster the creation of more livable cities, it poses its own
Welcome
challenges. However, innovative strategies and technological interventions offer promising prospects for building more sustainable and resilient urban environments. Ultimately, the combination of public policies, investment in infrastructure, and adoption of advanced technologies are key to promoting a future of more efficient, safe, and sustainable urban mobility for all. The effective implementation of technological solutions for parking regulation will not only benefit drivers but also contribute to safer and more efficient transportation for all citizens.
TANIA JOSA Pirretas is the Marketing Manager for Urbiotica. She can be reached at tania.josa@urbiotica. com
Just Right Parking:
Bronx Logistics Center (BLC), Warehouse, Parking Garage & Truck Courts
THE BRONX LOGISTICS CENTER (BLC) stands as a testament to innovative industrial development in New York City. This state-of-the-art facility, with its expansive 1.3 million square feet, sets a new benchmark for urban industrial complexes. Situated on a 14.2-acre lot, BLC boasts two market-leading warehouse floors, each 250,000 square feet, and the largest parking availability in the market. Unique Features and Design Components.
The Bronx Logistics Center’s design is a blend of functionality and forward-thinking features. The facility’s layout includes two vast warehouse floors, each accessed by separate entrances nearly 800 feet apart on E 149 St, ensuring smooth and efficient operations. The warehouses are supported by extensive parking areas and truck courts designed by DESMAN, providing 1,489 standard parking spots and 740 van-equivalent spots.
Key to its design are the 48 loading docks and 72 drive-in doors, which facilitate seamless logistics operations. Additionally, the warehouses feature 32-foot clear ceiling heights and 40’ x 40’ column spacing, accommodating a wide range of industrial activities. The project also includes a significant power supply of 7,000A and provisions for a rooftop solar canopy, highlighting its commitment to sustainability.
Strategic Location and Access
Located a mere five-minute drive from Manhattan’s Upper East Side, and within a 20-minute drive from the rest of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island, the Bronx
FIRM NAME: DESMAN
PROJECT LOCATION: New York, NY
PROJECT OWNER: Turnbridge Equities
KEY STAFF:
• Timothy Tracy, Principal-in-Charge
• Bob Weissenborn, Project Manager
• Jeff Snay, Production Architect
• Debnath “DB” Bhattacharya, Engineer of Record
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS: ARCO Design Build, LLC
Tracy
Snay Weissenborn Bhattacharya
Project Overview
Total Project Size: 1.3 million square feet
Parking Spots: 1,489
48 Total Lot Size: 14.2 acres
Logistics Center offers unparalleled access to the nation’s largest city. The facility is also a five-minute walk to two subway stations on the 6 Line, enhancing its connectivity.
Innovative Strategies and Overcoming Challenges
One of the significant challenges overcome in this project was integrating a massive industrial facility within a densely populated urban area. The design ensures that the facility remains efficient and accessible, with separate entrances reducing congestion and improving traffic flow. The project also faced the challenge of providing ample parking and loading facilities, which was adeptly managed through strategic design and engineering by DESMAN.
Success Factors
The project’s success is attributed to several factors:
1. Market-Leading Specifications: The facility’s Class A building standards set it apart in the market, providing
3. Innovative Design: The thoughtful layout of warehouse floors, extensive parking, and truck courts enhance operational efficiency.
4. Sustainability: Incorporating elements like the rooftop solar canopy and EV-ready parking spots aligns with contemporary sustainability goals.
Conclusion
The Bronx Logistics Center exemplifies modern industrial development, blending extensive space with innovative design and strategic location. It addresses the growing demands of urban logistics with unparalleled efficiency and sustainability. With the completion of warehouse steel erection, floor slabs, garage, ramping, and truck court structure, BLC is poised to become a cornerstone of industrial operations in New York City. Video can be found at bronxlogisticscenter.com
IThe Power of Feedback Nurturing Growth and Success
By Christi Wharton
N THE RAPIDLY EVOLVING LANDSCAPE of personal and professional development, one timeless aspect has consistently proven its significance: feedback. Providing feedback, receiving it, and utilizing it effectively are critical components of personal growth, skill enhancement, and overall success.
One influential source of insight on this topic is the book Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen. This groundbreaking book delves into the art of giving and receiving feedback in various contexts. It has garnered immense recognition for its transformative approach to understanding and utilizing feedback to foster positive change. Let’s look at some of the lessons learned about receiving feedback well.
The Anatomy of Feedback
Feedback is information we receive about ourselves, and we have been getting feedback all our lives. When we were children, it might have been, “Aren’t you a smart girl?” or, “What a handsome boy.” As we grow, we get feedback from teachers in school and scores in sports. We get feedback from friends, spouses, work evaluations, and even satisfaction surveys. All this information forms how we think about ourselves. Feedback is often challenging to accept, as we have a need to learn that is in opposition to our need to be accepted. However, by learning to receive feedback well, we can have richer relationships, better self-esteem, and learn better and get better.
Types of Feedback
Individuals encounter three types of feedback throughout their lives: appreciation, coaching, and evaluation. Differentiating these types is important to understanding the intentions behind each feedback instance accurately.
Appreciation
This type of feedback acknowledges and recognizes a person’s efforts, accomplishments, or character traits. Often overlooked, appreciation plays a pivotal role in building strong relationships and nurturing a positive environment. It is an essential type of feedback as it reinforces positive behavior, boosts motivation, and enhances self-esteem.
Appreciation is a need we have had since we were children. We want to be seen, heard, and acknowledged. In many cases, appreciation is the easiest type of feedback to receive.
Coaching
Unlike appreciation, coaching feedback aims to guide individuals toward improvement. It is constructive and actionable and seeks to help recipients develop new skills, overcome challenges, and refine their performance.
Coaching can also involve helping overcome challenges and providing strategies to manage or eliminate these obstacles. It is primarily constructive, offering not just critiques but also positive guidance on how to improve.
Evaluation
Evaluation feedback typically comes in the form of judgment or rating. It assesses an individual’s performance against predefined criteria, such as academic grades or performance reviews. While essential for progress and accountability, evaluations can also be a source of stress and defensiveness if not communicated thoughtfully.
When receiving evaluation feedback, it is helpful to use it as a tool to foster a growth mindset, viewing each evaluation as an opportunity to learn and improve.
Challenges in Receiving Feedback
Feedback can be difficult to receive. It can trigger emotions that block us from receiving feedback that can help us improve and grow.
Sometimes, the feedback may feel wrong (and sometimes it is). However, if we dig deeper to understand the feedback and check to see if it is delivered in our blind spots, we may gain something from it that will help us grow.
Another obstacle to receiving feedback may be who is giving it. In this case, it is helpful to stay focused on what is being said instead of who is saying it. We may have preconceived ideas about who is giving us feedback. Are they credible and trustworthy? We may also question their motives.
In this case, it is easy to get sidetracked by the relationship instead of the feedback. By focusing on the feedback rather than our experience with the giver, we can more easily identify growth opportunities.
We may also block feedback if it feels threatening because of how we are wired. Some people are just more sensitive to receiving feedback than others. It may depend on our past experiences or even the kind of day we are having. When this happens, we need to take the time to correct our thinking and dismantle any distortions of what we are hearing. It is important to realize that feedback is just input, and how we process it is up to us.
We cultivate a growth identity for all these obstacles by sorting them toward coaching. When we hear evaluations that we see as judgments, we can find the coaching in them and use them to grow.
The Feedback Loop
Feedback should be seen as a continuous loop rather than a one-time occurrence. The feedback process involves three stages:
● Receiving feedback: It is crucial to acknowledge feedback with an open mind. When receiving feedback, individuals often encounter various emotional triggers, such as
defensiveness or a sense of failure. Understanding these triggers and adopting strategies to manage and overcome these reactions effectively is essential for personal and professional growth.
● Making sense of feedback: It is essential to understand feedback accurately. Miscommunications or misinterpretations can lead to misunderstandings, which may prevent the effective application of valuable insights.
● Engaging in Dialogue: Discuss the feedback received in conversation. Use techniques such as active listening and seeking clarification to help create a healthy feedback exchange.
How Can I Receive Feedback Better?
Approach feedback with an open and non-defensive mindset. Recognize that feedback aims to improve, and maintaining openness can mitigate feelings of personal attack or criticism. We’ve examined some ways to overcome challenges to receiving feedback. Now, let’s discuss some general principles for using feedback for growth.
With parkers finding availability up to 63% faster, 34 (and counting!) of the top US airports are enhancing the parking experience and maximizing the use of their existing facilities.
● Narrow down the scope. When we are bombarded with a list of things to improve, it helps to find the most important thing to tackle and tackle that one thing. If there are many items, is there a theme to them? Find out what one thing I am doing that gets in my own way and work on that.
● Try experiments. Experimentation is a powerful approach when considering changes in personal life, education, or business. By framing changes as experiments, you remove the pressure of permanence and open the possibility for learning and discovery. When making changes, remember that you can try it on. It doesn’t have to be a forever commitment. Just give it a try. You may be surprised by the result!
● Help your coach out. Sometimes, it helps to ask for what you need from your feedback giver. If you are getting appreciation and you really need coaching, ask for that. Sometimes signals get crossed and you need to get in sync.
● Ask for help. We like staying in our comfort zone, but when we step outside that comfort zone, we can truly grow. When
we invite others into our journey and ask for help, we build rapport and trust with the people who can give us valuable feedback to get us to the next level.
Feedback is an invaluable tool for growth and success. Embrace the transformative power of appreciation, coaching, and evaluation. By understanding the anatomy of feedback, engaging in constructive dialogue, and applying these principles in diverse settings, we can embark on a journey of continuous improvement and forge deeper connections with others. Let’s harness the power of feedback in our pursuit of personal and professional excellence. ◆
CHRISTI WHARTON is a Regional Account Manager for Cardinal Tracking. She can be reached at cwharton@ cardinaltracking.com
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Pioneering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
A Woman’s Perspective in a Male-Dominated Industry
By Michelle R. Porter, CAPP
IN A WORLD WHERE CERTAIN INDUSTRIES REMAIN HEAVILY MALE-DOMINATED, women continue to carve out their paths, shattering stereotypes and advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion. The parking/ transportation industry is one such arena where women are challenging norms, bringing their unique perspectives to the table, and driving change.
During my journey in university-level parking and transportation management, I’ve navigated numerous hurdles and setbacks. Initially stepping into this field with limited insight, I recognized the importance of immersing myself in every aspect of parking and transportation to gain visibility and credibility. After attending industry conferences and returning to the university, I eagerly shared newfound knowledge with my male colleagues, only to sometimes encounter dismissive reactions. Despite these challenges, through the power of allyship and inclusion, I’ve also experienced moments of growth and transportation.
For many, the image of a parking attendant raises a specific mental picture—typically male, often seen in a high-visibility vest, directing traffic with authority. Yet, within this seemingly straightforward profession lies complex challenges and opportunities, particularly for women who dare to venture into this traditionally male domain. For many of my male peers, it may be challenging to fully grasp the unique experiences and obstacles I face. Not only outside of the institution but
here on my own playing field. There are times within meetings and spaces that I’ve hesitated to speak up or add value because of the way I may feel that my input was perceived. Diversity in the parking industry isn’t merely about achieving a numerical balance between genders; it’s about embracing the perspectives, experiences, and skills that women bring to the table.
One of the most striking aspects of navigating a maledominated profession is the constant need to prove oneself. Whether it’s mastering the difficulties of parking technology, handling tough situations with finesse, or simply earning the respect of peers and superiors, women often find themselves subjected to heightened scrutiny. Every achievement, no matter how small, serves as a testament to our capabilities and resilience in the face of uncertainty.
Yet, despite the challenges, there’s a unique sense of empowerment that comes from breaking barriers and defying expectations. As a woman in parking and transportation, every successful interaction, every satisfied customer, and every innovative solution becomes a small victory, reaffirming my place in a field where we’re often seen as outliers.
Moreover, diversity and inclusion in the industry extend beyond gender alone. It encompasses a spectrum of identities— race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, and more—each contributing to the vibrant tapestry of perspectives within the industry. Organizations can unlock untapped potential, drive innovation, and better serve their communities by fostering an inclusive environment where every voice is heard and valued.
Women in parking and transportation often face systemic barriers that hinder their advancement—from wage differences to limited opportunities for leadership roles. Addressing these inequities requires a concerted effort to dismantle these deeprooted biases, implement fair policies, and provide mentorship and support for women at all levels of the organization.
Fortunately, the tide is turning - slowly. Here at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), it has shifted completely. In 2021,
The Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion was formed. This office, headed by Wanda Heading-Grant, who has a 30-year career in this space, plays a vital role at CMU, facilitating impactful and enduring transformations through strategic planning and executing initiatives that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging. Wanda and her team collaborate closely with all academic and administrative units and have deployed DEI leaders to represent each campus division. The office is committed to building a diverse community, cultivating an inclusive culture, and promoting values and accountability. As a woman in parking and transportation, I feel fortunate to work at an institution forging ahead in the DEI space.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just words; these are guiding principles that shape the future of parking and transportation and pave the way for a more equitable society. As women in a male-dominated field, we stand as pioneers, challenging stereotypes, breaking barriers, and driving positive change not just for us but for future generations of parking professionals. ◆
MICHELLE R. PORTER, CAPP , is the Director, Transportation Services at Carnegie Mellon University and a member of IPMI’s Allyship & Equity Advisory Group. She can be reached at mporter@andrew.cmu.edu
TCarolinas Parking and Mobility Association
Racing Toward Excellence in the Carolinas
By Clint Joy
HE CAROLINAS PARKING AND MOBILITY ASSOCIATION (CPMA) is grateful for all of our valued partners and members. Our ever-expanding organization is here to assist with resources to grow your team professionally, from our newsletters to specialized training to webinars to our annual conference and expo.
CMPA serves one of the fastest growing regions in the country and we always welcome new members to our organization. We are proud to share our informative educational development sessions in 2024 designed to target the unique educational needs of parking, transportation, and mobility professionals from front-line team members to management leaders. CPMA offers an expansive selection of webinars and inperson sessions, from state-of-the-art technology to customer service and all topics in-between.
Our quarterly instructional training programs provide an opportunity for team members to share knowledge and experiences from various locations, such as airports, municipalities, residential and corporate communities, educational institutions, sports and entertainment venues, and medical centers.
Beyond our periodic meetings, we are excited to announce that the 2024 Annual Conference and Expo will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. and the home to NASCAR. Our Fall Conference will offer many exciting and interactive educational sessions and the latest technology will be shared by our vendor partners. Mark your calendars now to attend the CPMA Conference and Expo on September 24th -26th . Located at the Hilton Charlotte University Place, you will be just minutes away from beautiful
Uptown Charlotte, University of North Carolina Charlotte, and all that the city has to offer. In addition to the conference sessions, our Main Event will be held at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, where you will have the opportunity to participate in a Pit Crew Challenge, Racing Simulators, and visit the historical archives.
Join us to learn and share ideas, expand your knowledge, and become a part of a professional network that spans across the two beautiful states of North and South Carolina. We always welcome new members and look forward to the opportunities a growing association provides. For additional information, visit us at carolinasparking.org or email us at carolinasparking@ gmail.com
CLINT JOY is Chief Executive Officer of Carolina Time and Parking Group and President of the Carolinas Parking & Mobility Association. He can be reached at clint.joy@ carolinatime.net
CPMA 2023 Expo and Conference
Lynne Lancaster, CAPP
Deputy Director
Department
of Public Works, Richmond, Virginia
Click here to find out why Lynne earned her CAPP and how it impacted her career.
The Leading Credential in Parking & Mobility
CAPP Certification impacted my career advancement, setting a bar for my position. All future deputies must be CAPP certified, which says a lot about the value of the certification.
EXPERTS ASK THE
What innovation or trend is having the most impact on event parking?
What parking and mobility innovation or trend is having the most significant impact on special event parking?
Casey Jones, CAPP
Senior Director of Customer Success
FLASH Parking
Transacting event parking digitally is having the most profound and positive impact on event goers and parking providers alike. Parkers can now locate, reserve, and transact from their smartphones (and ultimately directly from their cars), improving convenience, efficiency, revenue control, and protection and embedding the parking transaction at the point of sale for the event ticket further promotes a positive and seamless experience for all.”
Scott C. Bauman, CAPP
Manager of Parking & Mobility Services
City of Aurora, CO
The convenience and widespread user adoption of online prepaid parking reservations has been a significant game changer. Leveraging the latest technology and security from any device allows for an enhanced customer experience while operationally benefitting from effective pre-event communications, efficient planning and management of parking/staff resources, gaining robust revenue control, and achieving increased speed of entry for customers while also reducing traffic backups is impactful.”
One event parking innovation I’ve seen recently is the utilization of cameras to reduce management costs. Basically, operators are setting up a centralized command center: a physical office where someone sits to observe the lots and stall counters. It’s really interesting to see how operators are applying this to lots without electricity by using tech like solar-powered cameras streaming data to the cloud via cell towers.”
HAVE A QUESTION? Send it to editor@parking-mobility.org and watch this space for answers from the experts.
Corey Jennings Revenue Optimization Manager Ocra
Kathryn Hebert
President and CEO
TPMConnect
AI and Cybersecurity are having the most significant impact on special event parking and on the parking industry in general. We already have experienced AI but now this technology is skyrocketing and advancing at warp speed. The value and benefits are many, such as centralizing parking management data into algorithms that are predictive, realtime tracking, and driver guidance, which creates a better driver experience and ultimately helps the environment by reducing congestion. With the fast advancement of AI comes the awareness and diligence of cybersecurity. These two valuable technologies go hand in hand.”
Tiffany Peebles
Sr. Account Manager
ParkMobile
The ability to reserve parking before attending an event is lifechanging. Removing the worry of riding around and finding parking allows you to focus on the anticipation and excitement of attending the event. Mobile parking credentials allow you to arrive, park, and enjoy!”
Hannah R. Adeponu, MA, CAPP
Parking and Mobility Manager (Interim)
City of Omaha, Parking and Mobility Division (Park Omaha)
For Omaha, demand-driven rate changes for event zones and parking reservation software are the most impactful tools we use to manage special event parking. These tools allow us to be flexible with our rates as, the majority of the time, these event spaces do not generate high demand, so we can offer lower rates for longer-term parking to our community.”
Jeshua D. Pringle, AICP, CAPP
Parking Planner/ Associate
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.
The conversion of surface parking lots to mixed-use developments and entertainment districts is having a profound impact on how we approach special event parking. Balancing the dayto-day parking needs of a mixed-use development with the surge of parking demand generated by eventgoers requires advanced shared parking strategies and the right mixture of land uses. Incorporating transportation demand management, supporting multimodal travel, and enhancing signal timing have been invaluable to special event planning for our clients.”
Larry J. Cohen,
CAPP
Executive Director
Lancaster Parking Authority
The various prepayment options provide cashless transactions resulting in better ease of traffic entering events.”
MOTOWN like music
By Cristine Paull
“Motown was about music for all people—white and black, blue and green, cops and the robbers. I was reluctant to have our music alienate anyone.”
—Berry Gordy, Jr., founder of the Motown Record Corporation
YEARS AGO, Detroit native Berry Gordon founded Tamla Records, which one year later merged into one of the most successful Black-owned businesses, Motown Record Corporation.
Motown represents a melting pot of rhythm and blues, soul, gospel, and pop music. Much like its hometown, Motown brought together people from various backgrounds to what we know as a historical, cultural center—and the automobile capital of the world.
Last April, SP+, a Metropolis company and designated special event transportation services provider of the National Football League (NFL), was “on the clock” at the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, Michigan. With more than 775,000 people in attendance over the three-day event, the 2024 NFL Draft is a notable example of how, like Motown was about music for all people, event management is about transportation for all people.
Members of the Transportation team looking sharp in their uniforms in the Draft Theater.
Each special event provides an opportunity to embrace and celebrate the host city for both residents and visitors alike. Detroit was no exception. The unique urban footprint encasing Detroit’s Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza provided an opportunity to build and execute an efficient transportation plan, including venue transportation planning, parking and access operations, mobility operations, and transportation. The heart of the Draft festivities took place on the main stage, more commonly known as the Draft Theater, at Campus Martius Park and Cadillac Square. Additional iconic Detroit landmarks like Beacon Park, Capitol Park, Grand Circus Park, Harmonie Park, and Woodward Avenue were also integrated into the Draft Weekend events.
Thanks to the Host Committee, Visit Detroit, Detroit Sports Commission, and the Michigan Black Business Alliance, SP+ GAMEDAY was able to work with local businesses to provide transportation for groups including the prospects, prospect friends and family,
talent, sponsors, media, and the NFL. Our team also managed various parking lots and garages, as well as load and unload zones, outside the secure perimeter.
In my more than 25 years of experience, I recognize that our most important asset during any special event is the people. People want to be a part of something special and feel a connection to the event, the team, the venue, and even the host city. A vast majority of our team are football fans, too—anxiously waiting for the next Draft pick to be announced. Whether it be the seven full-time staff, 46 independent contractors, or 30 college students, our team had one mission: to provide safe, efficient, ontime transportation and mobility services for all people at the Draft.
For the third consecutive year, college students from Kent State University joined the Mobility Assistance Program team for a once-in-a-lifetime experiential learning experience. SP+ GAMEDAY invests in both undergraduate and graduate students
Members of the Mobility Assistance Program team strike a pose in their trademark blue high visibility vests in the Draft Theater.
with paid experiential learning opportunities at special events like the NFL Draft to connect what they learn in the classroom to real-world experiences in the sports and entertainment industry through the lens of transportation services. I am proud that college students from Kent State, as well as Ohio University, University of Iowa, University of Louisville, and others, have engaged in various experiential learning opportunities with us over the past decade. Even now, some of these former college students have stayed with us as independent contractors over the years.
The Mobility Assistance Program is a customizable accessibility program for specific venues and/or events focused on mobility services beyond Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. In instances where other accessibility services are needed, partnerships are formed with the venue’s guest services team to support services for those with hearing, visual or speech impairments (e.g., ASL interpreters, closed captioning), or invisible disabilities (sensory, autism, mental health, etc.). At this year’s Draft, we provided ADAaccessible transportation, on-site mobility services (wheelchairs, golf carts, escorts), and dispatch and call center operations.
With more than 775,000 people in attendance over the three-day event, the 2024 NFL Draft is a notable example of how event management is about transportation for all people.
Prior to the NFL Draft, officials projected it would generate between $175 million and $200 million in economic growth in Detroit, an estimate officials now expect to surpass. The NFL Draft is headed to Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 2025 and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 2026.
The next time you hear a song by Motown legends like Diana Ross and The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Martha and The Vandellas, The Commodores, or even The Jackson 5, think how the work we have the privilege to do brings people together and provides the opportunity to make each journey remarkable. ◆
CRISTINE PAULL is the Vice President of SP+ GAMEDAY, a division of SP+, a Metropolis company. She can be reached at cpaull@spplus. com.
SP+ full-time staff enjoying a team dinner in Greektown. From left to right: Nicole Hankins, Mike Witte, Nicola Matun, Megan McMurtrie, Cristine Paull, Christina Mehlon, Will Jordan, and Olivia Mihalich.
The
Wild Event Parking
West
The Wild West
Event Parking
By Clayton Whitt
By Clayton Whitt
IN EARLY 2019 , I read an article about a local company that touted partnerships with top-level sports and entertainment venues such as AT&T Stadium and American Airlines Center. As a wide-eyed, soon-tograduate college student with little to no clue where I was going to land my first job, I was pretty much hooked. I may or may not have read too much into the fact that this was specifically a parking technology company, but how hard could that part be? It’s just parking cars, right?
When I joined the industry, I quickly immersed myself in the chaotic yet fascinating world of event parking. My early days were spent connecting with fairs, festivals, and smaller event venues. It was incredible to learn that many, if not most, of the operations I spoke with relied on cash bags, tear tickets, and a hope and prayer that all funds collected would eventually reach the cash counting room at the end of the night.
I recall visiting a major sports team’s venue and watching scalpers with stacks of print-athome parking passes, exchanging them for cash right next to the official parking attendants. The scalpers would continue trying passes until one was finally validated as “authentic.” I remember assisting with the launch of a large fair operation and seeing a parking manager sprinting between lots to collect cash bags from staff until he ultimately ended up riding shotgun in a golf cart beside a sheriff deputy…who was holding an actual shotgun. I remember another site visit involving a large amphitheater—they were quite ahead of the times, using card swipers on cell phones for each attendant; it wasn’t until I noticed a cashier pulling out his own phone and personal card swiper every few transactions, that I realized we were truly in the Wild West days of event parking.
Embracing Technological Innovation
It became clear to me early on that mastering event parking operations is about more than just managing cars – it’s about creating positive experiences that begin the moment attendees decide to attend an event. By
staying ahead of technological advancements and prioritizing the needs of customers, venues, and operations, we can ensure that parking is a facilitator of great experiences, not a barrier.
In any industry, bold and innovative technology that challenges the status quo is often met with operational and customer hesitation. 30 years ago, the concept of using a credit card to pay for a meal in a fast-food restaurant was met with shock. Today, however, it’s hard to find anyone without at least one credit card or wallet-based payment system enabled on their smartphone. This convenient and useful invention has become so ingrained in our daily lives that it’s difficult to imagine reverting to previous methods. While the event parking industry, like many others, has historically been slow to change, recent years have seen an explosion of innovation. This rapid evolution underscores the importance of embracing new technologies, as they can significantly enhance both the customer experience and operational efficiency.
When we look at the past, we see how event parking has transformed significantly over time. Initially, most operations relied on manual, cash-heavy operations. Thankfully, it became clear to most that this method resulted in numerous inefficiencies: long wait times, time-consuming manual processes, and a suboptimal customer experience. The introduction of technology to scan and validate parking passes and accept multiple forms of payment marked a significant improvement. Previously,
venues limited prepaid passes largely to season ticket holders or university donors.
Actively scanning these passes to verify entry while enabling single-event goers to participate in prepay methods was a new practice for many venues. This change streamlined entry processes and laid the groundwork for more advanced, datadriven parking management systems.
The pace of technology adoption was gradual. Early systems were often bespoke solutions tailored to specific venues or functions, focusing on entry validation without integrating broader event management functions. Furthermore, the gradual pace of technological advancement created a scenario of multiple, siloed systems—operations essentially added another tool for cashiers to manage each time they saw a need to improve.
Eventually, they would start to look like Batman with a utility belt of gadgets: a device to swipe cards, a cash bag, a clipboard of VIP names, a radio, etc. Unfortunately, during the initial phase of transitioning to a fully digital event parking world, this shift made tasks more cumbersome for staff and management. As the landscape matured, so did the technology underpinning parking operations. These changes set the stage for the comprehensive, interconnected systems we see today.
Impact of COVID-19 on Event Parking
The pandemic brought an unprecedented halt to events worldwide, forcing stakeholders to dramatically reevaluate and transform parking operations. The conversation shifted from discussing improvements to operations, to discussions about if the operation would still exist once things eventually recovered. As venues closed and public gatherings ceased, the need for a shift in operational tactics became evident.
The event and municipal parking sectors witnessed a dramatic drop in demand. In April 2020, parking volumes decreased by 75%, seemingly overnight. Many venue operators initially realized that their traditional-styled operations were no longer viable in a health-conscious world. Consequently, the adoption of contactless and prepaid parking solutions surged.
Operations rapidly moved away from cash transactions to minimize physical contact points and potential transmission of the virus. Undoubtedly, this was a significant undertaking. They had to invest in new infrastructure and spend time training their teams to transition from manual to digital processes. Event parking operations also intensified their focus on prepaid parking solutions. Moving from physical passes to digital mediums streamlined the entry process, reducing wait times and minimizing contact between staff and attendees.
Overall, new standards were set for the event parking industry, with an emphasis on safety, efficiency, and user experience. Technology, of course, played a critical role in adapting to these new challenges. With an increased reliance on digital solutions, parking operations became much more resilient and adaptable; therefore, capable of managing the uncertainties of pandemic conditions and beyond.
While overall a daunting time, the pandemic pushed technological improvements forward at a rate that was unprecedented and provided a foundation for more sophisticated, data-driven future parking management systems.
The New Normal in Event Parking
Today, parking demand and volume have largely recovered for event venues and other businesses, but they are generated in significantly different ways than before the pandemic.
Figure 2.
Data shows a sharp fall in cash payments compared to prepaid and credit card payments. Even after a COVID-19 vaccine was released and cases fell in frequency and severity, the preference toward digital payment methods has remained strong. Thus far in 2024, only 10.47% of event parking transactions are via cash, which is down from 57% pre-pandemic.
The new normal is an event parking landscape that incorporates advanced technology and operational strategies to enhance attendee convenience and safety. Integration is key—especially with most venues and stakeholders merging payment methods directly into team or venue apps, ticketing platforms, and fanengagement systems. There has been a massive push by both fans and venues to incorporate streamlined parking solutions into these third-party platforms, enabling users to buy, upgrade, and access their passes with the click of a button.
Additionally, for new developments, the frequency of traditional, stand-alone venues is quickly diminishing. New event venues are no longer isolated structures but are typically part of larger, mixed-use developments located in core urban areas. This shift significantly impacts local mobility ecosystems, necessitating innovative parking solutions to accommodate not just eventgoers but the daily needs of a diverse patron base. Parking systems also must communicate effectively with native systems of the teams and venues driving event parking demand. The failure to integrate can lead to a competitive disadvantage, as modern consumers expect a high degree of technological coherence and convenience. As venues evolve, so does the importance of ensuring that parking operations are not just a service but an integral part of the overall event experience, which contributes to customer loyalty and operational efficiency.
Data-Driven Insights and Future Outlook
The evolution of event parking has increasingly relied on data to drive decisions and improve operations. Insights into parking behavior, pricing trends, and the impact of game day variables are crucial for optimizing efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Parking behavior varies significantly across different event types, sports leagues, and markets, illustrating fans’ unique patterns
and the need for tailored parking solutions. For instance, 75%+ of vehicles for NFL games will arrive at least 60 minutes before the actual event start time, compared to 61% for an NHL game.
Additionally, vehicle arrival time is also greatly influenced by the preferred payment method of each patron, illustrated in the graphic below, which showcases the difference in arrival patterns based on the payment types used throughout last year’s MLB season:
We can compare this to the patterns seen in more traditional concert-style events at large amphitheaters and event centers in 2024:
Figure 3.
Figure 4.
Such data is crucial for planning and can help mitigate congestion during peak ingress times. Understanding these patterns based on event type and payment method through data collection allows operators to dynamically adjust resources, ensuring efficient ingress and egress and enhancing the fan experience.
Optimizing event parking involves a blend of strategic planning and the use of flexible technology. From analyzing ingress patterns to choosing the right technology platforms, effective parking management enhances both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
The future of event parking lies in the integration of technology that improves payment and access while aligning with broader event management systems to provide a seamless experience. History shows that these data-driven insights into parking behavior, pricing strategies, and the impact of event variables are invaluable for making informed decisions that enhance customer satisfaction.
As venues evolve into multi-use spaces that blend entertainment, residential, and commercial activities,
parking operations must adapt to the changing demands of a more dynamic urban environment.
Ultimately, the goal of modern event parking operations must be for parking to become a seamless part of the event experience rather than a preliminary chore. Embracing innovation and technology is the key to achieving this, ensuring that parking remains a supportive feature of the overall event landscape. ◆
CLAYTON WHITT is Vice President of Business Development for ParkHub. He can be reached at clayton.whitt@parkhub.com.
By Emily Adler
IT TURNS OUT TAYLOR
SWIFT’S
CONCERT AT
ALLEGIANT STADIUM caused more traffic than the Super Bowl. We unpack why, look at how Super Bowl traffic trends compare to other recent events, and use near real-time data to visualize exactly how traffic played out on streets around the stadium.
This year’s Super Bowl was the most watched television event in history. At Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, it was also one of the biggest in-person events of the year for the city. The stadium itself has an extended capacity to accommodate over 70,000 game-goers, but that doesn’t account for the tailgaters and partygoers who attended events throughout the city before, during, and after the game.
For event operators and transportation agencies, that also means the Super Bowl was one of the biggest traffic bottlenecks of the year - and that’s without factoring in Taylor Swift’s travel from private jet to stadium arena.
To understand how traffic trends played out and compare the impact against other recent major events at Allegiant, a big data construction and operations product was used, equipped with near-real-time speed and traffic activity data. Understanding these traffic patterns—which roadways see the most congestion and when—can help event operators study and improve traffic plans for events and construction projects.
In gif Image 1 below, you can see a time-lapse of Super Bowl traffic around Allegiant Stadium during the 12 hours around the game.
IMAGE 1: View a time-lapse of traffic trends measured by atypical volume, speed, atypical speed, and atypical delay. This Super Bowl time-lapse shows atypical volumes. Higher volumes appear in red, while lower volumes are in blue.
You can see how roadways build up atypical vehicle volumes (shown in gradient from yellow to red) throughout the day, ahead of the game start. But then, the gradient becomes light blue during the game itself, indicating lower than normal vehicle volumes. This is because vehicle volumes on roadways surrounding the stadium actually fell below normal during the game, as people stayed put both at the stadium or at their Super Bowl parties to watch the action. Volumes rise again, well above the pre-game volumes, after the game ends.
This is visible in starker relief in the screenshots (Images 2 and 3) on the right. In the Image 2, we see atypical volumes at the peak egress, whereas in the Image 3, the roads are clearer than usual during the game.
Of course, events don’t take place in a vacuum, and there may be unforeseen circumstances that further impact congestion. Las Vegas’ Super Bowl traffic offers an example of this as well.
Nearly simultaneous with the end of the Super Bowl and peak egress, a pole fell on the Las Vegas strip within three miles of Allegiant Stadium. The impact of the incident on the speeds of nearby roadways can be seen in the gif Image 4 on the lower right.
The pole incident further contributed to the Super Bowl traffic impact, as congestion moved away from the Stadium and towards post-game events throughout the city.
This is another important consideration for traffic planners and engineers: what will the impact look like should an additional traffic incident occur, and where are the potential routes and detours that can help disgorge some of those impacts? This is why it is critical to pair near real-time data with historical data to dynamically adjust for typical vs. atypical circumstances.
Event Traffic Trends at Allegiant Stadium
Las Vegas regularly hosts major marquee national events, but traffic around the stadium still snarls from the impact of attendees. In fact, when analyzing Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, it was found that Allegiant Stadium saw the greatest vehicle hours of delay of any of the stadiums studied.
To get a high-level view of how congestion and
IMAGE 4: Change in speeds after a pole falls on the Las Vegas strip.
IMAGE 2: Atypical volumes at the peak egress hour of the Super Bowl.
IMAGE 3: Atypical volumes during a low in traffic during the Super Bowl.
traffic typically operate during events at Allegiant Stadium, Vehicle Hours of Delay were measured within one mile of the stadium during peak arrival and peak departure hours at some recent events prior to the Super Bowl.
It’s clear that the timing of the events has a major impact on delays.
Delays are much higher in the hour before the event when the event occurs on weekdays, likely because on these days there is higher typical congestion (Image 5). Otherwise, egress is typically when there is the most concentrated congestion.
In Image 6, major roads within a 3.5-mile radius of Allegiant were analyzed at each of these events to understand the trajectory of roadway congestion during the 12 hours surrounding the events. Near real-time data were also used to see these trends during the Super Bowl itself. The analysis measures the percentage of roadways with average speeds below 75% of typical free-flow speeds mapped over the 12 hours surrounding the 9 events and normalized for event start times.
Again, it’s evident how weekday events create much more congestion leading up to the event. In particular, Taylor Swift’s Friday concert dwarfs the other events for peak pre-event congestion, including the Super Bowl. Of course, that is in part driven by event excitement and fans arriving early to buy merchandise, but it is also likely a function of the Friday event time. The single NFL game studied on a weekday, the Monday Oct 9 game, sees the second highest congestion ahead of the event start, ahead of even the Super Bowl.
In fact, pre-event traffic to the Super Bowl follows very similar patterns to the other weekend games, although the period of sustained congestion is slightly longer and earlier than the other events.
The Super Bowl is also not a complete outlier for egress congestion, though traffic did push slightly later, perhaps due to the game going into overtime. Congestion is also sustained for a somewhat longer period during egress compared to all the other events. This could be a reflection of Super Bowl-specific attendance trends, the impact of the downed pole on the strip, and even increased traffic throughout the city as people outside the stadium also got back in their cars following the games.
To disentangle normal traffic patterns from event-induced traffic, empirical speeds were compared to free-flow speeds and typical speeds for a given corridor.
IMAGE 6: Major roadways and 3.5-mile radius of Allegiant Stadium with average speeds lower than 75% of free flow speed.
IMAGE 5: Vehicle hours of delay on major roads within 1 mile radius of Allegiant Stadium
In the two charts above, the differences in these measures across three of the events studied is shown: Taylor Swift’s Friday concert, the Super Bowl, and another Sunday NFL game. The scale in the free-flow chart is higher because the percentage of congested roadways is higher when empirical speed is compared to free-flow speeds.
The spike in traffic from Taylor Swift’s Friday concert is more compressed when compared to normal speeds because this measure better accounts for existing weekday traffic. During egress, Swift’s concert and the Super Bowl look similar across both measures.
Big Data for Special Events and Construction Traffic Operations
A big data approach to special events planning can help fill crucial data gaps to anticipate the traffic impact of special events and deploy rapid-response congestion mitigation measures during these events to ease clogged traffic.
Access to on-demand transportation analytics can be used to inform broader travel demand models, analyze past events to inform future event operations and monitor ongoing events as they unfold. These kinds of insights are critical for dynamically adjusting plans and identifying safety concerns. And because analytics are accessed online, this can expedite special events planning without putting staff in harm’s way for manual counts and surveys that only capture a snapshot of traffic during a short period of time.
This expedited process allows planners and operators to proactively evaluate alternative traffic management strategies and communicate their decisions with the public in advance of special events.
Meanwhile, near real-time traffic data can help operations managers monitor traffic during an event and react quickly to
congestion or safety concerns as they develop. Using near realtime data to create a high-level view of congestion throughout the roadway network over time (i.e., viewing a time-lapse of traffic conditions like vehicle speeds) can help spotlight where capacity is strained and where there may be potential to reroute traffic to underutilized roadways.
Historical Traffic Data for Special Events Planning
Analyzing historical traffic data can help proactively plan special events traffic management. In particular, these metrics may be helpful:
● Traffic Volumes—to understand trends over time, identify when during the day traffic peaks, compare weekdays to weekends, and flag where road capacity may be insufficient and identify potential detours.
● Origin-Destination (O-D) and Routing—to understand where attendees tend to travel from, which roadways may become congested, and where traffic could be rerouted to lessused segments to ease traffic flow.
● Turning Movements—to pinpoint major intersections and road segments where people turn on their way into the event venue during typical conditions and special events.
● VHD—(Vehicle Hours of Delay) to understand how past events have impacted traffic congestion on roads near the venue, and how these conditions affect the larger roadway network.
● Travel Time—similar to VHD, travel time analyses can help planners understand how special events impact all road users (not just attendees) and inform public communications around expected delays.
● Vehicle Speeds—to evaluate safety conditions and crash risk near the venue, especially for vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists.
● Bike and Pedestrian activity—to identify common historical walking and cycling routes to and from the venue.
IMAGE 7: Number of roadways within a 3.5-mile radius that are congested over the course of the day as compared to free-flow conditions (left) and typical conditions (right).
These metrics allow planners to anticipate how traffic conditions will change during special events and prioritize traffic management strategies such as detours, signage, and signal timing that will keep traffic flowing and protect the safety of all road users.
For example, analyzing turning movements by the time of day can reveal key intersections leading to the event venue that is well-timed for normal conditions but stall traffic flow during major events. Planners may use these insights to temporarily retime signals on the day(s) of the event, or specifically during the hours that turning movements peak, to offer more opportunities for attendees to make their turns into and out of the venue. Similarly, planners can flag where event signage could be necessary to direct traffic away from residential or other local streets not suited for high-volume traffic.
Near Real-Time Traffic Data for Special Events and Construction Planning
Near real-time traffic data can be used to respond quickly to changing road conditions, giving operations managers more insights into the specific tactics that can help mitigate congestion or safety concerns during the atypical traffic patterns that accompany major events like the Super Bowl or significant construction projects.
For example, operations managers might notice major delays in a specific corridor leading into or out of an event venue. They might then analyze recent vehicle traffic activity on adjacent streets to see where rerouting cars could unjam traffic or pinpoint the most congested intersections to deploy temporary traffic control personnel or retime smart traffic signals to improve traffic flow.
Analyzing near real-time vehicle speed and traffic flow metrics can also help operations managers pinpoint where pedestrians may face dangerous conditions, allowing them to deploy traffic calming measures quickly if needed.
Near real-time data can also be useful ahead of an event or major construction to understand the most recent traffic trends and inform communications with the public regarding expected delays or detours. This can be especially impactful if there have been recent design changes to nearby roads or the venue itself that may impact traffic flow patterns. ◆
EMILY ADLER is the Director of Content for StreetLight Data. She can be reached at info@streetlightdata.com
IMAGE 8: A Top Routes analysis shows the most-used routes traveling to State Farm Stadium near Phoenix, AZ during a Taylor Swift concert (see the full analysis here). Top-used road segments appear in red.
Thinking Outside the Stadium
Insights into Effective Event Parking Strategies
by Jon Applegate
THINKING OUTSIDE THE STADIUM
by Jon Applegate
“A recent survey conducted by an NFL team revealed that a staggering 40% of their premium seat holders’ gameday experience impressions were linked to parking.”
EACH YEAR, MILLIONS OF AMERICANS FLOCK TO EVENTS of all sizes across the country. Whether they’re checking out their favorite teams or musicians, participating in festivals, or even attending conferences for their jobs, event destinations like stadiums, arenas, parks, and convention centers are tasked with coordinating hundreds and often thousands of attendees, many of whom arrive and depart within a short window of time.
Today’s venues operate a complex combination of duties, from engaging fans to ensuring security, managing food and beverage services and VIP spaces, and navigating ticketing markets. The organizers and operators of large-scale events must juggle countless responsibilities aimed at not only ensuring the comfortable and efficient movement of people from arrival, during the event, and to departure but also creating the safest and secure environment possible. One very crucial component is parking. Parking significantly impacts attendee satisfaction. Further, large-scale events are one of the few activities that must support the arrival and departure of most attendees (and their vehicles) around the same time, resulting in traffic congestion, pedestrian / vehicular conflicts, and delays.
Event patrons today have high expectations when it comes to parking convenience, safety, and sustainability.
A recent survey conducted by an NFL team revealed that a staggering 40% of their premium seat holders’ game-day experience impressions were linked to parking. This finding highlights the profound impact of parking on guest perceptions, as well as underscores the parking industry’s focus on leveraging technology to enhance guest experiences and operational efficiencies.
Understanding Event Parking Expectations and Trends
Event patrons today have high expectations when it comes to parking convenience, safety, and sustainability. They look for seamless entry and exit processes, efficient payment options, and security measures that provide a level of comfort for their personal safety first, as well as the security of their vehicle while they are inside. Accessibility and inclusivity are also critical considerations, with venues expected to provide designated parking for individuals with disabilities. Moreover, sustainability initiatives such as electric vehicle charging stations and
bike-sharing programs are gaining traction as patrons become more environmentally conscious and utilize these resources in more instances.
Another trend gaining traction is the integration of mobility solutions and alternate transportation. Many venues have already or are exploring partnerships with ride-sharing services and public transit agencies to provide seamless transportation options for event attendees. As urban and even suburban areas become more congested, providing alternative transportation options can alleviate parking demand and reduce traffic congestion around event venues, leading to a more comfortable social experience for all while also alleviating some of the issues related to parking.
Best Practices for Event Parking Management
As entertainment venue owners and operators continue to identify and understand the value of effectively implementing parking management practices and technologies, they will create further opportunities
to enhance the overall patron experience. As parking professionals, we are tasked with working closely with these stakeholders to help them understand the options they have, as well as the important role parking plays as the first and last interaction most attendees have when visiting their venues.
Just like that recent NFL survey proved, many attendees note parking as having a major impact on fan and patron perceptions. For many fans, their event experience begins at the sight of the first brake light. Even as industry experts who should be the most wellversed when it comes to parking strategies, many of us have likely cited our own parking encounters as reasons to attend (or not attend) an event. These events are meant to bring people together, foster community, and create happy memories. Parking shouldn’t be a reason that people don’t feel comfortable participating.
Facilitating a combination of parking best practices can help to ensure the best event experiences possible. Here are just of few of the strategies that can lead to happy patrons and organizers:
During events at Truist Park and the Atlanta Braves games, attendees experience comprehensive event parking management.
● Comprehensive Traffic Management: Effective traffic management is essential for minimizing congestion and ensuring smooth ingress and egress. Conducting thorough traffic impact assessments, implementing clear signage and wayfinding systems, and deploying trained personnel to manage traffic flow are key components of successful traffic management strategies.
● Technology Integration: Leveraging integrated parking technologies enhances the guest experience and streamlines parking operations. Mobile payment platforms, eCommerce parking permits, license plate recognition systems, and parking reservation apps optimize parking utilization and improve efficiency. Additionally, data analytics enables venues to make informed decisions and identify areas for improvement.
● Enhanced Guest Services: Providing personalized and premium guest services sets venues apart. Valet parking options, VIP parking areas, express entry, and on-site guest mobility solutions cater to the needs of all patrons.
● Sustainable Parking and Transportation: Implementing innovative initiatives such as electric vehicle charging stations, shuttle transportation programs, and express entry/exit solutions to minimize vehicle idling and emissions demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship and resonate with eco-conscious patrons.
● Diverse Parking Payment Options: Depending on the venue type, patrons may be met with several payment options, including cash handling, prepaid passes, mobile payment apps, pay stations, text- or scan-to-pay, and more. Providing a variety of options based on the individual’s preferences and abilities will significantly reduce potential stress while allowing them to quickly park and be on their way.
● Fan Facing Applications: Many venues provide online options for fans to manage their tickets and parking passes, loyalty programs, plan their parking destinations and routes, etc. Many solutions available today can seamlessly allow guests to purchase and store their parking credentials in their digital wallets. Some applications use driving guidance system integration, like Waze, to direct patrons to the venue based on a site’s command center and movement of traffic plans.
● Business Intelligence Platforms: Venues can use these solutions to consolidate the data generated from their parking operation to provide usable visuals that help make informed decisions. These can be custombuilt or off-the-shelf. Data focused on arrival times, visitation frequency, parking location, payroll, weather, statistics by event type, etc., help create a true 360-degree view. Additionally, these data points are converted into monetization strategies that can be deployed to either drive revenue (both in the parking lots and in the venues) or cut operating costs.
CPKC Stadium: The 11,500-seat stadium is the first dedicated women’s sports stadium in the world.
Venues Maximizing their Parking Experiences
Truist Park at The Battery –Atlanta, GA:
Located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, The Battery Atlanta is anchored by Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves™. The twomillion-square-foot mixed-use destination, also home to the 4,000seat Coca-Cola Roxy™ live music venue, offers a vibrant, year-round event destination.
During events at Truist Park and the Atlanta Braves games, attendees experience comprehensive event parking management. The operation covers on-site and off-site facilities, including seven garages, 25 off-site
parking lots, and 60 on-street meters. It also includes ambassador and shuttle services, providing a variety of stress-free parking options for patrons of The Battery Atlanta.
Empower Field at Mile High:
Located adjacent to Denver’s original Mile High Stadium, Empower Field at Mile High stands at an elevation of 5,280 feet above sea level. Offering views of both the Rocky Mountains and Denver’s skyline, the stadium offers a truly unique crowd experience for more than 76,000 fans.
In addition to providing a quality in-game experience, Empower Field at Mile High has prioritized patron parking. Expanded parking inventory and advanced reservation options have reduced on-site parking demand and improved traffic flow at the venue. Further, the parking team has implemented both license plate recognition and on-site payment solutions, creating more streamlined parking interactions while facilitating the site’s 365-day use.
L&N Stadium
L&N Stadium is home to the University of Louisville football team. It can host more than 60,000 fans at Cardinal home games each year.
Just before the 2022 football season, the University of Louisville implemented a parking vendor transition for its 5,000+ parking space operation. The transition resulted in several operational improvements, including conversion to a new digital parking system, enhanced signage, and streamlined traffic flow. These adjustments significantly reduced expenses for the University while still elevating fan service.
CPKC Stadium
CPKC Stadium is the home of the Kansas City Current women’s soccer team. The 11,500-seat stadium is the first dedicated women’s sports stadium in the world. Located in the heart of downtown Kansas City, it hosts attendees of all the KC Current home games.
When parking demand skyrocketed due to the completion of the new stadium and the new event schedule, there was a limited supply of available parking in the venue and the surrounding area. Further, the new destination created several traffic challenges for
the area in and around the development. However, the organization and parking operator worked together to identify several off-site parking locations nearby and sell permits in advance of game days through an embedded website widget. The team also coordinated a shuttle bus program to transport attendees from the satellite lots to the venue.
Elevating the Fan Journey
The goal of event parking is not just to provide a place for attendees to park their vehicles; it’s about enhancing the overall event experience from beginning to end while giving fans pleasant memories and inspiring them to return. Parking plays a crucial role in shaping the overall guest experience at events of all types. By implementing best practices, embracing emerging trends, and fostering collaboration, the owners and organizers of these venues can optimize parking operations and significantly elevate the event experience for patrons.
The evolving trends in event parking reflect a growing demand for convenience, safety, and accessibility. Patrons expect efficient entry and exit processes, diverse payment options, and safety measures that prioritize their well-being first and the security of their vehicles second. Successful event parking requires a comprehensive combination of traffic management strategies, technology integration, enhanced guest services, sustainable parking initiatives, diverse payment options, fan-facing applications, and custom-built business intelligence platforms. These solutions not only optimize parking operations but also contribute to overall guest satisfaction and revenue generation.
Event parking is a multifaceted endeavor that requires careful planning, strategic execution, and ongoing innovation. By continuously striving to improve parking operations, venues can create positive and memorable experiences for attendees and ensure that their events are remembered for all the right reasons. ◆
JON APPLEGATE is Vice President, LAZ Live! Venue & Event Services. He can be reached at japplegate@lazparking.com.
Recognizing the of Parking & Mobility SHINING STARS
IBy Dorothy Verdon. CPSM
PMI’S PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION AWARDS PROGRAM has become the gold standard for recognizing professionals and organizations who operate, maintain, and manage parking and mobility operations at extraordinary levels. The individual honorees in this year’s program reflect IPMI’s diverse membership, from millennials to baby boomers, from the frontline to top management positions, representing organizations ranging from municipalities and universities to airports and consulting firms.
Covering four award tiers—Organization of the Year, Industry Professional of the Year, Emerging Leader of the Year, and Professional Excellence Awards—the criteria for each is exacting, culling the best of the best in a field rich in talent, ingenuity, leadership, and dedication.
Our 13 volunteer judges had their work cut out for them in selecting an organization that rose above other submissions by demonstrating operational excellence across a wide range of factors. They faced a similar challenge when deciding which industry superstars most exemplified leadership, service, and impactful contributions.
On the following pages you will read about one organization and eight individuals who have galvanized our industry in a meaningful way either for their organization, the communities they serve, or globally, in the case of an unprecedented road paving technology. The common thread that binds them is the realization that organizations thrive on the collective efforts of the parking, transportation, and mobility professionals propelling them and that these motivated professionals strive to amplify their skills and reach their full potential when empowered to do so by agile and visionary organizations.
ORGANIZATION of the Year
University of Texas at Arlington Parking and Transportation Services
Judge’s Comment
“UTA has an impressive program, having implemented cutting edge paving techniques, self-driving shuttles, an innovative daily upgrade program, and a staff active in IPMI and the industry.”
Located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) is a comprehensive research, teaching, and public service institution. UTA’s Parking and Transportation Services Department (PATS) serves a community of 44,000 students, 4,500 employees, and over 300,000 annual riders. Led by Executive Director of Auxiliary Services, Greg Hladik, Ph.D., a staff of 14 full-time professionals and 50 student staff members manage a multifaceted mobility network of 16,000 parking spaces in 60+ lots, garages, and metered on-street parking on a 420-acre campus.
Being named Organization of the Year by IPMI reflects this dynamic department’s many achievements on campus and beyond. In fact, UTA/PATS is a 2024 recipient of an Apex Award in IPMI’s Awards of Excellence program for their plastic roads parking lot project, a world-first for using asphalt infused with
plastic as a paving material. Read about it in the June issue of Parking & Mobility magazine.
PATS’ mission is to provide innovative, sustainable, and efficient transportation solutions that enhance the campus experience while aligning with UTA’s commitment to environmental responsibility, affordability, and excellence. By thinking of themselves as a tech company, PATS actively seeks opportunities to push paradigms and conceive novel solutions inhouse and through strategic partnerships.
In the past 18 months, UTA/PATS spearheaded five groundbreaking programs that redefined the campus parking and mobility experience and embodied a culture of ingenuity, collaboration, and forward-thinking leadership. For their innovative self-driving shuttle program, which was expanded to seamlessly integrate autonomous vehicles into the campus and city transportation network, UTA/PATS received an IPMI Award of Excellence in 2023. In addition to the plastic roads program, the department also implemented the Daily Upgrade Program, which provides user access to previously restricted areas, thus promoting optimal use of parking facilities and creating a new revenue stream. They also launched an AI-enabled parking finder app that digitized 100% of campus parking and revolutionized wayfinding and occupancy tracking and initiated the SmartFlex reserved-zone program
that converted 87% of employee reserved spaces to zones, saving employees $52,328 in Year 1. This program leveraged existing parking spaces by accommodating more staff while avoiding $690,000 in new construction.
In addition to serving the campus community, UTA/PATS is an active contributor to the parking and transportation industry, resulting in over 175 research publications, magazine articles, conference presentations, and poster sessions. PATS actively engages with industry organizations such as IPMI, the Texas Parking & Transportation Association, and the Campus Parking and Transportation Association. UTA recently presented its selfdriving shuttle program at the 2023 annual IPMI conference and was selected as the host site for the 2025 CPTA annual conference. Through its multiple achievements on campus and introduction of a new paving technology that is now being used in at least three other countries, the University of Texas at Arlington’s Parking and Transportation Services department has proven that it is not just an essential campus service, but an industry leader in research, innovation, sustainability, and knowledge sharing for a better world.
“One remarkable aspect of UTA’s approach is their smart collaborations with private companies, local governments, and academic researchers. These partnerships have led to groundbreaking projects like the AlEnabled Parking Finder App and the self-driving campus shuttles. Their ability to turn research into practice is a model for other institutions looking to connect what they study with how they operate.”
—Matt Penney, CAPP, Director of Parking & Transportation, Baylor University
INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL of the Year
Dean M. Ahmad
Vice President, Transportation Business Unit
DFW International Airport
Judge’s Comment:
“Dean is a luminary in the industry and a wonderful leader for DFW.”
“Dean is truly a leader and mentor who inspires everyone around him to be inspired to do more.”
—Mary B. Mabry, CAPP, Cardinal Tracking
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is the second busiest large hub airport in the United States, serving some 80 million passengers in 2023 and processing 60,000 vehicles a day on average. Dean Ahmad, who has risen through its ranks since joining DFW in 2000 as ground transportation/ parking regulation supervisor, has been vice president of the airport’s Transportation Business Unit (TBU) for the past three years. TBU is the airport’s largest source of non-aviation revenue, generating more than $188 million last year.
With 27 years of experience in customer service and marketing to his credit and a team of more than 300 employees, Dean has the challenging job of overseeing the strategic direction and day-today activities surrounding customer service comprising 119 gates, 50,000+ parking spaces, and six bus services with 155 vehicles. He consistently represents the interests of customers with internal and external groups and directs operational and functional customer quality programs to enhance the overall user experience.
Dean’s many accomplishments include the development and implementation of three separate airport landside strategic plans, implementing the first yield management parking system in a domestic airport, and creating the world’s largest valet parking operation, which has generated $20 million in revenue. Among his other noteworthy achievements is the implementation of a smart garage parking guidance system that reduces vehicle idle time and consequently CO2 emissions; the launch of an online parking reservation system; commissioning of an all-electric COBUS fleet for airfield transportation targeting DFW’s net zero emissions goal; installation of new technology such as impact detection sensors, smart camera deployment, and LiDAR sensors; and very recently, the launch of a tracking app for the Terminal Link shuttle that shows shuttle locations and next stops in real-time. This initiative garnered an Honorable Mention Award in IPMI’s 2024 Awards of Excellence program. Read more about it in the June issue of Parking & Mobility magazine.
A proponent of individual advancement and professional development, Dean supports his team in discovering and achieving their hidden talents. He does this through sponsoring training programs and attainment of industry certifications, encouraging conference participation, promoting employee engagement and team events, and fostering a win-win approach, which has led to 104 team member promotions in the past two years.
Dean personifies TBU’s mission and vision, which is focused on its customers and team members. A compassionate and pragmatic leader, he has built solid relationships across the entire airport; he never misses an opportunity to shake a hand, listen to a story, or pat someone on the back. With human relationships at the core of customer service and departmental success, Dean embraces innovations and technology that will enhance customer experience and employee performance.
Dean is a past recipient of IPMI’s Chairman’s Award, and DFW won the prestigious Organization of the Year in 2017 when he was the assistant vice president of TBU. Ever the collaborator, Dean is a current board member of the Greater Dallas Planning Council and a past president of the Texas Parking and Transportation Association. He has implemented initiatives and partnerships with the Global Business Travel Association to create an industry outreach program to keep DFW parking top of mind for corporations and travelers.
EMERGING LEADER of the Year
Jacob Larson
Applications Analyst
City of Omaha, Parking and Mobility Division (Park Omaha)
Judge’s Comment:
“Jacob highlights the importance and potential of integrating data and technology into the parking industry and day-to-day operations.”
“Accomplishing the designed functionality of our new parking Ecosystem was a feat that required strong leadership skills, attention to detail, and an indepth understanding of the technological components being used.”
—Hannah R. Adeponu, CAPP, Assistant Parking and Mobility Manager for Park Omaha
ParkOmaha, the Nebraska city’s parking enterprise under the Public Works Department, operates and manages an array of on-street parking, off-street lots and garages, and micromobility services and will soon manage the city’s forthcoming streetcar within its portfolio.
Jacob, who has a bachelor’s degree in geographical information systems and environmental studies, joined the department in 2019 as an intern/specialist and is now an applications analyst. Using his extensive expertise in systems integration, he provides system data analytics and builds the back-end data and systems architecture to power and monitor Park Omaha’s operation. Over the past four years, his contributions have enhanced emerging technologies for complex transportation systems.
Jacob has been central to several Park Omaha projects, such as developing a new and improved user interface for monthly parking customers and building out Park Omaha’s internal and customerfacing geographic information systems data and capabilities. His
most significant achievement was as the technical linchpin in the city’s ambitious “Parking Ecosystem” project. The initiative heralded a transition to on-street multi-space pay stations operated under a progressive tiered rate structure, a pay-by-plate approach, and gateless parking garages. The system features 43 fixed license plate recognition cameras, 32 variable messaging signs, and integrations between a central dashboard, the hardware components, and an enforcement platform. Tasks critical to the new system’s design and implementation involved building a digital curb inventory, developing a GIS-based inventory of paid parking zones, leveraging curb data standards from the Open Mobility Foundation and standards from the Alliance for Parking Data Standards to create the data systems architecture, and facilitating integrations between multiple technology vendors. His contributions to the industry go beyond Park Omaha. Jacob worked with the Open Mobility Foundation to introduce new data features and contributed to the development of open-source data specifications. He has also been working on the integration of Alliance for Parking Data Standards (APDS) specifications and curb data standards (CDS) for industry
advancement. Led by his work, Park Omaha is the first city organization to build out to APDS specifications, and the department is in discussions with APDS about becoming a model template organization for others to follow. Additionally, Jacob has assisted in the development of specifications for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Work Zone Data Exchange, and the integration of curb data standards and WZDx, which facilitates the communication of work zone data to third parties.
Jacob’s upward professional trajectory can be attributed to his willingness to learn new things by researching technical functionality, architecture, and data standards to accomplish the goals of Park Omaha. To that end, he has become involved in the Open Mobility Foundation’s Curb Working Group steering committee as a co-chair, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Work Zone Data Exchange Specification Update subgroup, and IPMI’s Technology Committee and Smart Transportation Task Force. Being involved with others who have similar skill sets has helped Jacob to envision and apply solutions to problems in Omaha and in the parking and mobility industry at large.
EMERGING LEADER of the Year
Emily Kwatinetz
Principal Planner
Dixon Resources Unlimited
Judge’s Comment:
“Emily is truly already a leader in the parking and mobility Industry and has made a significant impact within the Dixon organization as well as the countless agencies and clients she has served as principal planner.”
Ascending
to the role of principal consultant after just seven years with Dixon Resources Unlimited, a woman-owned business focused on providing parking consulting services to municipalities, Emily got her start there as an intern prior to graduating from the University of California, San Diego, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in urban studies and planning. The rest, as the saying goes, is history. During her tenure at Dixon—IPMI’s 2023 Organization of the Year—Emily has managed projects ranging from parking and mobility studies to detailed implementation plans. Emily’s skills as a strategist and trailblazer emerged early on, when she was instrumental in the development of what the firm calls their “Parking Action Plan” (PAP). The PAP evolved after Emily observed how overwhelmed client municipalities were when burdened with outsourced parking management plans that were dense, cumbersome, and difficult to implement. Unsurprisingly, these plans often went nowhere, except perhaps to gather dust on a shelf. In 2017, when working with Springdale, Utah, Emily seized the opportunity to create a succinct, step-by-step, how-to guide that would help the town address their specific parking and transportation challenges. The PAP enabled Springdale to fully implement paid parking without outside support, and the approach that Emily spearheaded for them has been replicated on Dixon’s projects across the country and adopted as an accepted practice within the parking industry.
Emily leads Dixon’s planning team, which is responsible for project work that involves strategic plan development on both near- and long-term planning horizons. She also leads their data team and has been integral to the development of Data Suite®, a full-service online data analytics platform that is an essential client resource providing expert parking data analysis and financial modeling modules.
Her rapid rise as a leader at Dixon is a direct result of her progressive outlook, impeccable work ethic, and devotion to delivering, educating, and informing to the best of her ability. Consistently exceeding expectations, Emily truly cares about her team and her clients, and that is what makes her unique and such a valuable asset to this industry. In a relatively short period of time, Emily has influenced hundreds of mobility programs nationwide, from small cities to some of the biggest programs in the country.
Emily has been an active member of the industry since her career began. She is an elected board member of the Pacific Intermountain Parking & Transportation Association and has been a member of the IPMI Abstract Committee for several years. The Southwest Parking and Transportation Association recognized Emily with the 2022 Emerging Leader of the Year Award.
Outside of work, Emily is committed to the improvement of alternative mobility and accessibility and, over the past few years, has been a volunteer for Feet First, a non-profit based in Seattle, Washington, that promotes walkable communities. In addition to her busy work schedule, Emily finds time to serve on their policy committee, attending monthly meetings and assisting in drafting policy papers to advocate for pedestrian infrastructure improvements throughout the state.
“Emily’s
knowledge has helped bring the City of Beaverton’s parking services to a new level.”
—Molly Rabinovitz, Parking Manager, Community Development Department, City of Beaverton (Oregon)
PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE Operations
“Anna has a unique talent for fostering a sense of unity among her team members, encouraging collaboration, and creating an environment where everyone feels valued.”
—Ricardo Seran, Off-Street Operations, Parking Authority of River City, Inc.
Anna Ray
Parking Supervisor II (Events)
The Parking Authority of River City
Judge’s Comment:
“It is clear that Anna is a dedicated, beloved, and talented professional.”
Hailing from a small town in western Kentucky, Anna moved to Louisville to attend the University of Louisville to study justice administration. She began her career in the parking and mobility industry in 2008 as a cashier for a local parking company and joined the Parking Authority of River City (PARC) in 2011. PARC has 15 garages and three lots in the city’s downtown and services several large event venues including the University of Louisville YUM Arena, the Brown Theater, Waterfront Park, Louisville Palace, and the Kentucky Performing Arts Center.
In 2019, Anna was promoted to Supervisor II and tasked with taking over the events department at PARC. She is responsible for hiring and training full- and parttime employees, choosing and maintaining event-specific revenue control equipment, researching events, setting rates, and communicating with venues to determine staffing needs. Anna understands the importance of being agile under quickly changing circumstances, whether it’s dropping prices to attract parkers, moving staff around if traffic is heavier on one side of a garage, cutting off lines of traffic when a garage is almost full, or calling security to a site if an event crowd is rowdier than expected. Under her leadership, the event team has steadily increased revenue and decreased waiting times for PARC’s customers.
Anna’s contribution to Louisville’s parking and events industry has been pivotal, especially as the city rebounded from the challenges posed by COVID-19 and the 2020 protests that shut down much of the downtown. She and her dedicated staff are in regular communication with local leaders, venues, groups, sports teams, universities, national conferences, and several large-scale festival organizations in an effort to make parking as seamless as possible for them and their customers. She treats all events equally, whether it’s a small wedding of 100 at the Muhammad Ali Museum or the city’s biggest event, Thunder Over Louisville, where more than 600,000 people head downtown to watch fireworks in the weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby.
One of Anna’s most outstanding attributes is her unwavering reliability. She can always be counted on to deliver results, even in high-pressure situations. At the last Thunder Over Louisville, she was the first PARC staff member to arrive at 5:00 a.m. She then spent all day selling over $100,000 in parking and was the last one to leave around midnight after the garages cleared.
A master of applying creative solutions and best practices in the parking industry, Anna possesses extensive knowledge of event-related software programs. She is fearless when confronting new technology and has led several focus groups for PARC to test new equipment and software and give her expert opinion.
Anna’s ability to communicate effectively with venues and staff is exceptional. By ensuring that everyone is well-informed and heard, she has created an efficient, collaborative work environment where team members share a sense of unity and feel valued.
Chris Dobek
Assistant Director, Parking Services and Facilities Operations
North Carolina State University
Judge’s Comment:
“Chris is a great asset to his organization as well as the industry overall.”
Locatedwest of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina State University is home to more than 37,000 students and 9,500 employees, as well as more than 20,000 parking spaces and nine parking decks. Since 2019, when he was promoted from parking services manager to assistant director for parking services and facilities operations, Chris has been responsible for the management of NC State’s entire parking inventory. He oversees 29 full-time staff in three transportation units—Parking Services, Parking Enforcement, and Parking Maintenance and Operations. Prior to joining NC State Transportation in 2017, Chris logged 10 years with the University Housing Department, where he held various leadership positions.
Chris is a respected leader in license plate recognition (LPR) program implementation and the use of virtual parking permits. In 2017 and 2018, he managed NC State’s adoption of LPR across campus, installing 14 fixed and eight mobile camera units. He has elevated LPR beyond parking enforcement, using data for parking management, staff training and evaluation, and for university-wide strategic decision-making.
To share his knowledge about LPR and virtual parking permits, Chris has presented at the IPMI conference for the past four years, the Carolinas Parking and Mobility Association conferences in 2019 and 2023, and the AIMS user conference in 2018 and 2019. He has also moderated IPMI Frontline Fundamentals webinars and published in IPMI’s Parking & Mobility magazine.
Chris, who has a Master of Science degree from Murray State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duquesne University, is a natural collaborator and volunteer. Outside of his work at NC State, he is assistant fire chief for the Swift Creek Volunteer Fire Department in Cary, N.C. On campus, he has earned a well-deserved reputation for being a facilitator and a teacher. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chris recruited, trained, and scheduled a team of 50 volunteers from across campus to assist with testing and set up two testing centers. He also volunteers his time as a credentialed EMT during major university events, such as commencement and football games.
As a parking operation professional, Chris espouses ingenuity, such as developing processes for collecting and analyzing LPR data for emergency planning and developing mitigations for campus construction projects. After the initial rollout of NC State’s LPR program, he developed a front license plate program for customers who prefer to back into spots; front plates are not required in North Carolina. This involved researching technical details, preparing the bid package, working with the manufacturer, and developing a process to sell front license plates to customers. Chris recently managed the construction of a new 450-space parking lot, using innovative construction techniques and sustainable development practices, that was recognized with an Apex Award in IPMI’s 2024 Awards of Excellence program. Read about it in the June 2024 issue of Parking & Mobility magazine
“Chris truly exemplifies everything this award stands for: he is innovation-focused, he is a proven partner and collaborator, he leads by example, and he always puts the customer first.”
—Than Austin, Director of Transportation, NC State University
PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE Innovation
“There is no one that I would be more honored to endorse-and no one more deserving in my experience than Chuck, for his operational qualifications, his embrace of new technology, his leadership, and his love for the City of Chicago.”
—Joel Flores, First Deputy Director, City of Chicago Department of Finance
Charles Billows II
Deputy Director City of Chicago, Illinois
Judge’s Comment:
“Not only is Chuck using data and innovation to improve operations, but he is also using it to create equity within the city of Chicago.”
Charles
“Chuck” Billows II has driven program innovation at every turn for the Chicago Department of Finance, measurably improving performance and customer satisfaction. This includes implementing nascent technologies, adopting analytics and data-driven decision-making, and overhauling policies and procedures. He began his tenure with the city’s Street Operations Division as a booter 24 years ago, immobilizing scofflaw vehicles for outstanding parking citations. Within a year, he was promoted to supervisor, managing 35 field personnel responsible for more than $35 million in annual revenue. Four years later, Chuck was named director of security, and in 2022, he was promoted to deputy director after successfully launching several initiatives to improve curbside social equity and safety. Chuck consistently uses technology to solve problems. For example, when customers were erroneously issued citations in neighborhoods for infractions that legally could only be issued downtown, he worked with vendors to modify the enforcement software, marrying every block in the city to a list of potential violations and eliminating the potential for these errors. In doing so, he addressed an issue that pained hundreds of motorists while reducing costs associated with court hearings and customer service. He replicated this work for the enforcement of numerous regulations to achieve better accuracy. Chuck leveraged citation issuance to improve awareness of forgiveness programs and payment plans. When an eligible motorist is ticketed, the handheld device automatically prints an additional form detailing the relevant assistance programs and participation requirements. Approximately 1.7 million supplemental notices have been issued to motorists about these programs. In addition to using technology to improve customer service and mitigate risk, Chuck is keenly aware of the potential that software offers to address wider societal problems, like improving safety, reducing congestion, and promoting social equity. Towards this end, he spearheaded innovative efforts to use data to inform the allocation and focus of parking enforcement officers and reduce the potential for predatory enforcement. He re-envisioned the city’s enforcement zones to reduce the disproportionate impact caused by parking citations to low-income families and has also promoted predictive enforcement tools to map the likelihood of infractions and digital curb regulations in real-time on a block-by-block basis.
Known for his open-door policy and friendly demeanor, Chuck is quick to jump into the trenches—testing equipment, talking to customers, and even writing tickets—to assist his team whenever required. His breadth of curbside experience means he understands the pain points that stakeholders and employees face. Chuck never shies away from challenges, regardless of their size or complexity.
Greg Hladik, Ph.D.
Executive Director Auxiliary Services
The University of Texas at Arlington
Judge’s Comment:
“With the numerous programs he has led, Greg has proven that you can take chances and be innovative in a large complex parking environment.”
Inhis role as executive director of auxiliary services at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) since 2016, Greg leads the Parking and Transportation Services department (PATS), whose staff of 14 full-time professionals and 50 student staff members manage a complex mobility network incorporating 16,000 parking spaces. He works strategically with offices across campus and the city to enhance parking and transportation for students, faculty, staff, and visitors who navigate the 420-acre campus and depend on university transportation services daily. His commitment to innovative campus operations has been instrumental in enhancing the customer experience, optimizing business operations, and positively impacting the bottom line.
Greg’s clear vision and proactive approach have led to groundbreaking initiatives that have had a profound effect on campus. In the last 12 months, he spearheaded plastic-infused asphalt parking lots, a self-driving shuttle program, an AI-powered parking finder app, the Daily Upgrade Parking Program, and the FlexZone reserved parking program. These creative solutions have generated significant revenue and savings for UTA while expanding service levels and promoting sustainability.
The plastic-infused asphalt parking lots have not only improved campus infrastructure but have also showcased UTA’s commitment to sustainability. Greg’s leadership on this project earned UTA recognition as a pioneer in environmentally friendly parking solutions and received an Apex Award for innovation in IPMI’s 2024 Awards of Excellence program. The Daily Upgrade Parking Program has not only increased campus revenue but has also provided students with convenient parking options previously unavailable to them.
Greg’s approach to partnering with faculty researchers to introduce selfdriving shuttles has positioned UTA at the forefront of transportation innovation. This initiative not only heightened campus accessibility but also demonstrated the university’s dedication to embracing cutting-edge technology. The launch of the AI-enabled UTA Parking Finder app streamlined parking for the campus community. Greg’s vision for predictive parking spot availability has reduced stress and improved accessibility.
Overall, Greg’s professional reputation and business relationships underscore his role as a transformative leader who not only brings innovation to the forefront but also nurtures a culture of growth and progress within his department and the broader industry.
“Dr. Greg Hladik is not just a UTA leader; he is an industry leader. His forward-thinking and customer-centric approach brings a unique perspective to an everchanging industry.”
~Perry H. Eggleston, Ph.D., DPA CAPP, Executive Director for Transportation Services, University of California at Davis
PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCEOperations & Technology
“Specifically hired to bring our city’s parking operations in-house, Faye delivered not only the system and team requested but made it profitable in its first year.”
—Jim Silva, Special Project Coordinator, Office of the Mayor, City of Medford, Massachusetts
Faye Morrison
Parking Director
City of Medford, Massachusetts
Judge’s Comment:
“Faye took on creating a parking agency in-house, a task much bigger than any one project. Her ability to formalize a department laid the groundwork for decades to come.”
Faye’s
career trajectory into the world of parking and transportation was anything but typical. After years of working for the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Office of Commissions and Public Records, she took time off to ponder what she wanted to accomplish as retirement age approached. Living in an area that was underserved by public transportation, she saw clearly where her efforts could make a difference.
Acting on this epiphany, Faye served on the Board of Selectman in the town of Ayer as its transportation chairperson, working with surrounding towns on a joint board to increase access to rail and bus transportation as well as advocating for and obtaining funding to build a new parking lot. She parlayed this experience into a new job as the first parking manager for the city of Newton, Mass., after acing a traffic study consulting assignment there. Seven years later, a new opportunity arose: the City of Medford was cutting ties with its third-party vendor and bringing parking operations in-house. That’s where this story really begins.
Faced with the daunting task of creating a parking department “from scratch” after a decade of outsourcing, Faye embarked on a mission to establish a transparent and equitable system, radically changing a longstanding culture of nonchalance pertaining to parking policy and enforcement. There was no comprehensive list of city parking lots, no detailed lot drawings, no clarity on kiosk locations, and no established policies and procedures or comprehensive list detailing permitted streets and variances. With a substantial 31% of the city’s streets classified as private, the absence of this critical information posed a formidable obstacle.
Drawing from her professional network in other cities, Faye recruited two seasoned team members, laying the foundation for future hires. Her next challenge involved the arduous policy implementation process, collaborating with the Department of Public Works to rectify signage issues and working with the traffic commission to codify practices that previously lacked the force of law.
Confronted with the limitations of the traditional RFP process, which included extensive paperwork, in-depth evaluations, and protracted negotiations, Faye instituted an agile procurement process that allowed her to efficiently select a cuttingedge parking enforcement system, engage in critical negotiations, and prioritize value for money over mere cost reduction.
In building the new department, Faye oversaw the creation of a modern command center, enabling real-time ticketing and a user-friendly picture-taking system that aimed to educate parkers about their mistakes rather than merely penalize them. This solid infrastructure supported a transparent appeals process, a secure meter collection system, and standardized office procedures. Faye’s leadership also played a crucial role in training parking control specialists not only to issue tickets but to provide exemplary customer service. ◆
IPMI Events Calendar
2024
JULY
JULY 10
IPMI Webinar
IPMI Smart Transportation Task Force State of Smart Transportation— the Sequel
JULY 18
Free Member Chat New Members
AUGUST
AUGUST 14
Free Virtual Frontline Training
Amplify Company Culture & Employee Engagement with Organizational Rounding
AUGUST 22
Free Member Chat Awards
SEPTEMBER
SEPTEMBER 5
Free IPMI Municipal Member Roundtable
Virtual Roundtable limited to municipal/ city members.
2025 FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY 19-20, 2025
2025 IPMI Leadership Summit Atlantic Beach, FL
SEPTEMBER 11
IPMI Webinar
IPMI Planning, Design & Construction Committee
Planning, Design, and Construction Concerns for Modern Parking & Mobility Sponsored by Passport
SEPTEMBER 19
Free Member Chat New Members
OCTOBER
OCTOBER 3
Free IPMI Higher Education Member Roundtable Virtual Roundtable limited to higher education members.
OCTOBER 9
Free Virtual Frontline Training Don’t call us Meter Maids!
OCTOBER 17
Free Member Chat CAPP
OCTOBER 22, 24, 29, 31
Online, Instructor-Led Learning Parksmart Advisor Training
NOVEMBER
NOVEMBER 7
Free Member Chat APO
NOVEMBER 12
Online, Instructor-Led Learning APO Site Reviewer Training—Renewal
NOVEMBER 13
IPMI Webinar
More than Just a Ride: All Electric First& Last-Mile Options
NOVEMBER 14
Free IPMI Municipal Member Roundtable Virtual Roundtable limited to municipal/ city members.
NOVEMBER 28
Free Member Chat New Members
DECEMBER
DECEMBER 5
Free IPMI Higher Education Member Roundtable
Virtual Roundtable limited to higher education members.
DECEMBER 11
Free Virtual Frontline Training Embrace Change—Reinvent Your Parking Program
