The Parking Professional January 2016

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New York City Parking

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Planning for Financial Success

IPI Committee Updates

44

Why Cash May Still Be King

JANUARY 2016

THE INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

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Pay, Park, Tweet Why your organization needs a social media strategy

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34 Structuring an RFP

CHANGE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE PART OF LIFE.

TM

We have been creating credit card accepting “Smart Meters” since 2005, and 185,000 meters later, we have changed the way people look at change. It is no longer necessary to carry a roll of quarters in your car to pay the meter. The innovation hasn’t stopped there. We have created an entire product suite to make parking management more powerful and more convenient. See how the IPS Solution can streamline parking in your city at IPSgroupinc.com.

SMARTER PARKING for SMART CITIES. TM

Copyright © 2015 IPS Group Inc. All rights reserved.

WAYFINDING JANUARY 2016 | Volume 32 | Number 1

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Pay, Park, Tweet INST

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IKE MOST WORKING PEOPLE, those in the parking industry have good days and bad days. You’ve probably been in a situation where you’re having a great day, everyone’s car is parked where it should be, traffic is moving in great order, and then suddenly, a man who’s visiting from out of town has had his car ticketed or towed.

And he is not happy. He yells at you. Makes assumptions. You’re now the world’s biggest idiot. He is going to make certain that you won’t have a job tomorrow.

Those moments can ruin a day. Like most parking professionals, you know it’s important to treat the man with dignity, respect, and professionalism. And you do, and you handle it, like a pro. The customer might even thank you for being so calm and understanding.

With 74 percent of adults who are online using social network-

Why your parking organization needs a social media strategy.

By Chris Blondell

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population, and the United Nations projects

New York City, where the need to house increasing numbers of residents is inspiring several creative efforts by local governments.

Dolupien imagnat ionesse dignatem quunt di debis doluptatque nonsecu ptiassinis soluptur.

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

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Automated parking can free space for other building or community amenities.

Procrastination

JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

No More Procrastination

H

UMAN BEINGS ARE NATURAL PROCRASTINATORS. Most people struggle with the temptation to put things off until that last minute—particularly those tasks we

don’t enjoy. How many times have you claimed to “work better under pressure” or promised yourself to finish a task when you had more time to focus?

While it may be possible to crunch out a report at the last minute or even throw together a major family get-together in a few days, saving and financial planning is one of those things that is a process.

You need to work on it steadily over the course of years. Every month you put off developing and contributing to your own financial plan, your chances of success get smaller and smaller.

Planning to succeed is key to personal financial stability, and there’s no time like the present.

By Mark A. Vergenes

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

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For those of you who feel PARCS specifications within an RFP guarantees you get what you requested, please think again. The simple fact is that most specifications written today are general in nature in order to encompass the offerings of just about every manufacturer, in my opinion. Bidders have a great deal of leeway in what they provide. Specifications do a fair job at outlining the number of gates and dispensers/verifiers at entrances or exits, cashier booths, or pay-on-foot machines in foyers. That is easy. But these specifications do little to explain the true operating functionally of the internal system, the central computer parameters, the networks, and the quality guidelines of the installation—in fact, those details are seldom specified. Why? Have you ever seen an RFP outline quality standards for the equipment, life expectancy requirements, or estimated maintenance cost over the system life?

Not really. How can anyone truly make an informed buying decision without these facts?

Specification writers are in a catch-22: If they are too specific, they may exclude someone and risk legal actions. Past suits have caused many to generalize, and more than that, specifications simply have not kept up with technology. Many are canned, often disjointed, or worse, copied and pasted in a mélange of several opposing manufacturers’ offerings that, when combined, make little sense and ask for things that are impossible to produce as written. So to be fair and avoid those issues, many RFPs generalize on what the system is to do.

Sometimes, they are too specific. The problem is that the equipment available from a large number of manufacturers varies tremendously in capability and quality and very few writers are able to capture that aspect in writing RFPs. The result is that feature-filled manufacturers have to pare down, and products that lack features become accepted.

All this boils down to a judgment call at the end of the day. It may be a well-thought-out call, but it still often comes down to price, location of the nearest service outlet, and delivery time, and presumably,

Careful Considerations INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

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the one that complies with most of those wishes wins the contract. So here’s my first piece of advice: Always get an experienced consulting firm to sort it out—that goes for the individual the manufacturer assigns to your account as well.

Effects I have experienced too many badly written RFPs that come from people with no parking experience, and everybody suffers: the owner, the installer, the manufacturer, and the writer. It results in countless questions back and forth, substantial delays, re-bids, having inappropriate systems installed, and sometimes, regrettably, legal action, although these are seldom publicized. Most bidders try to do the best they can interpreting specs, but interpretation can vary greatly.

Without a good set of metrics to compare to and follow, buying decisions can be arbitrary. It’s that simple.

Truth be told, even the projects that seem to go well are sometimes over-specified, as well and the facility winds up using only a small portion of the resulting system despite the best efforts of the spec writer. This is because, as human beings, we tend to only use features that are fast, familiar, and easy to master. All the rest of the techno-babble that’s specified and paid for seldom gets used. I would say, with a few exceptions, only 30 percent of any system is actually used. Surprised? It’s analogous to the thousands of features within Microsoft—how many do you really use, assuming you’re not an IT expert?

Lesson two: Don’t pay for over spec’d items if they aren’t going to be used. Also, take the time to ensure all those features will be used as they were intended.

Solutions There are several steps to follow to ensure your RFP process goes smoothly and that you end up with the system you were shopping for in the first place: Here are 11 points to think about when you start: ● Do your own due diligence. Don’t leave it all up to someone else. Check the supplier’s financials. Check and visit references. Most importantly, visit the

JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

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38 Awards of Excellence Committee

IPI Committees

HARD AT WORK IPI’s volunteer committees work to advance the mission of IPI and the parking profession through programs, initiatives, research, and industry involvement. Here’s a round-up of what they’ve been doing this quarter.

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

CO-CHAIRS: Rick

Decker, CAPP, and Anderson Moore

Conference Program Committee The Conference Program Committee (CPC) is comprised of 14 volunteers from the IPI membership.

When developing the conference education sessions, this committee’s goal is to provide a program that meets the educational needs of the conference attendees, presented by high-quality speakers who represent the diversity of the IPI membership. The CPC is tasked with the critical job of reading, sorting, and scoring each speaking proposal submission for the IPI Conference education session program. This year the committee received 123 conference speaking proposal submissions from 178 authors.

This dedicated committee works diligently to complete this work in a timely manner. Members must score each

parking.org/tpp

How to structure an RFP and buy parking systems to get exactly what your operation needs.

IPI Committees Hard at Work

COMMITTEE COMMUNIQUÉ

The IPI Awards of Excellence (AOE) program will celebrate its 34th year of competition for new parking facilities, surface lots, innovative parking operations or programs, rehabilitated/restored facilities, new sustainable construction, and architectural achievement this year.

The AOE Committee is looking to increase the total number of entries by 20 percent over last year and encourages submissions from IPI members. The entry process is completely online, and the website has been upgraded from last year to include specific entry information on the entries tab of the website (listing actual category requirements), the ability to clone an entry into multiple categories, the timeline for the entire competition process, and step-by-step entry assistance and information about the 2015 awards ceremony and winners.

Entries for the 2016 competition will be accepted online through Friday, Jan. 15, 2016. More information about the awards can be found at parking.org/awards.

For assistance, contact Lauri Chudoba at chudoba@ parking.org or 571.699.3011.

Careful Considerations

and every conference submission! The submissions are graded based on: Topic relevance and suitability to a broad audience of parking professionals. ● Educational and informative nature of the content and information provided. ● The abstract matching the accompanying well-defined learning objectives. ● Practical application to the audience. ● Clarity, focus, and cohesiveness of the information submitted. ● Presentation skill and experience of the proposed speaker(s). ● Educational nature of the submission, ensuring it does not present as commercial.

The committee had six weeks to complete the scoring for all 123 submissions. Members determine the accepted proposals with calculated diligence. Each proposal has a set of scores that are averaged for all of the grading criteria and accompanying speaker(s). The committee accepts only the highest-ranked submissions for conference education. Past conference evaluations are reviewed once the schedule is set to ensure that each speaker who previously presented and wants another performance (so to speak) has favorable evaluations from his past audience.

Members of this committee facilitate various education sessions during the IPI Conference and introduce the speakers on-stage.

The CPC would like to thank every speaker who submitted for the 2016 IPI Conference & Expo. This year was quite difficult—IPI received many excellent and well-thought-out presentations. Presenting at the IPI Conference & Expo can be a personally and professionally rewarding experience, and we look forward to seeing you in Nashville. ●

A round-up of what IPI’s committees have been up to this quarter.

CO-CHAIRS: Scott Kangas, CAPP, and Jaime Windfont, CAPP

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27

Planning to succeed is key to personal financial stability, and there’s no time like the present.

30

Outdated Specifications

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30 No more

New York City makes changes to deal with more people and the related increased demand for parking.

BKSK ARCHITECTS.

JOHN ENGLUND, COURTESY BKSK ARCHITECTS.

26

The New York Department of City Planning has already taken several bold steps to support the city’s growing population, some involving increased control and even the reduced availability of parking. In 2013, the Manhattan Core Parking text amendment passed, with outcomes that included the promotion of car sharing and reduced parking requirements in almost every Manhattan neighborhood below West 110th St. and East 96th St.. As recently as September 2015, the planning commission referred for public review the zoning for quality and affordability text amendment, which aspires to update some of the barriers to producing new affordable housing. For example, the amendment proposes that in medium- and high-density zoning districts, providing parking would be optional for new affordable housing units that are located in areas with abundant access to public transit.

In addition to facilitating the creation of much-needed housing, many of these steps have the potential to create less-congested streets and a safer pedestrian experience in some of the most highly trafficked areas of New York City. Many agree that these steps will quickly improve everyday quality of life in the city and may also provide long-term benefits, such as reduced vehicle emissions and better air quality.

Despite all of these possible advantages, the fact remains that there is substantial demand for parking in New York City. Without being required or incentivized to include parking, it seems inevitable that many new projects will move forward without providing it. While open parking lots are still permissible in many areas of New York, they are becoming increasingly desirable sites for development, further reducing the available space for parking. And even if someone sought to quickly create space for parking, every square inch counts in dense residential environments such as New York City—gone are the days in which an open asphalt parking lot makes financial sense. This context begs the question: where will the cars go?

aware of and how best to purchase parking equipment (PARCS).

34

Future Thinking

ITHIN THE PAST DECADE, cities have become home to more than half of the global

that the proportion of urban dwellers will reach 66 per-

By David Kubik, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

tions in which I said, “Our system of specifying, purchasing, and managing, for whatever reason, is far too accepting of the status quo” (See the January 2015

How to structure an RFP and buy parking systems to get exactly what your operation needs.

21

cent by 2050. Growing populations are putting a strain on the physical infrastructure of many cities, including

New York City makes changes to deal with more people and the related increased demand for parking.

WROTE AN ARTICLE LAST YEAR about parking equipment and new applica-

issue of The Parking Professional). Since then, lots of parking folks have asked me what I meant. So I felt this might be a good topic for a new article on what to be

ing sites, this customer—and everyone like him—can now shout their frustrations/opinions/thankfulness to hundreds or thousands of other people via social media.

If you’re in the parking business, whether it be as an authority, garage, or private lot, and you’re not using social media, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity. Social media provides platforms to distribute information quickly and effectively, and it’s also an invaluable tool for customer service.

One parking organization that has demonstrated how to use social media is the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA). It’s one of the largest parking enforcement organizations in the country, and its five years on social media can help other parking professionals develop an idea for what can lead to success on the slippery slope of social media.

26 W

By Pierre Koudelka

I

Why your organization needs a social media strategy.

PAY,

PARK,

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44

Why Cash May Still be King

WHY

Cash

OPINION

T

MAY STILL BE

HE DATA BREACHES THAT HIT THE PARKING INDUSTRY in 2014 offered a stark reminder that parking is just as vulnerable to credit card fraud as any other industry. Worldwide, credit card

fraud has reached $14 billion a year, and while the hit experienced by the parking industry was relatively minor, for the companies that were affected—and their customers— the impact was painful.

KING 44

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

This is just one of the reasons some parking patrons still prefer to pay with cash. Many have faced the difficulty of having their personal data compromised and having to deal with the time-consuming and stressful aftermath. For those drivers, cash can be a more attractive option for transactions that are quick and simple.

Others may prefer to pay with cash because they’ve maxed out credit cards or don’t want to add to existing balances. These are some reasons why being able to accept cash represents good customer service.

Parking management trends have moved away from cash payment in recent years. During the past two decades, many owners have moved to automate their parking facilities. These fully-automated parking structures are more convenient for parkers in many ways because it’s quicker and less complicated to enter and exit parking areas. Automated access and revenue control systems also make it much easier for owners and operators to manage their parking assets.

The associated hardware and software tools record valuable utilization and revenue data that can be used to make parking operations more efficient and profitable.

What parking professionals might want to think about before going completely cashless.

By Bryan Alexander

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What parking professionals might want to think about before going completely cashless.

Editor’s Note

DEPARTMENTS

4 Entrance 6 IPI Board Member Profile 8 Consultants Corner 1 0 The Green Standard 1 2 The Business of Parking 1 4 On the Frontline 1 6 Parking Spotlight 18 IPI’s Ask the Experts 4 8 State & Regional Spotlight 5 1 IPI in Action 5 2 Community Digest 6 0 Parking Consultants 62 Advertisers Index 62 Parking Break 63 New IPI Members 64 Calendar of Events

BEING SOCIAL

E

very few months, I walk away from social media. Close out Facebook, turn off Twitter, and step away from LinkedIn. It’s not that I don’t enjoy seeing who’s up to what or catching up on industry news that way—there’s a lot of good in those feeds. But it gets overwhelming sometimes, with too many accounts sharing too much information that’s not useful, making me dig for gold online. After awhile, I need to take a little time to breathe.

We all have that friend who posts every waking thought, right? Had Starbucks today; 12,500 steps on the Fitbit; somebody left something gross in the office kitchen; and look how funny this is! It happens with corporate accounts, too. In fact, it’s very easy to post the value right out of a social media account by posting too much, too little, or too many things with too little information followers can use.

This month, the experts at ChatterBlast Media (the folks behind the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s fabulous social media efforts) look at posting and parking: the pluses and the pitfalls. Even if your Facebook and Twitter accounts have taken off, you’ll finish this feature with some great ideas and perspective on what social media means for parking specifically.

See p. 20 to get started.

Also in this issue, financial expert and The Parking Professional columnist Mark Vergenes explains the whens and hows (and whys) of personal savings.

It starts on p. 30, and it’s an article everyone in your organization can use right now. We hope you’ll pass it along.

Hard to believe it’s 2016 already, isn’t it? As always, I spent part of the holiday break cleaning out my office, organizing my calendar for the year ahead, and planning ways to make this magazine the best it can be for the next 12 months. Have ideas? I’d love to hear them—my email address is below. I wish you happiness, productivity, and personal and professional growth this year.

Until next month…

fernandez@parking.org

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ENTRANCE Publisher Shawn Conrad, CAE conrad@parking.org Editor Kim Fernandez fernandez@parking.org Contributing Editor Bill Smith, APR bsmith@smith-phillips.com Technical Editor Rachel Yoka, LEED AP BD+C yoka@parking.org Advertising Sales Bonnie Watts, CEM watts@parking.org Subscriptions Tina Altman taltman@parking.org.

Graphic Design BonoTom Studio info@bonotom.com Proofreader Melanie Padgett Powers For advertising information, contact Bonnie Watts at watts@parking.org or 571.699.3011.

For subscription changes, contact Tina Altman, taltman@parking.org.

The Parking Professional (ISSN 0896-2324 & USPS 001436) is published monthly by the International Parking Institute.

1330 Braddock Place, Suite 350 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: 571.699.3011 Fax: 703.566.2267 Email: ipi@parking.org Website: parking.org Postmaster note: Send address label changes promptly to: The Parking Professional 1330 Braddock Place, Suite 350 Alexandria, VA 22314 Interactive electronic version of The Parking Professional for members and subscribers only at parking.org/tpp.

Periodical postage paid at Alexandria, Va., and additional mailing offices. Copyright © International Parking Institute, 2016. Statements of fact and opinion expressed in articles contained in The Parking Professional are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent an official expression of policy or opinion on the part of officers or the members of IPI. Manuscripts, correspondence, articles, product releases, and all contributed materials are welcomed

by The Parking Professional; however, publication is subject to editing, if deemed necessary to conform to standards of publication.

The subscription rate is included in IPI annual dues.

Subscription rate for non-members of IPI is $120 per year (U.S. currency) in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

All other countries, $150. Back issues, $10.

The Parking Professional is printed on 10 percent recycled paper and on paper from trees grown specifically for that purpose.

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THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE

By David Onorato, CAPP

A

utumn wasn’t so long ago. Leaves transform to the season’s vibrant hues as daylight wanes, and dropping temperatures bring chills to exposed skin. These signs alert us to the rapid approach of winter—a progression really beyond our control. But it’s not our ability to control change that matters; it’s the way we plan for and respond to it that distinguishes one individual from another. Regarding winter’s arrival, our approach may be as passive as preparing for higher heating costs or as extreme as spending as much time as possible in cold-free locales.

External change can function as a measure of professional performance as well. Providing public parking in a major northern city in June is an entirely different experience from when November is upon us. Routine activities become more challenging for service providers who conduct much of their operations outside. And it’s not just day-to-day performance in poor weather that’s graded. The quality of preparations made months before—equipment and materials purchases, snow removal contracts, and the like—also come into sharp focus.

Market expectations that accompany the arrival of the winter holidays are rarely uniform from year to year. In fact, they seem to change annually in accordance with shifting political, economic, and leadership priorities. And as with winter itself, their degree and nature aren’t easily defined until they are largely upon us. Again, it isn’t the challenge that counts. It’s the response.

How well we do in our respective careers, in our own eyes and those of others, will be judged in the context of the changes we confront. Periods of stability and the general status are best addressed by sound planning and defined strategies. And while the peripheral components of those approaches may be buffeted by external events, their core objectives should be held paramount as unexpected challenges are met. During difficult times, individuals and organizations perform best when they do not lose sight of their most cherished goals: to be the best and the most responsive, to provide the highest quality, and more.

We must be mindful that changes are inevitable, and as they occur, new opportunities will present themselves. It is these opportunities that will define us professionally and individually.

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

DAVID ONORATO, CAPP, is executive director of the Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh and a member of IPI’s Board of Directors. He can be reached at donorato@ pittsburghparking.com.

Parking Management Software Tickets & Permits Hosted Solutions Robust Reporting Online Customer Portal Real Time Integration Special Events Smart Phone Ticket Enforcement

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With AIMS, you receive a higher-level of service and support, which is unparalleled in the parking industry. Call us for references to see for yourself.

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IPI BOARD MEMBER PROFILE

ROAMY R. VALERA, CAPP Chair-Elect, IPI Board of Directors SVP, Municipal and Institutional Services, SP+ Corporation “You can tell a lot about a fellow’s character by his way of eating jelly beans.”

—President Ronald Reagan MTV launched on Aug. 1. The first music video, all vidnerds know, was “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. The second was Pat Benatar’s “You Better Run.” Sandra Day O’Connor became the first female U.S. Supreme Court justice.

Prince Charles married Lady Diana on July 29. It was on TV and in all the newspapers.

Rubik’s Cube was the craze of adults and kids alike, and for the arcade lovers, Donkey Kong and Frogger were the talk of the town. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Raiders, Boston Celtics, and New York Islanders were all crowned champions in their respective sports. The year was 1981!

It was also the year that I arrived in the U.S. to begin a life full of promise and opportunities. This January (22 to be exact), the Valera family celebrates our 35th freedom-versary, as we like to call it.

Our trek to the U.S. started when my father was 15 years old. He was not allowed to travel to the U.S. because he was of military age in Cuba. My dad’s dream to reach this country never died. He was sent to serve in the military and later married and raised a family with the promise that one day we would be free to think, to worship, to speak, to be of service, and to be the product of our choices and decisions. He called it “libertad” (freedom).

I vividly recall my dad telling my sister and me that we would leave behind everything we knew and move to a better country to have a better future. As you can imagine, my parents are my heroes!

A young couple with two children leaving everything for the promise of a better tomorrow. This life experience set the tone for who I have become as a son, brother, husband, father, friend, and professional. It is clearly why I strongly believe that our legacy is our greater responsibility and one we should measure not by our material possessions, but our relationships with others.

I recently told my dad that I wished to become the father he was to me, and his reply was that he felt he had fallen short of being a great father. I can honestly tell you that he has not! It is with great love that our family thanks this great nation for its open arms, its promise of a brighter future, and the sunrise of a free nation. I am reminded today more than ever that I owe others the same hope and opportunities I was allowed to enjoy 35 years ago. And in response to those who ask me if I (or my family) will ever go back home given the recent events in U.S.-Cuba relations, the answer is simple: “We are home!”

A mi hermana, mi ma’ y a mi pa’—felicidades! (Shout out to my parents and sister!)

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

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CONSULTANTS CORNER

IS BIG DATA COMING TO A PARKING FACILITY NEAR YOU?

By Mike Robertson

W

hen many industries consider big data, they envision large dollar signs. In certain industries, big data is the magic ingredient for guaranteed success into the future. But how could big data affect the parking industry?

Big Data Defined If you are unsure what is meant by big data, here is a fairly simple explanation: Big data describes the large volume of data—both structured and unstructured—that streams into a business on a day-to-day basis. The volume of data is not what is important; it’s what an organization does with the data that matters. Big data can be analyzed for insights that lead to better operational and strategic decisions. Businesses across numerous industries are actively attempting to use big data to improve their operations, marketing, revenue security, and overall customer experience.

Big Data and Parking

MIKE ROBERTSON is managing principal of Walker Parking Consultants/Walker Restoration Consultants and a member of IPI’s Consultants Committee.

He can be reached at mike.robertson@ walkerparking.com.

8

Parking may not be the first industry that comes to mind when people think of big data applications. However, the parking industry produces an enormous amount of data every day that, properly analyzed, will change the way the industry operates. For starters, all of the collected data points form patterns that, in many cases, would allow parking operators and property owners to better understand how to maximize revenue and decrease operating expenses.

Here are a few examples of ways big data could improve the parking industry: ●● Revenue security: ●● Identification of revenue variances compared to historical performance that may indicate revenue leakage. ●● Predictive analytics based on historical data sets establishes utilization patterns that allow operators to: ●● Effectively advertise available spaces at the right time. ●● Optimize staffing. ●● Develop demand-responsive pricing based on predicted occupancy and turnover. ●● Inform parkers of alternative parking options when space is predicted to be full during a specific period (imagine planned trips such as to airports or hospitals). ●● Effectively forecast future revenues. ●● City-wide knowledge: ●● Parking operators will be able to better understand how pricing and special events affect their locations across a specified area within a city or region.

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

Rapid response to increasing utilization. For example, increased utilization at one garage may dictate increased pricing at other nearby garages.

Some of these points may currently be monitored by parking managers and operators, but to effectively monitor all of them would require an extensive amount of time that most parking managers do not possess.

With big data analytics, the data can be collected and analyzed automatically. The systems can be programmed to alert parking operators as potential issues and opportunities arise. ●●

Next Steps Our industry is filled with talented people who do many things quite well. Given the appropriate information at the right time, they will make good decisions. But we must acknowledge that when people are confronted with a wide range of perhaps outwardly conflicting information, the human response is either to become paralyzed or to resort to prior behaviors or decisions.

The more data a smart machine gathers, the better the conclusion. Machines can consume remarkable amounts of data, sort it for significance, find patterns, and predict outcomes. The process is further refined by the incorporation of new data and measuring the performance of its preceding predictive activity. These systems will learn from the outcomes of preceding predictive activity and then go on to modify their algorithms to improve performance. We already collect the data every day; now we need to stop merely storing the data and turn it into useable business intelligence that allows us to make better informed decisions.

THE GREEN STANDARD

GOING GREEN WITH LED LIGHTING RETROFITS

By Jennifer I. Tougas, PhD, CAPP

I

f you are looking for ways to save money in your operation, take a hard look at your lighting system. Recent advances in the lighting industry allow us to save energy with more efficient fixtures, more intelligent controls, and lower maintenance needs.

All of this adds up to significant cost savings and a very short return on investment.

Efficient Lighting Fixtures There are many different lighting technologies on the market. When evaluated on lighting output, energy efficiency, initial costs, lifecycle costs, etc., each has advantages and disadvantages. Light-emitting diode (LED) technology has matured to the point where fixtures are durable in outdoor environments, light quality is excellent, lifecycle costs are very low, and initial costs are affordable. LEDs are also extremely energy efficient.

The Lighting Energy Efficiency in Parking (LEEP) Campaign is a “collaborative effort of the U.S. Department of Energy and industry associations to promote the use of energy efficient lighting in parking lots and structures.” Its website, leepcampaign.org, contains many technical resources and case studies available for anyone interested in learning more about energy-efficient lighting systems.

IPI has partnered with the Green Parking Council as supporters of the LEEP Campaign. See the December 2015 issue of The Parking Professional for more information about how to submit your facility for an award to be recognized at the 2016 IPI Conference & Expo, in Nashville, Tenn.

Intelligent Lighting Controls

JENNIFER I. TOUGAS, PhD, CAPP, is director of parking and transportation at Western Kentucky University and a member of IPI’s Sustainability Committee. She can be reached at jennifer. tougas@wku.edu.

10

Adequate lighting is critical to our operations for safety and security, but lighting areas where there aren’t any people is wasteful in both energy use and expense. You can manually turn lights off when there is adequate natural light or in areas that aren’t in use. Sensors that detect natural light levels can turn lights on when needed or off when levels are adequate. Sensors that detect motion can turn lights on when people are present at night. This works well for lighting systems that do not have to warm up to reach full brightness. Modern lighting fixtures are able to connect wirelessly to a network and communicate with

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

software on a centralized computer to control lighting levels and patterns from a desktop computer. The software is also able to track energy use and maintenance needs down to individual fixtures.

Of course, with increased complexity comes increased costs. While large operations could benefit from controlling lights from a central command center, smaller operations could just as easily have a staff member flip a switch at the end of the day.

Lower Maintenance Needs and Costs Lower maintenance costs represent a significant cost savings during the lifetime of LED fixtures. LEDs have a longer lifespan than traditional lighting systems, often lasting twice as long or longer. With fewer replacements required during the lifetime of the fixture, cost savings are realized in both reduced labor and material costs. There are green bonuses to increased product durability as well: reduced use of natural resources to manufacture the products and reduced use of landfills to dispose of the products.

WKU Case Study Western Kentucky University upgraded the lighting at its surface parking lots about a year ago. By moving to LED fixtures, the university was able to reduce the number of lighting fixtures needed to cover the same area. The energy savings realized by converting to LED fixtures approached 50 percent. By implementing sensors, WI-FI connectivity, and central software management, we were able to realize an additional 30 percent in energy savings. The LED fixtures have a projected life three times that of the HID lamps that were replaced, which resulted in future cost avoidance as well. Overall, we’ve been very pleased with the results of the project.

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THE BUSINESS OF PARKING MARKETING LEGAL

LOST IN TRANSLATION

By Bill Smith

H

Your parking customers may be having a similar experience with your marketing.

Marketers tend to talk a lot about how to reach customers. We love our shiny toys as much as the next person, so we talk about putting together pretty websites and mastering social media. When the next big thing comes down the pike, the marketing community will jump on that bandwagon, too.

The problem is when you focus too heavily on how to communicate, it’s easy to forget about what to say—or more accurately, how to say it. Parking professionals, like most people, have our own language. It’s easy to fall into jargon when we communicate. But language that’s meaningful to us—references to car counts or double-helix ramps or wayfinding—don’t necessarily mean anything to the people we want to reach. One of the most common mistakes organizations make is to get so lost in the ways their own people talk and act that they begin to believe that’s the way the rest of the world is. When you do this, you tend to talk rather than communicate. You can’t make a connection with the audiences you are trying to reach because you are speaking a different language than they are.

Speaking Clearly

BILL SMITH, APR, is principal of SmithPhillips Strategic Communications and contributing editor of The Parking Professional. He can be reached at bsmith@smith-phillips. com or 603.491.4280.

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How can you be sure you and your customers are speaking the same language? First, you need to understand your audience. To whom are you speaking? Customers?

Potential customers? Strategic partners?

Next, figure out what’s important to them. Do they need technology that can make their operations more profitable? Or perhaps parking planning strategies to promote business development? Or do they need better design ideas? The next step in communicating effectively is understanding exactly what those needs are. And it’s not a matter of you deciding what they need and telling them; you need to see their needs through their eyes.

Finally, when you understand who you need to reach and what each of your target audience’s needs are, then you can figure out what to say to them. But you need

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

to speak their language, not your own. What does that mean? Well, don’t use industry jargon. Not only is it meaningless to those who work outside the industry, but it can actually undermine your efforts to connect.

Don’t make your audiences have to work to understand what you are trying to say.

How does that look in the real world? If you are trying to connect with the higher-education community, use language that makes sense to a university audience.

Likewise, use the same strategy if you are trying to reach airport professionals, hospital administrators, parking consultants, or municipal managers. If you want to make a connection, you need to communicate in a language they’ll understand.

This may seem obvious, but it’s easier said than done.

In a sense, it’s just like when you travel overseas: English may be your first language, but if you can speak the native tongue of where you are traveling, you’ll get along much better. In a business context, it’s just as important to be bilingual. You need to be able to speak the languages of all of your constituencies and work all of the languages you can now speak into your marketing efforts.

That’s how you ensure your marketing isn’t getting lost in translation.

ISTOCK

ave you ever traveled abroad to someplace where people speak a different language? How did it go? Was it difficult to order a meal? Or check into a hotel? Or maybe get directions from someone on the street? When you are in a foreign country, it’s easy for your conversations to get lost in translation.

ON THE FRONTLINE

KINDRED SPIRITS

By Cindy Campbell

I

had the pleasure of attending many of the U.S. state and regional parking and transportation conferences this past fall. With the conference season now behind us, I got to thinking about the extent of work and planning it takes to execute a successful conference event.

CINDY CAMPBELL is IPI’s senior training and development specialist.

She is available for onsite training and professional development for IPI members and can be reached at campbell@ parking.org.

14

The board of directors, committee chairs and memWhile I just described what could be considered bers, and conference coordinators make it all look so a typical conference attendee experience, the overall easy. The rest of us show up on opening day ready to experience of our own parking customers is actually learn and experience all that is new and exciting in very similar in nature. Let’s face it, no one heads our industry, rarely giving a thought to the incredible out of the house thinking, “Today’s the day I’m amount of preparation it takes to provide us with a going to go out and experience some outstanding quality experience. The association volunteers and parking services!” staff are responsible for so many details: negotiating You’ve heard it before, and it’s true: As parking a reasonable contract for a conference hotel and re- professionals, we are frequently the first service lated services, determining appropriate educational providers customers encounter as they go about sessions, laying out an their day. Like conferoptimal tradeshow floor, ence staff and volunLet’s face it, no one heads out of the creating an educational teers, we complete a schedule that meets the number of important, house thinking, “Today’s the day I’m expectation of attendtime-­consuming tasks ees, making sure all of going to go out and experience some that are routinely overthe audio-visual requirelooked or simply asoutstanding parking services!” ments are set up or arsumed by the public. We ranged for, determining make sure parking areas the appropriate food selections are well-lit, properly signed, and and beverage items for a variety clean and that all equipment is of occasions … the list continues functioning properly. We also on to include putting out fires— assist customers with direcboth small and large—as they tions to their destinations, take invariably arise throughout the payments, receive appeals, and conference event. Whew. help with special requests. In For participants, it’s nearly addition, we’re tasked to enforce invisible. But then, that’s the goal, regulations that are intended to isn’t it? make sure our parking resources are optimally utilized.

The Overall Experience We do all of this in an effort to As conference attendees, our make our customers’ experience experience should not focus on pleasant and safe. While they may how the event came together but never consciously be aware of rather what our overall experience was while we were the efforts we put forth on their behalf, we know that there. We spend little to no time considering what effort, without these efforts, customers’ overall experience monitoring, and oversight it takes to deliver the service would be far less positive. we received. If it all goes as planned, attendees walk To all of the state and regional volunteers who work away from a successful event feeling positive about tirelessly to provide association members with a great the experience, blissfully unaware of all the planning experience and to all frontline parking professionals and efforts that were required from so many people to who do the same every day, we appreciate your efforts. make it happen.

Thanks for a job well done.

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

Parking is About People

Today, the parking industry is all about technology but technology must be judged by how well it serves people. The people we serve – the parkers – are highly sophisticated. They demand quick and easy ways to find, reserve and pay for parking. They want information at the push of a button, through their computer, tablet or smart phone.

ParkingSoft’s reputation is built on technology. We’re continuously developing innovative parking management software solutions which are robust, yet user-friendly. Our technology provides unique online solutions, programs and functionality that help make life less complicated for all the people you serve.

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PARKING SPOTLIGHT PROGRAM

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN PARKING OFF TO GREAT START

By Megan Leinart, LEED AP BD+C

I

PI’s new Young Professionals in Parking (YPIP) group got off to a great start in October with a tour and networking reception at Denver Union Station. If you’re a parking professional younger than 40, you’ll want to learn more about this group and what it can offer you.

When a group of IPI members, including Isaiah Mouw, CAPP, and me, first came up with the idea for a young professionals group, the plan was to create a forum that would provide opportunities for young people in the parking industry to not only develop quality education options but also provide networking opportunities for people throughout the industry at all stages of their careers.

Why YPIP? Many IPI members and others in parking have been involved with young professionals’ organizations in a variety of industry associations. The common goal of each of these groups is to provide for the engagement and advancement of young professionals and, most importantly, to provide the tools and resources needed to guide them throughout their careers and

MEGAN LEINART, LEED AP BD+C, is national director of corporate development for Propark America.

She can be reached at megan.leinart@ propark.com.

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ensure that the industry retains the best and brightest individuals who will advance to leadership in the future. Often, young professionals face challenges in the early stages of their careers, when they struggle with affording professional development and finding extra time for appropriate education and networking opportunities. They all know they need these things to move forward, but juggling it all while establishing a new career is difficult.

IPI’s idea for the group that became YPIP was to create programming that would combine all of these elements, bringing together professionals younger than 40 for events that were both professionally beneficial and fun. In other words, it would marry education and professional development with networking at events that went beyond business cards and convention nametags.

Young Professionals in Parking (YPIP) enjoyed a super-cool kickoff last summer at the Minus Five Ice Bar in Las Vegas.

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

The group’s first event was held at the Minus Five Ice Bar at the 2015 IPI Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, and it turned out to be a great night for networking with others from around the world who are at similar career stages; at the same time, the group leaders learned more about what young parking professionals are looking for to enhance their careers.

modern design throughout the mixed-use development onto the parking structures.

(See the April 2015 issue of The Parking Professional for more about Dacra’s work and the changing parking landscape in Miami.)

After the program and tour, the group will gather for networking at the Palm Court event space overlooking the development.

YPIP’s chairs and members hope you will consider joining us in Miami for what will no doubt be another successful YPIP event! Be on the lookout for future events at this year’s IPI Conference & Expo in Nashville and other cities throughout the country in 2016! Learn more at parking. org/ypip.

Hot Spots Out of that first event came the idea for a new series of events named Hot Spots. Hot Spots are a combination of education and tours that introduce attendees to new or innovative development projects with proven applicable parking planning, design, or operations strategies. These tours are followed by networking events that are open to professionals at all stages of their careers. The group decided that opening these events to everyone provides young industry members with networking opportunities that go beyond other YPIP members; they provide valuable access to more seasoned industry professionals YPIP members may not otherwise typically meet.

In addition, they offer the more experienced parking professionals the opportunity to mentor, challenge, and continue their own professional development and learning.

Denver At the kick-off Hot Spot event, YPIP members toured Denver Union Station. Developer Chris Frampton from East-West Partners gave a brief introduction and background about the project, followed by a tour of the newly renovated station that has transformed into one of the most exciting new destinations in Denver. The project featured a unique approach to limiting required parking, promoting walkability, and encouraging the use of mass transit. Following the tour, the group enjoyed a great time networking at a reception at the station’s Terminal Bar. After the success of the inaugural Hot Spot event, YPIP is looking forward to heading to Miami this month! On Jan. 20, attendees will tour the Miami Design District and learn about developer Dacra’s specific focus on extending its vision of artistic expression and parking.org/tpp

JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

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IPI’S ASK THE EXPERTS

Barbara Chance, PhD

John Hammershlag

CHANCE Management Advisors, Inc.

Hammershlag & Co., Inc.

President and CEO

The No. 1 mistake is awarded to: USING CAPITAL LETTERS. Everyone from the United States Sign Council to UX Movement to The Guardian and countless others have noted that messages in all capital letters are more difficult to read. This is especially true for drivers in moving vehicles, individuals who insist they don’t need glasses, and during inclement weather.

President

The biggest mistake we see in wayfinding is the lack of differentiation in addressing pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow, resulting in mass confusion for both patrons on foot and drivers.

Lance Lunsway

Senior Director, Parking and Transportation Services Georgia Tech Not viewing it through the eyes of a first-time customer.

Their experience is much different than that of someone with knowledge of the area. It needs to be easy to read (no abbreviation of bldg. or destination) with arrows at the proper locations (not the light pole 20 feet from the turn because it was easy to install). Technology is great, but a live person to welcome them to their destination is hard to beat.

David Hill, CAPP CEO

Clayton Hill Associates, Ltd. The message designer assumes the message reader has more information than he actually has. The result: The message reader gets lost!

Also, signs are often separated too far apart for the message reader to make a connection, and use of local jargon is always confusing.

Dennis Burns, CAPP Regional Vice President Kimley-Horn I may be a bit jaded, but I have come not to trust parking-­ availability signage. If the floor of a garage I would prefer to park on says “full,” I will still try it and 90 percent of the time will find a space. If you are going to use space-availability signage, doing everything practical to ensure accuracy is important.

Have a question for IPI’s experts? Send it to fernandez@parking.org and watch this space for answers!

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

The opinions, beliefs, and thoughts expressed by the contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinions and viewpoints of the International Parking Institute or official policies of IPI.

What’s the biggest or most pervasive mistake you see parking operations make with wayfinding?

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PAY,

PARK, Why your parking organization needs a social media strategy.

By Chris Blondell

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

INST

L

IKE MOST WORKING PEOPLE, those in the parking

industry have good days and bad days. You’ve probably been in a situation where you’re having a great day, everyone’s car is parked where it should be, traffic is moving in great order, and then suddenly, a man who’s visiting from out of town has had his car ticketed or towed.

And he is not happy. He yells at you. Makes assumptions. You’re now the world’s biggest idiot. He is going to make certain that you won’t have a job tomorrow.

Those moments can ruin a day. Like most parking professionals, you know it’s important to treat the man with dignity, respect, and professionalism. And you do, and you handle it, like a pro. The customer might even thank you for being so calm and understanding.

With 74 percent of adults who are online using social network-

parking.org/tpp

ing sites, this customer—and everyone like him—can now shout their frustrations/opinions/thankfulness to hundreds or thousands of other people via social media.

If you’re in the parking business, whether it be as an authority, garage, or private lot, and you’re not using social media, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity. Social media provides platforms to distribute information quickly and effectively, and it’s also an invaluable tool for customer service.

One parking organization that has demonstrated how to use social media is the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA). It’s one of the largest parking enforcement organizations in the country, and its five years on social media can help other parking professionals develop an idea for what can lead to success on the slippery slope of social media.

JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

21

be looking for an interactive experience that is mobile friendly.

Second is your audience

Who are they?

What do they want? ●● What are they already saying about your organization? ●● What should you be saying to them?

Military strategist Sun Tzu told us to know our enemy. Hopefully, your customers aren’t hostile—get to know them before they are! Before you can provide any service—whether parking or social media interaction—you must understand your audience, especially because different demographics use social media differently.

For example, college students parking in a campus garage and long-term parking travelers in an airport lot are two totally different animals. Communicating with them via social channels will require different messages, different tactics, and possibly different platforms. ●● ●●

Social media allows parking operations to share their stories, news, and information quickly and easily.

The Strength of Strategy Realizing that there was no putting the genie back in the bottle, the PPA made the bold move to develop a social media program to achieve three objectives: ●● Humanize the organization. ●● Increase communication of programs and regulations. ●● Provide a new channel for customer service.

Spearheaded by Director of Administration Sue Cornell and endorsed by all of its leadership, including Executive Director Vince Fenerty, the PPA worked with outside consultant ChatterBlast Media to develop a sound strategy that would carry it into the digital expanse.

“We worked very closely with all of their team to ensure we knew them inside and out,” says Matthew Ray, creative director of ChatterBlast. “This led to us developing a strategy that outlined a multi-year plan for them. Like the Boy Scouts, we were prepared.”

Once vetted, the strategy was rolled out in 2011 to loads of media attention and public interest. The strategy was a thick document that covered every possible customer complaint, crisis communication, and question that could possibly arise.

“We also addressed what our creative content would be—what we would talk about with the public: educational content, public service messages, inside information. It was very thorough, and we were confident,” says Cornell.

When starting a social media strategy, there are a few important components to consider.

First is your website

What is its current state?

Is it easy to navigate? ●● Does it have a blog? ●● How many hits does it get? ●● What is the story you’re trying to tell? ●● Does it need to be improved?

Your website is going to be the backbone of your social media and digital efforts. Social media efforts will drive more traffic to your website, and those new visitors will ●● ●●

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

Third is your platform

You’ll want to narrow the scope and find the right platforms for your organization. The PPA and ChatterBlast launched with a blog, Facebook, and Twitter and later added YouTube.

“There was a bit of anxiety around the blog initially, but now it has become one of the website’s most go-to features,” says Ray.

How to Effectively Use a Blog “Our goal with content is to inform and educate—to answer people’s questions before they ask them. If we tend to people’s issues or at the very least, point them in the right direction, we’re being proactive. [Social media’s] purpose is to properly inform and help citizens,” says Bill Wasser of the PPA .

After identifying the audience, the message, and the platforms, the team moved on to creating and curating content. Initially, the PPA spent a lot of time listening— and not talking—slowly creating content and taking baby steps in blog creation. There were some slight missteps and course corrections along the way.

“We can’t be funny. We tried a few times. People don’t want the PPA to be funny,” explains Ray. But the public did want the PPA to be informative and educational. Educational content was wildly successful. Authenticity, transparency, and honesty proved to be popular, so blogs that spoke frankly about parking issues became the mainstay. Informational videos were created to share parking tips.

Everything was explained, and then explained again … and again. All of it was shared on social channels from the website.

“An informed customer is a happy customer. It’s one thing to post any relevant information on your site. It’s a whole other ballpark to post it on social media, where it will most certainly garner more traffic, more views, and more shares,” Wasser says.

“People very often don’t like surprises, especially if they’re in the form of a ticket, so any way you can avoid that will benefit your industry.”

Consistent content creation empowered the PPA to provide the public with real-time information and updates pertaining to parking in the city, events, and other relevant information. In short, integrating social media into standard business practices not only helped the PPA, but it also grew its digital voice significantly.

The blog serves as a hub for information, and the content varies in theme, topic, and medium. Popular content types for the PPA proved to be: ●● Blog posts. ●● Videos. ●● Infographics.

“We will continue to try new ways to tell our story and to share information. We are committed to serving the public and however we need to message them, we will,” says Wasser.

trust that if they reach out to you on social media, they’ll receive help.

The Angry Customer There’s always the risk that a social media user will post some “not-so-nice” comments on your page. But rather than taking it as an insult or ignoring it, view it as an opportunity to play the nice guy.

If the issue can’t be immediately resolved, a simple “We’re sorry you’ve had this experience. How can we provide a better experience next time?” post can go a long way. It’ll douse any fires and demonstrate that you care about quality experiences for your customers. It could also potentially save a relationship with an already existing customer.

Customer Service Social media is considered by some to be the fastest and most reliable form of communication, making it fertile ground for quick and decisive customer service. Mobile communications mean customer service is happening more and more on Twitter and Facebook.

When customers have a complaint, they’re turning to social media first. If you have a public-facing organization, they are probably talking about you right now.

If someone has parking issues, it’s possible they’ll hop onto Facebook or Twitter to air their grievances.

This is your opportunity as a parking professional to jump in and provide quick, responsive customer service. You’ll have an opportunity to connect with your customers as they experience problems, have questions, or simply to share feedback.

Let’s say that a customer returns to his or her car 10 minutes before the meter has expired and received a ticket. Rather than calling customer service, being put on hold, and letting their frustrations fester, he or she can simply take a photo of the ticket, post it along with a caption, and tag your organization’s page.

You, as a parking professional, can address that issue in real time and void the unnecessary ticket. Just like that, you’ve got a happy customer thanks to social media.

The plus side here is that because this is posted on an online public forum, it’ll stay up there. This means that any curious customers can peruse your page and find instances of good customer service right there online. They’ll immediately feel a stronger sense of parking.org/tpp

After extensive research, the team developed a social media-based customer service platform to engage the community, answer questions and concerns, and escalate critical public issues to PPA directors. The strategy called for integrating enterprise-class customer service and team-based workflow technologies with existing PPA processes.

Opportunities to Shine If you’re in a parking industry in a city or large town, there’s bound to be an event where you can help the traffic flow smoothly. It could be a 5K race that shuts down some streets for a few hours, a sporting event, or even Fourth of July festivities.

For the PPA, the opportunity to shine on social media came in October 2015 with the pope’s visit to Philadelphia (see the December 2015 issue of The Parking Professional for more).

During the visit, there were many parking concerns due to many streets throughout the city being closed for security reasons. Plenty of people needed to know if they had to relocate their cars, where they had to move them, and, if they needed to drive, where they could do so. Because of the PPA’s social media presence, concerned parkers turned to their various social media JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

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platforms in the hopes of getting answers. The results were astounding.

The PPA demonstrated leadership and established trust with the public on social media in two ways during this event:

tive on social media. It is an excellent example of how a government agency can use social media to its advantage and effectively engage a customer.

When big city-wide events take place, the police are sure to be informed and will probably be tweeting about it. Forming a partnership with the department’s social media team is going to help you immensely when informing citizens about the state of parking during the day.

Improve by Listening

CHRIS BLONDELL is content creator at ChatterBlast Media.

He can be reached at chris@chatterblast. com.

24

1. By being present and ready on social media when it was needed. “We were one of the first city agencies to fully embrace social media and we’re proud to be a social leader in our industry. Our partnership has allowed the Philadelphia Parking Authority to build direct connections with the citizens of Philadelphia,” says Cornell. “We now handle questions, concerns, and customer service issues quickly and digitally, as well as interact with other municipal agencies and the media.”

From the pope’s visit to everyday life in Philadelphia, the PPA leverages social media for customer service.

Sometimes PPA has the answer; sometimes it doesn’t.

Any organization on social media will find that, but it’s still a great customer service tool. Often, just feeling like somebody is listening is enough to make a customer happy. Timely, informed responses to customer questions or complaints on social media can only help your public image and maintain your reputation as an organization that cares about its customers.

2. By demonstrating a unified front with other related industries. Being part of an industry that affects people’s everyday lives, you have to collaborate with other related industries. When street closures, emergencies, parades, protests, or papal visits occur, it’s imperative to amplify your message to help the entire community. The PPA did this during the pope’s visit and, as shown through the massive increase in Twitter traffic, proved to be a trusted resource for many Philadelphia visitors and residents.

“We’ve found if the public agencies collaborate in real life, it also increases the need to tag-team issues that arise on social. It’s critical to be familiar with other municipal or local initiatives so everyone involved—whether directly or tangentially—is successful,” says ChatterBlast Media Account Manager Jessica Meeder.

Your local police department will likely be very ac-

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

You have to connect with the larger digital tent poles out there. Because these people are going to be blogging, posting, and tweeting about you, it’s important that you develop a relationship so that there’s no miscommunication and no misunderstanding and your message and your services are being properly communicated.

One thing you have to understand about bloggers is that they’re the voice of and for the people. For the most part, bloggers are there to represent a niche population, and if that population has a problem with your service, one complaint could easily go viral. And that’s not something you want.

Take a look at what the PPA did in this scenario. It held a “reverse press conference.” Four of Philadelphia’s top bloggers sat down with the PPA to discuss UberX. “It’s very enlightening for us to ask the press questions instead of vice versa. It allows us to get a clear-cut perspective,” Wasser says.

By the end of the reverse press conference, both parties were better informed and had a new understanding of each other. Because the PPA listened, it now has a clearer idea of what the community needs from it, and it got it from prominent folks in the blogosphere. With that, the PPA is able to develop a stronger plan and a stronger relationship with the public.

Why Your Strategy Needs Social Media For the most part, the parking industry hasn’t embraced social media. It needs to. Parking garages, officials, and authorities need to hop on board and create a social media strategy that’s designed to: ●● Humanize. ●● Listen. ●● Interact. ●● Improve life for everyone.

Social media can be very effective to educate, inform, and interact with the public and provide great customer service. Social media is here and now, and it’s here to stay.

PLAN YOUR PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS 2016 Professional Development Courses Save the date, mark your calendar, and get registered. Courses are designed for all parking professionals, including those interested in CAPP; every course earns CAPP points for certification and recertification.

Registration details at parking.org.

JANUARY 21

Media Training Seminar Miami, Fla. MAY 16–19

UVA Business Management Course Offered in conjunction with the 2016 IPI Conference & Expo and the University of Virginia Nashville, Tenn.

MAY 17–19

Behind the Fine Print: A Blueprint to Parking Management, Operations, and Regulations Offered in conjunction with the 2016 IPI Conference & Expo Nashville, Tenn.

AUGUST 15

parking.org

Media Training Seminar Washington, D.C. SEPTEMBER 26–27

Parking Design, Maintenance, & Rehabilitation: Two-Day Seminar Anaheim, Calif.

New York City makes changes to deal with more people and the related increased demand for parking.

By David Kubik, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

W

ITHIN THE PAST DECADE, cities have

The New York Department of City Planning has already taken several bold steps to support the city’s growing population, some involving increased control and even the reduced availability of parking. In 2013, the Manhattan Core Parking text amendment passed, with outcomes that included the promotion of car sharing and reduced parking requirements in almost every Manhattan neighborhood below West 110th St. and East 96th St.. As recently as September 2015, the planning commission referred for public review the zoning for quality and affordability text amendment, which aspires to update some of the barriers to producing new affordable housing. For example, the amendment proposes that in medium- and high-density zoning districts, providing parking would be optional for new affordable housing units that are located in areas with abundant access to public transit.

In addition to facilitating the creation of much-needed housing, many of these steps have the potential to create less-congested streets and a safer pedestrian experience in some of the most highly trafficked areas of New York City. Many agree that these steps will quickly improve everyday quality of life in the city and may also provide long-term benefits, such as reduced vehicle emissions and better air quality.

Despite all of these possible advantages, the fact remains that there is substantial demand for parking in New York City. Without being required or incentivized to include parking, it seems inevitable that many new projects will move forward without providing it. While open parking lots are still permissible in many areas of New York, they are becoming increasingly desirable sites for development, further reducing the available space for parking. And even if someone sought to quickly create space for parking, every square inch counts in dense residential environments such as New York City—gone are the days in which an open asphalt parking lot makes financial sense. This context begs the question: where will the cars go? parking.org/tpp

Automated parking can free space for other building or community amenities.

BKSK ARCHITECTS.

JOHN ENGLUND, COURTESY BKSK ARCHITECTS.

become home to more than half of the global population, and the United Nations projects that the proportion of urban dwellers will reach 66 percent by 2050. Growing populations are putting a strain on the physical infrastructure of many cities, including New York City, where the need to house increasing numbers of residents is inspiring several creative efforts by local governments.

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Luxury Appeal Automated parking is emerging as a clear leader in addressing parking demands in contemporary cities.

Beyond its baseline ability to respond to the continuing demand for parking, automated parking is being recognized by building owners and developers as a differentiating amenity for tenants—particularly buyers of condominiums. In a city such as New York, concierge culture is more the rule than the exception. Food can be delivered to an individual’s exact specifications, and adjustments to a room’s temperature or lighting can be made with just a few taps to a smartphone. The option to have a resident’s car appear in a similarly convenient manner is a logical progression of this trend.

In fact, one residential tower in West Chelsea has already taken the concept of extreme vehicle convenience one step further, providing residents with an “en suite sky garage” located adjacent to their luxury residences. But for those who cannot afford a private garage several stories in the air or who would prefer that the car be fully out of sight and out of mind, automated parking has real allure.

Enabling Amenities Even outside of the luxury residential market, automated parking provides tangible appeal. Its density is a clear benefit when compared with traditional parking arrangements, as increased density of parking allows for reallocation of existing parking use on a site, therefore freeing up floor area in existing structures. In more than one location in New York City, BKSK Architects has been asked to study how an existing above-ground parking garage can be altered and potentially moved below grade, specifically to increase available floor area above. Automated parking systems are an obvious option in these scenarios.

The density of automated parking systems is very attractive for new building projects as well, in part because

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they allow more space for shared building amenities from the outset. In working on recent multifamily projects, BKSK teams have observed buyers and renters making more trade-offs in regard to private and common areas.

Specifically, there seems to be increasing openness to owning or renting less-private space in exchange for greater access to common space, such as roof gardens, fitness centers, and co-working style spaces. When projects seek to include parking onsite, automated parking systems support this trend more effectively than other more traditional solutions.

Notably, the benefits of increased floor area are a driver for projects of several scales. Some buildings may seek an automated parking system with 100 or more spaces, while other smaller ones offer as few as two private spaces. In either case, the square footage conserved through a denser parking arrangement provides valuable real estate opportunities, particularly in cities with neighborhoods that already suffer from limited development opportunities. The New York Department of City Planning has started formally acknowledging this potential in the context of new projects, providing zoning floor area exemptions for automated parking of up to 40 feet above grade in some applications.

Safety and Wellness A less immediately obvious advantage of an automated parking system is increased safety for tenants. Because cars are no longer being driven while being parked by an automated parking system, the rate of accidents caused by human error substantially drops. In addition, the cars are not powered on while being parked, which means that the parking area is subject to significantly reduced amounts of vehicle exhaust, improving both the indoor and outdoor air quality. This latter fact also means that a building’s associated mechanical systems require far less ductwork and fewer air changes, which pump exhaust

BKSK ARCHITECTS.

A project now in development in Manhattan gained space for alternate uses when automated parking was added.

air back into the open spaces surrounding the building.

The simplification or decrease in size of these systems often has the advantage of reducing construction and operating costs.

The need for different systems, including the automated parking system itself, does come with some drawbacks. Unlike above-ground parking garages and lots, the storage areas of automated parking systems are most frequently located on lower floors of buildings. As a result, project teams seeking to install these systems have to proactively investigate scenarios involving extreme weather events, particularly those that result in flooding.

Careful consideration must be paid to floodplains, such as those defined by FEMA, to minimize risk of flooding.

Similarly, power outages caused by storms or other events have the potential to impede residents’ access to their cars, as automated parking systems require electricity to function. One solution that many project teams consider is connecting automated parking systems to a building’s main generator in the same way that elevators and other critical systems would be. In the case of a major power outage, a resident in a building set up that way can still retrieve his or her car.

Currently, there are not many manufacturers offering automated parking systems, and only a few buildings in New York City have fully-installed systems at this time.

This greatly limits any design and construction teams in their coordination processes, because site visits to existing examples are one of the best ways to ensure that a system complies with local regulations and achieves all of a project’s design goals. For example, for projects to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act they must achieve certain clearance minimums for the space where the dropping off and retrieving of vehicles occurs. Without having a fully installed automated parkparking.org/tpp

BKSK ARCHITECTS.

ing system to reference in the local area, a project team has to be that much more careful in its coordination and fact-checking throughout the project.

Despite these challenges, automated parking has already proven to be a safe, convenient, pedestrian-friendly, and space-effective solution for providing parking in today’s growing cities. As the technology behind these systems continues to improve, their popularity and availability will only increase. In New York City—where the demand for parking remains high and the amount of developable space continues to decrease despite a rising need for residential space—automated parking is on its way to becoming the new normal.

DAVID KATZENSTEIN

Looking Forward

The AGV automated lift in-place in Brooklyn.

DAVID KUBIK, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is an associate at BKSK Architects. He can be reached at dkubik@ bksk.com.

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No more

Procrastination Planning to succeed is key to personal financial stability, and there’s no time like the present.

By Mark A. Vergenes

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H

UMAN BEINGS ARE NATURAL PROCRASTINATORS. Most people struggle with the temptation to put things off until that last minute—particularly those tasks we

don’t enjoy. How many times have you claimed to “work better under pressure” or promised yourself to finish a task when you had more time to focus?

While it may be possible to crunch out a report at the last minute or even throw together a major family get-together in a few days, saving and financial planning is one of those things that is a process.

parking.org/tpp

You need to work on it steadily over the course of years. Every month you put off developing and contributing to your own financial plan, your chances of success get smaller and smaller.

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While it may seem hard to get started, many parking professionals already have access to many easy-toimplement savings, investment, and insurance options.

professionals already have access to many easy-to-­ implement savings, investment, and insurance options.

Automated Retirement Plans Whether it’s an individual retirement account (IRA), a 401(k), a pension, or another type of plan, c­ ompany-sponsored retirement savings plans offer a couple of important benefits. One of their most important features is that they are deducted from your paycheck, automatically funding your plan. Many benefits that are deducted from your paycheck are pre-tax, which means the amount you contribute is more than the reduced amount you would otherwise keep in your take-home pay. However, all plans have a capped amount. If your capped amount is less than your actual savings needs, you should discuss additional investment and savings options with a qualified financial adviser.

Matched Contributions Some employers will match the contributions you make dollar-for-dollar up to a certain percentage of your pay.

Others may match a portion or percentage of each dollar you contribute. Regardless, it’s free money. Having your employer contribute right along with you makes your retirement account grow faster than if you were the only one putting money in. And most of these matches are made pre-tax, which significantly reduces the effect on your take-home pay.

Vesting The truth is if you’re relatively young and you’ve already developed a financial plan to get you through to retirement, you’re the exception. But if don’t have a solid financial plan in place, now is the time to start.

Why Plan?

You need to make accommodations for several significant life events. During the course of your life, you’ll probably experience a series of major expenses that can’t be covered without a thoughtful savings and investment plan. These may include homes, cars, college, medical expenses, retirement, and the death of one of your family’s breadwinners.

Most people understand how to budget for expenses such as homes and cars. When planning, people decide how much to spend and then decide how to pay for these expenses with cash, credit, or a combination of both.

These expenses are budgeted into a monthly income and are protected with adequate savings.

However, when it comes to life’s other major expenses—college, medical expenses, retirement, or the death of a family breadwinner—many people procrastinate and are less prepared.

While it may seem hard to get started, many parking

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Vesting is a way for employers to encourage you to stay with them. Basically, it means that while you have full ownership of your own contributions, you’ll only gain access to your employer’s contributions after a designated period of time. Vesting can happen two ways: A graduated vesting schedule gives you increased ownership of the employer funds over time until you’re fully vested and own 100 percent of the money. A cliff-vesting schedule withholds ownership until you’ve completed a certain number of years of service, at which point you become 100 percent vested. Once your employer’s contributions are fully vested, they’re yours and you can take them with you if you leave.

Insurance Insurance benefits vary widely from employer to employer. Evaluate each benefit to make sure it makes sense for you and your financial plans. Be sure to investigate if your employer offers short- or long-term disability, dental benefits, vision benefits, and corporate life-insurance plans. Be sure to find out out what happens to your benefits if you become ill, are hurt on the job, or are hurt when you’re not working.

It’s critical to understand if employer options are enough. Do you know how you are you going

to handle life’s other major expenses—retirement, college, medical expenses, and the death of a spouse or breadwinner?

College While we all fantasize that our talented children will get a full scholarship, it’s not a reliable savings plan.

But don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by big numbers and pricey educations. Even modest savings can pack a punch if you give them enough time to grow.

Investing just $25 a week for 18 years will yield $48,000, assuming an 8 percent average annual return (and assuming no taxes). Investing your savings wisely may allow you to maximize your savings. If you didn’t start saving the week your child was born, don’t give up hope. Even a little savings helps. Talk to your financial adviser and you’ll be able to develop a plan that will help your child cover at least some of his or her college costs, even if college is just around the corner.

You should also explore financing options that include federal, state, and private grants and loans. And finally, make sure you are not planning to use retirement savings to finance college expenses. Your children will have a lifetime to pay off college, but you won’t be able to easily rebuild retirement savings.

Medical Expenses While recent changes in health care have made some people more confident about their ability to handle major medical expenses, medical expenses are still one of the most common reasons for bankruptcy. It’s critical to ensure your insurance will continue even after you begin disability, and it’s wise to check out disability insurance to help your family get through extended illnesses or rehabilitation periods. Financial planners can help you determine your needs, your ability to pay, and refer you to reputable health insurance representatives.

Death of a Breadwinner Whether your home is a one-, two-, or even threeincome family, it’s important to think through what will happen if one or more income sources pass on or are unable to work. What happens to your mortgage?

Car payments? Who takes care of your children? Is an elderly relative relying on your income? Developing a will and ensuring your life insurance is enough to get your family through the death of a loved one is critical to your family’s financial well-being.

It’s easy to procrastinate on life insurance if you’re part of a young, healthy family. According to a July 2014, article in U.S. News and World Report, three in 10 households in the U.S. have absolutely no life insurance whatsoever. And many people with life insurance don’t parking.org/tpp

have enough coverage. According to a 2014 survey by New York Life Insurance, people surveyed said they needed an average of $540,000 worth of insurance but were insured for only $220,000.

You shouldn’t rely on guesswork when making decisions that affect you and your family. Get help to work through these financial hurdles and develop a plan that addresses a wide variety of changes.

Retirement While you may already be contributing to a c­ ompanysponsored retirement plan, you should still map out exactly what your retirement looks like, what your income may be, and what kind of savings you need to finance your lifestyle.

People are living longer than ever before, and if you retire at 65, you may be looking at 30 years of retired living. If you’re one of the many people who underestimate how long you’ll live in retirement, you may find yourself running out of money.

For some people, expenses decrease in retirement.

Maybe their house is paid off and children are on their own. But others find that their retirement comes with unexpectedly high price tags. You may need to continue to support family members, your home may not be worth as much as you expected, or you may incur major medical expenses for yourself, your spouse, or another family member.

Often, Social Security doesn’t cover your retirement expenses. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, today’s retiree draws less than half his or her income from Social Security. The rest must come from other sources, such as personal savings and pension plans or, for some, part- or full-time employment.

Inflation may also take a bite out of your retirement savings. Remember, your dollar may buy a lot less in the future than it does today.

It’s important to know that financial planning professionals make recommendations, not decisions. You control your finances. A good planner will make recommendations based on your needs, values, goals, and time frames. You decide which recommendations to follow and then work with a financial professional to implement them.

MIRUS Financial Partners nor Cetera Adviser Networks LLC. give tax or legal advice. Opinions expressed are not intended as investment advice or to predict future performance. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representations as to its completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance information is historical and indicative of future results. Articles prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2015.

MARK A. VERGENES is president of MIRUS Financial Partners and chair of the Lancaster (Pa.) Parking Authority. He can be reached at mark@ mirusfinancialpartners. com.

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Careful Considerations How to structure an RFP and buy parking systems to get exactly what your operation needs.

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By Pierre Koudelka

I

WROTE AN ARTICLE LAST YEAR about parking equipment and new applications in which I said, “Our system of specifying, purchasing, and managing, for whatever reason, is far too accepting of the status quo” (See the January 2015

issue of The Parking Professional). Since then, lots of parking folks have asked me what I meant. So I felt this might be a good topic for a new article on what to be aware of and how best to purchase parking equipment (PARCS).

Outdated Specifications For those of you who feel PARCS specifications within an RFP guarantees you get what you requested, please think again. The simple fact is that most specifications written today are general in nature in order to encompass the offerings of just about every manufacturer, in my opinion. Bidders have a great deal of leeway in what they provide. Specifications do a fair job at outlining the number of gates and dispensers/verifiers at entrances or exits, cashier booths, or pay-on-foot machines in foyers. That is easy. But these specifications do little to explain the true operating functionally of the internal system, the central computer parameters, the networks, and the quality guidelines of the installation—in fact, those details are seldom specified. Why? Have you ever seen an RFP outline quality standards for the equipment, life expectancy requirements, or estimated maintenance cost over the system life?

Not really. How can anyone truly make an informed buying decision without these facts?

Specification writers are in a catch-22: If they are too specific, they may exclude someone and risk legal actions. Past suits have caused many to generalize, and more than that, specifications simply have not kept up with technology. Many are canned, often disjointed, or worse, copied and pasted in a mélange of several opposing manufacturers’ offerings that, when combined, make little sense and ask for things that are impossible to produce as written. So to be fair and avoid those issues, many RFPs generalize on what the system is to do.

Sometimes, they are too specific. The problem is that the equipment available from a large number of manufacturers varies tremendously in capability and quality and very few writers are able to capture that aspect in writing RFPs. The result is that ­feature-filled manufacturers have to pare down, and products that lack features become accepted.

All this boils down to a judgment call at the end of the day. It may be a well-thought-out call, but it still often comes down to price, location of the nearest service outlet, and delivery time, and presumably, parking.org/tpp

the one that complies with most of those wishes wins the contract. So here’s my first piece of advice: Always get an experienced consulting firm to sort it out—that goes for the individual the manufacturer assigns to your account as well.

Effects I have experienced too many badly written RFPs that come from people with no parking experience, and everybody suffers: the owner, the installer, the manufacturer, and the writer. It results in countless questions back and forth, substantial delays, re-bids, having inappropriate systems installed, and sometimes, regrettably, legal action, although these are seldom publicized. Most bidders try to do the best they can interpreting specs, but interpretation can vary greatly.

Without a good set of metrics to compare to and follow, buying decisions can be arbitrary. It’s that simple.

Truth be told, even the projects that seem to go well are sometimes over-specified as well and the facility winds up using only a small portion of the resulting system despite the best efforts of the spec writer. This is because, as human beings, we tend to only use features that are fast, familiar, and easy to master. All the rest of the techno-babble that’s specified and paid for seldom gets used. I would say, with a few exceptions, only 30 percent of any system is actually used. Surprised? It’s analogous to the thousands of features within Microsoft—how many do you really use, assuming you’re not an IT expert?

Lesson two: Don’t pay for over spec’d items if they aren’t going to be used. Also, take the time to ensure all those features will be used as they were intended.

Solutions There are several steps to follow to ensure your RFP process goes smoothly and that you end up with the system you were shopping for in the first place. Here are 11 points to think about when you start: ●● Do your own due diligence. Don’t leave it all up to someone else. Check the supplier’s financials. Check and visit references. Most importantly, visit the

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with startups.

Try it. Don’t be afraid to ask the manufacturer for free software demo samples you can take home to play with for a week or so to let your people experience the inner workings of the system before you buy anything. Why would a reliable supplier say no? Plus, this will help involve staff in the decision process, which is always a smart move. I would be very suspicious of any supplier who’s reluctant to provide free demo software for a time period. After all you’re spending hundreds of thousands of dollars. You test-drive a new car—why not test-drive new software as well? Remember when trying out software that an important feature is its ease of use. The only software that will be used is the software that is easy to use. ●● Ditch source code. The antiquated notion that you must request source code to protect your company in case the firm you are dealing with goes under is a total waste of time and money and should be stricken from all specifications. In my 40+ years in the industry, I have seldom seen anyone use such codes after the fact. Third parties trying to work on these codes find it too hard and expensive. ●● Distrust the yes man. Understand up front that bidders are likely to say their companies and products can meet the demands outlined in an RFP. And depending on their individual perspective, they probably can somehow. But most specs, due to their general nature, are open to individual interpretations. The trick is to not accept a mere “yes” answer but to take time to assess the user-friendliness of the feature the supplier intends to provide. For someone to simply say, “Yes, I can give you this or that report specified” is no longer acceptable. The “yes” has to be explained in detail.

As the purchaser, you need to know if that report can be generated by either a single keystroke or will take dozens of keystrokes and the manual merging of other reports and so on before you get your required report.

Understand that if the system isn’t user-friendly, that function you paid for will likely never be used. That’s simple human nature. Specifications today do not measure or define user-friendliness. ●● Consider staff. Owners often underestimate the complexity and sophistication of the parking systems they are purchasing. Existing staff may not be qualified to run the new operation. Examine and quantify staff competence before buying. It’s becoming an IT world, and you need savvy people to run all these computers and networks. Minimum wage knowledge and a little training doesn’t do it anymore. System problems are often people problems. It’s easy to blame the system for staff misunderstandings. ●●

The trick is to not accept a mere “yes” answer but to take time to assess the user-friendliness of the feature the supplier intends to provide.

manufacturer’s facility whenever possible. Obviously not everyone can do that, but you should if your project is large enough. A thousand-dollar airfare is a small price to pay to ensure satisfaction. The minute I walk into a manufacturer’s facility, I can tell if the resulting product will be good or bad, and so can you. Check the quality stations. Is the facility automated or not? Is it clean or dirty? Is there a lot of product on the floor? ●● Think big picture. Don’t just look for features your project needs today when selecting a vendor. Look to the future. Investigate the supplier’s entire software library, as your requirements will change down the road. You must make sure the supplier has the required software/hardware to accommodate your needs in the future, even if all those functions aren’t needed today. Too many clients find themselves in a pickle three or four years down the road with a system that can’t easily be added to or improved. Above all, make sure that the feature or device you are being sold has been proven to work. This is especially important

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Remember that you get what you pay for. All systems are definitely not equal, and to think they are does your operation a great disservice. Don’t buy a parking system off a cut sheet, say-so, or brochure. Go look at the equipment. Lift the hood and look inside.

Try and appreciate the quality differences that affect price. There are many differences specifications never begin to cover. You’re guaranteed to see differences if you actually look for them. Does the manufacturer use brass/nylon bushing or ball bearings? Are parts sheet metal or machined? What is the quality of their service support? Will the equipment rust prematurely? Even the way it’s wired together can tell you a lot. Is it neat?

Look at the PC boards. Are the chips surface mounted or not? All this tells you where the manufacturer is in the evolutionary scale of assembly. I used to count the number of direct DRIVE rollers in a ticket transport unit to get a feel for its quality. The more, the better if you don’t want jams. And if there is a ticket jam, can it be removed easily? ●● Ask about installation. What of the quality of installation of the parking equipment? I have never seen a specification define installations very well. It’s assumed that the contractor will do the work under the prevailing codes, I guess. Let me tell you, I have seen many a poor installation after the fact in which the contractor made up for an initial low bid on the equipment by cutting back in the installation. Very cheap switches, underrated wires, bad loops, cheap or improper connectors (especially when it comes to fiber), no expansion provision on conduit, equipment installed but not level, inadequate power, and the list goes on. These inconsistencies cause system problems that are sometimes hard to find after the fact and result in downtime and a shorter equipment lifespan. ●● Ask about lifetime costs. The industry has been remiss in its ability to either understand or analyze quality and longevity of equipment or systems. I have never seen a specification that documented service or maintenance costs over the life of that particular equipment. What is the life expectancy of the equipment? You would think that would be a key factor in the buying decision process, but it seldom comes up.

That’s in part because it requires far more effort and no one wants their comparative analysis of suppliers to be potentially wrong, or those recommending often have a short-term outlook because of contractual obligations. The industry must do better. When spending millions, you need facts, not fiction. ●● Remember, price can be deceiving when specifications are general. The simple fact is that those systems that seemed inexpensive up front will more ●●

parking.org/tpp

than likely cost you far more than the highest priced bidder in the long run, sometimes by a considerable amount. Owners should be made aware of this fact.

Recommendations for inexpensive solutions are often driven by ulterior motives or length of contracts, so you always need to understand where and why the recommendation is being made. You always get what you pay for. ●● Never stop looking for ways to imHowever perfect prove your operation. Consider you may think your adding more conveniences for operation is, you can your patrons and simplifying the managerial process always increase revenues with new technology. and customer satisfaction by 10 There are countless or 15 percent—that’s been my ways to increase profits that are not called experience. Stay informed by out in original RFPs. attending trade shows and Dozens of innovations continually asking your come out every few months.

I simply don’t see these experts facility manager for doing a great job of follow-up with new suggestions. their clients every two or three years to make recommendations on improvements that would benefit the client.

Keeping Up We seem to be very slow at accepting new innovations in North America. It may be our conservative nature, possibly complacency; maybe it’s our purchasing process itself or a sense of needlessly upsetting the apple cart when an owner seems content, or maybe the fees for suggestions simply aren’t there after the fact. However perfect you may think your operation is, you can always increase revenues and customer satisfaction by 10 or 15 percent—that’s been my experience. Stay informed by attending trade shows and continually asking your facility manager for new suggestions. No car park should remain stagnant. Improvements should happen regularly or you’re really falling behind.

This may seem a harsh criticism of the way things are done, but the RFP process has regrettably not changed in quite some time, but technology has. Any newcomer to the industry should be aware of these 11 points to save themselves a ton of heartache. Granted, some installations go along perfectly to everyone’s satisfaction, but many more projects have had issues that could have been resolved up front had some of these suggestions been followed. There are many other safeguards one can take, but we will leave those for another time.

Good luck in your buying decisions going forward, but never leave it entirely to luck or to others.

PIERRE KOUDELKA has 45 years of parking experience globally as a leading manufacturer, parking consultant, and author. He can be reached at jean. pierre.koudelka@ gmail.com.

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COMMITTEE COMMUNIQUÉ

IPI Committees

HARD AT WORK IPI’s volunteer committees work to advance the mission of IPI and the parking profession through programs, initiatives, research, and industry involvement. Here’s a round-up of what they’ve been doing this quarter.

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Awards of Excellence Committee The IPI Awards of Excellence (AOE) program will celebrate its 34th year of competition for new parking facilities, surface lots, innovative parking operations or programs, rehabilitated/restored facilities, new sustainable construction, and architectural achievement this year.

The AOE Committee is looking to increase the total number of entries by 20 percent over last year and encourages submissions from IPI members. The entry process is completely online, and the website has been upgraded from last year to include specific entry information on the entries tab of the website (listing actual category requirements), the ability to clone an entry into multiple categories, the timeline for the entire competition process, and step-by-step entry assistance and information about the 2015 awards ceremony and winners.

Entries for the 2016 competition will be accepted online through Friday, Jan. 15, 2016. More information about the awards can be found at parking.org/awards.

For assistance, contact Lauri Chudoba at chudoba@ parking.org or 571.699.3011.

CO-CHAIRS: Rick

Decker, CAPP, and Anderson Moore

Conference Program Committee The Conference Program Committee (CPC) is comprised of 14 volunteers from the IPI membership.

When developing the conference education sessions, this committee’s goal is to provide a program that meets the educational needs of the conference attendees, presented by high-quality speakers who represent the diversity of the IPI membership. The CPC is tasked with the critical job of reading, sorting, and scoring each speaking proposal submission for the IPI Conference education session program. This year the committee received 123 conference speaking proposal submissions from 178 authors.

This dedicated committee works diligently to complete this work in a timely manner. Members must score each

parking.org/tpp

and every conference submission! The submissions are graded based on: ●● Topic relevance and suitability to a broad audience of parking professionals. ●● Educational and informative nature of the content and information provided. ●● The abstract matching the accompanying well-defined learning objectives. ●● Practical application to the audience. ●● Clarity, focus, and cohesiveness of the information submitted. ●● Presentation skill and experience of the proposed speaker(s). ●● Educational nature of the submission, ensuring it does not present as commercial.

The committee had six weeks to complete the scoring for all 123 submissions. Members determine the accepted proposals with calculated diligence. Each proposal has a set of scores that are averaged for all of the grading criteria and accompanying speaker(s). The committee accepts only the highest-ranked submissions for conference education. Past conference evaluations are reviewed once the schedule is set to ensure that each speaker who previously presented and wants another performance (so to speak) has favorable evaluations from his past audience.

Members of this committee facilitate various education sessions during the IPI Conference and introduce the speakers on-stage.

The CPC would like to thank every speaker who submitted for the 2016 IPI Conference & Expo. This year was quite difficult—IPI received many excellent and well-thought-out presentations. Presenting at the IPI Conference & Expo can be a personally and professionally rewarding experience, and we look forward to seeing you in Nashville.

CO-CHAIRS: Scott Kangas, CAPP, and Jaime Windfont, CAPP

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Consultants Committee The Consultants Committee kicked off a busy volunteer season with projects in three primary areas: ●● Publishing relevant and timely materials that advance the parking profession from the consultant’s perspective and experience centered on best practices in the industry, including a monthly column in The Parking Professional, as well as white papers and technical articles. ●● Participating and advancing special projects with IPI committees and the IPI Board of Directors. ●● Supporting and educating the consultant community about parking-industry programs, including the Green Parking Council’s Green Garage Certification, Accredited Parking Organization (APO), and CAPP. The committee typically offers a presentation at the IPI Conference, and this year is no exception. The committee will present “Trends, Insights, and Best Practices: Parking Consultants Weigh In,” to explore alternative transportation and mobility topics.

CO-CHAIRS: John

Bushman and Mark Santos

Education Development Committee IPI’s Education Development Committee (EDC) convened with many new members last fall. This committee actively seeks out opportunities to develop, deliver, and evaluate effective professional development products, trainings, and educational opportunities to support the advancement of the parking profession. Its main areas of concentration include supporting educational opportunities for the CAPP Program, online learning, and various face-to-face learning opportunities, including the multi-day courses held during the annual IPI Conference & Expo.

New this year at Conference is the three-day course “Behind the Fine Print: A Blueprint to Parking Management, Operations, and Regulations.” Many of the instructors for this course are EDC committee members who will focus on: ●● Management topics, such as evaluating and recognizing where changes might need to be made to ensure compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). ●● Identifying potential safety hazards and developing mitigation strategies. ●● Identifying audit strategies to align with the organizational safety program. ●● Evaluating operational record-keeping practices to ensure they align with FERPA/HIPAA guidelines.

After writing and publishing the CAPP Resource Guide in support of the revised CAPP exam certification and

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

testing process, the EDC is now working on version two, which will include a full practice sample CAPP exam with 165 multiple-choice, single-answer questions. The guide is intended to assist those studying for the CAPP exam to prepare for the testing experience. It will be available in PDF format, as well as through IPI’s online learning platform; taking the exam through the online learning platform will simulate the online testing environment.

The EDC focuses on delivering high-quality online learning courses that offer professional development points toward the CAPP application minimum requirements as well as recertification requirements. The EDC is currently reviewing courses on technology trends and finance for release in 2016.

CO-CHAIRS: Tom Wunk,

CAPP, and Josh Cantor

ITS Parking Task Force Since reconvening in October 2015, the ITS Parking Task Force is proud to introduce its new co-chairs, who both previously served on the task force. We are also thankful to have retained former co-chairs Richard Easley, CAPP, and Tracey Bruch, CAPP, on the committee.

During the past couple of months, we have welcomed several new members and their fresh ideas, conducted regular conference calls, and explored opportunities to present at various events. Additionally, our committee charge is focused on three main objectives that will be highlighted in the February issue of The Parking Professional.

CO-CHAIRS: Jason

Jones and Ken Smith, CAPP

Membership Committee IPI’s Membership Committee provides direction and assistance for recruiting new members to IPI, as well as developing retention programs.

In 2015, a comprehensive membership marketing plan was developed to better serve our community of current members and grow the membership. The committee provides guidance and insights to support IPI staff in implementing that plan.

Membership is currently strong in terms of sheer numbers—in fact, IPI membership has never been as large as it is right now, and retention rates remain the envy of most trade associations. What’s more, the number of volunteers and those deeply involved in supporting the association’s many initiatives is unprecedented.

Although IPI is the largest association of parking professionals in the world, there is an untapped percentage of parking professionals who are not aware of the trade association. Reaching out to those organizations and en-

couraging them to become IPI members will strengthen our association by adding new voices and new ideas and enlarging our sphere of influence. Increasing membership also will increase revenue, which can then be re-invested back into programs that help improve visibility for the profession, create professional development opportunities, and provide programs that help each member achieve his or her personal career goals. In short, membership growth makes IPI a better organization for all its members. Not to be underestimated is an understanding that we are an association of individuals, each with different needs, aspirations, and perspectives on how IPI may be of value. The IPI Membership Committee is engaged in programs that help members tap into all the benefits of membership—most of all, the ability to connect, share, and learn from peers.

CO-CHAIRS: Allen

Corry, CAPP, and Mark Lyons, CAPP

Parking Matters ® Committee The Parking Matters Committee has no shortage of initiatives this year, including many that will support the efforts of parking professionals everywhere in making the case for why Parking Matters. These include: ●● The development of a library of visually interesting, twopage profiles of successful parking projects, including background on what problems were addressed, relevant project stats, photographs, and lessons learned. Less arduous to complete than a traditional case study for IPI members, these profiles will provide a searchable online resource for those in and outside the parking profession. Over time, the profiles will grow in number to create a valuable body of knowledge and will include examples from every sector and sub-sector (small, medium, and large airports, for example, or municipalities with various population sizes). ●● The stories and stats behind those successful parking project profiles will contribute to another committee project: a PowerPoint “road show” for presentation to national, state, and regional chapters of groups such as the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), the International Downtown Association (IDA), the International Facility Managers Association (IFMA), and the American Planning Association (APA), among others. ●● Also on the committee’s to-do list is judging the third annual Parking Matters Marketing and Communications Awards, designed to recognize outstanding parking-­ related marketing, public relations, or communications programs and campaigns. Eligible programs use a wide spectrum of marketing tools, from advertising and public relations to collateral development, signage,

parking.org/tpp

special events, direct mail, video, and social media.

Entries close Jan. 15, 2016. ●● You’re probably familiar with the animated Parking Matters video, which continues to capture the important role of parking professionals with kinetic type and graphics. The committee will debut a new video that makes the case for why Parking Matters with live-action footage at the 2016 IPI Conference & Expo in Nashville, Tenn.

In addition, the committee is focusing on disabled placard abuse with plans to research, explore, and share best practices for educating stakeholders, modeling legislation, working with enforcement, and partnering with advocacy groups for people with disabilities to ways to address this issue.

CO-CHAIRS: Gary

Means, CAPP, and Vanessa Solesbee

Parking Technology Committee The Parking Technology Committee has been busy working on its next presentation, “Parking 2.0: It’s a Connected World”—the seventh in a series of presentations designed to educate parking professionals on the ever-changing role of technology in our industry. The presentation will debut in February as an IPI webinar.

Available as cutting-edge content for state and regional association conferences and offered by industry experts, Parking 2.0 explores the connectivity explosion we have experienced in our everyday lives and what it means for the parking industry.

The connectivity of all systems within our parking infrastructure has been growing at a rapid rate, whether it be parking meters, PARCS equipment, mobile phones, sensors, or technologies completely outside of parking.

We also discuss the changes we must consider within our own organizations to support this new connected world.

All of these connected devices can feed data to the smart parking operation of the future and can contribute to smart city initiatives that extend to every market segment in the industry. The presentation addresses both the state of the industry, as well as innovative and cutting-edge technologies that drive and influence day-to-day operations and strategic and long-term decision-making.

Rounding out the year, the committee offered last year’s big data presentation more than a dozen times, including as an IPI webinar, and generated the second edition of the IPI Technology Glossary, which is also available online as a valuable resource to guide our members through the acronym-laden vocabulary of parking industry technology. The committee is already looking forward to begin work on its next presentation for 2017.

CO-CHAIRS: Michael

Drow, CAPP, and Peter Lange

JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

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Professional Recognition Program Committee IPI’s Professional Recognition Program (PRP) will celebrate its 10th anniversary with the 2016 awards competition. This program is designed to recognize and commend the contributions of deserving parking and transportation colleagues and organizations.

The PRP Committee has been working to update the website for this year’s nominations to include the timeline for the entire competition process, step-by-step entry assistance, information about the 2015 awards ceremony and winners, and a full list of required documents for each category.

Online nominations will be accepted through Friday, Jan. 15, 2016, for: ●● Parking Staff Member of the Year. ●● Parking Supervisor of the Year. ●● Lifetime Achievement Awards. ●● Young Professionals in Parking Emerging Leader of the Year. ●● Parking Organization of the Year. ●● James M. Hunnicutt, CAPP, Parking Professional of the Year.

The PRP Committee is hoping to increase the number of nominations by 20 percent over last year’s nominations.

More information can be found at parking.org/awards.

For assistance, contact Lauri Chudoba at chudoba@ parking.org or 571.699.3011.

CO-CHAIRS: Dan

Kupferman, CAPP, and Wayne Mixdorf,

CAPP

Safety and Security Committee The Safety and Security Committee is delegated with the responsibility to provide specialized safety, security, and crisis management information and guidance to IPI members and the parking and transportation industry.

Committee membership includes broad representation from universities, municipalities, airports, convention centers, industry consultants, and suppliers. The committee meets regularly to discuss industry issues and concerns and works collaboratively on safety-related presentations and publications.

In mid-2015, the committee published the first edition of the “IPI Emergency Preparedness Manual.”

The manual is now available for free download to all members at parking.org.

In 2016, committee focus will include: ●● The March 2016 edition of The Parking Professional magazine, which will focus on timely information and issues related to industry safety and security.

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

Exploring opportunities to collaborate with the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security on educational offerings and trainings for members of both organizations. ●● Reviewing and exploring guidelines and practices that may apply to member organizations on crime prevention through environmental design and sheltering in place. ●●

CO-CHAIRS: Bruce Barclay, CAPP, and Geary Robinson, PhD, CAPP

State and Regional Committee During the State and Regional Committee’s first meeting, an agenda was developed and guidelines were formulated to facilitate cooperative interaction among the varying groups toward achieving common goals. The State and Regional Associations (SRAs) are the heartbeat of IPI and strengthening relationships with local associations is the primary aim of this committee.

Local liaisons are the first tool that will be used to fortify IPI-local relationships. These liaisons will serve as a direct connection to IPI, and, consequently, to all other organizations and resources linked to IPI. The second tool to be used is education sessions to assist local associations as they navigate through the obstacles of growth and development.

It is our committee’s responsibility to ensure that the local associations understand that IPI is here to assist and serve as sounding board for your questions and concerns. We welcome and look forward to working with all the local associations.

CO-CHAIRS: Bridgette

Brady, CAPP, and David Onorato,

CAPP

Sustainability Committee IPI Sustainability Committee Co-Chairs Irma Henderson, CAPP, and Brian Shaw, CAPP, gave a presentation at the 32nd Annual California Public Parking Association (CPPA) Conference in Oakland, Calif., in November.

Attendees learned about Green Garage Certification, Greening the Lot, transportation demand management, and how to use parking to foster modal choice. The importance of having a Certified Green Garage assessor was emphasized, along with ensuring proper documentation to facilitate certification. Shaw attended a university roundtable session in which sustainable topics, such as electric vehicle charging policies and enforcement, were discussed. Thanks to CPAA for continuing to include sustainability in the conference program.

CO-CHAIRS: Irma Henderson, CAPP, and Brian Shaw, CAPP

DEADLINE TO ENTER – MARCH 4, 2016

H

ow do you get your next big idea, business idea, product, start-up, or cutting-edge small business in

front of experts who can advise, invest,

m i w S wit o t h y d

Fashioned after the popular American TV show “Shark Tank,” and launched at the 2015 IPI Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, this is your chance to pitch an idea for a parkingrelated product or service to a panel of

harks? eS th

Are You R ea

or help you develop your innovation?

parking experts, including representatives from large municipalities and venture capitalists.

In case you missed the show last year, this is the deal:

IPI

Park Tank

SM

o No idea is too large or too small. o Open to all start-up companies, new exhibitors, and entrepreneurs.

o If your idea makes the cut, pitch it live onstage at the 2016 IPI Conference & Expo to our sharks (judges). o If your idea outranks the rest, win recognition and valuable exhibit and advertising space (a $4,000 value). o Apply online today: Slots are very limited and competition is fierce.

To apply, visit: ipiconference.parking.org/parktank.cfm

why

Cash may still be

KING 44

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

What parking professionals might want to think about before going completely cashless.

By Bryan Alexander

OPINION

T

HE DATA BREACHES THAT HIT THE PARKING INDUSTRY in 2014 offered a stark reminder that parking is just as vulnerable to credit card fraud as any other industry. Worldwide, credit card

fraud has reached $14 billion a year, and while the hit experienced by the parking industry was relatively minor, for the companies that were affected—and their customers— the impact was painful.

This is just one of the reasons some parking patrons still prefer to pay with cash. Many have faced the difficulty of having their personal data compromised and having to deal with the time-consuming and stressful aftermath. For those drivers, cash can be a more attractive option for transactions that are quick and simple.

Others may prefer to pay with cash because they’ve maxed out credit cards or don’t want to add to existing balances. These are some reasons why being able to accept cash represents good customer service.

Parking management trends have moved away from cash payment in recent years. During the past two decades, many owners have moved to automate their parking facilities. These fully-automated parking structures are more convenient for parkers in many ways because it’s quicker and less complicated to enter and exit parking areas. Automated access and revenue control systems also make it much easier for owners and operators to manage their parking assets.

The associated hardware and software tools record valuable utilization and revenue data that can be used to make parking operations more efficient and profitable.

parking.org/tpp

JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

45

OPINION Automation can reduce the risk of theft because there aren’t staff at exit booths handling cash (who might either be robbed by others or, sadly, tempted by easy access to so many dollar bills in-hand). This is a vitally important issue for parking owners and operators. It’s estimated that as much as 20 percent of cash parking revenues collected by collection booth attendants may not make it into the cash register; crime and employee safety are real concerns. For all these reasons, the advent of parking’s technology age has enhanced parking operations in recent years.

I think many owners have taken automation a step too far by going entirely cash-free. They require parkers to either pay in advance on a monthly basis or pay for daily transactions with credit cards. Parking owners who only accept credit card payments for parking unnecessarily turn away parkers who wish to use cash—and their competition is reaping the benefits. In an industry in which profit margins are often low and every dollar counts, parking owners can’t afford to cede business to their competitors who do accept cash.

Unlike credit card payments that carry a processing fee of 2.5 to 3 percent, there are no outright fees associated with cash payments. What about the cost of PCI compliance? Or the potential liability owners will have to take on if they aren’t compliant? And now with the introduction of EMV standards, parking owners and operators are taking on an added layer of liability if they don’t fully embrace the new standards. Being able to accept cash payment for parking can moderate these risks and save owners money.

frequently. Not only was this costly and inconvenient, but it increased the risk of theft.

Fortunately, cash payment equipment has improved dramatically in recent years. Today, it can easily be integrated into standard access and revenue control equipment, and it’s much faster. In fact, the typical cash transaction can usually be completed just as quickly as a credit card transaction.

Cash recycling has also reached the parking industry and can easily be integrated into existing access and revenue control equipment. This makes cash recycling technology something worth investigating for both retrofits of existing parking facilities and inclusion in new ones.

Cash recycling re-uses bills that have been used to pay for parking as change for other patrons. So, say a parker uses a $10 and a $5 bill to pay for parking. Those bills are stored for use as change. If the next parker pays with a $20 bill, a $5 bill that was previously paid is returned to him or her as change. This dramatically speeds up transactions. It eliminates the need for frequent collection and emptying of the equipment and can allow permit parking operators to go days—or even weeks—before having to empty equipment. It also reduces the risk of theft—after all, the less frequently staff have to empty cash boxes, the less inviting a target they are to criminals. Cash is collected in locked modules that can’t be opened until they are returned to the owner’s or operator’s counting room, dramatically reducing the risk that some may go missing.

Today’s automated cash transactions are quick, usually just as fast as credit card transactions. The best cash recycling equipment returns change from the same slot that payments are inserted into, making it much more intuitive and simple for parkers to use. In essence, cash recycling technology offers comparable ease and convenience to credit card payment, so parkers who prefer to pay with cash are no longer penalized for their choice.

Cash recycling provides an additional layer of security in this age of data theft. Hackers and other criminals are steadily becoming more sophisticated, and private data will continue to be at risk. Cash collection poses none of those risks.

The Benefits of Cash History and New Technology BRYAN ALEXANDER is industry sales manager for Crane Payment Innovations.

He can be reached at bryan.alexander@ cranepi.com.

46

It’s easy to see why many parking owners turned to credit card payment exclusively when they automated their municipal facilities, beginning in the 1990s. At the time, cash payment equipment was large and couldn’t easily be integrated into standard access and revenue control equipment. Also, traditional cash equipment didn’t recycle bills as change, so cash boxes had to be emptied

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

The parking industry is in the midst of a technology revolution, and parking owners have more options than ever for making parking more user-friendly, manageable, and profitable. Today, parking-centric cash-accepting technologies are making it easier and more manageable for parking facilities to accept cash payment for parking and, as a result, helping owners be more competitive and profitable.

Nashville, TN

EXHIBITS

n

May 17 - 20, 2016

THE STAGE IS SET

Networking

Be a part of the largest, most comprehensive show featuring products and technology.

Technology

Education

Innovation. Technology. Services. They all set the rhythm for the largest display of parking essentials under one roof! Meet the industry experts and innovators who have their pulse on the industry.

Learn how technology plays a role and can affect economic development, customer service, and efficiency in your operations. With more than 250 solution-providers, you’ll have access to touch, feel, and see the most cutting-edge solutions.

Early-bird registration is now open.

IPIConference.parking.org

3,200+ Attendees from 45+ Countries 250 Exhibitors | 45+ Educational Sessions

STATE & REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT CAMPUS PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION

SAY HELLO TO CPTA

By Douglas Myers

W

hat began in 1991 as the Midwest Campus Parking Association (MCPA) is no more. The organization literally outgrew its name.

At its September conference at the University of Kansas, MCPA became the Campus Parking and Transportation Association (CPTA). Committee leaders from the former MCPA considered the following when choosing a new name: ●● Keep the reference to college or university. ●● Recognize the impact of transportation. ●● Recognize the primary purpose is parking. ●● Acknowledge a national university parking organization.

The MCPA name no longer encompassed all of our members or all member universities. As system directors began to spread across the county, “Midwest” no longer captured this growing organization. The association already included member universities from Pennsylvania,

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

Mississippi, and Minnesota, to name a few non-Midwest states. And vendors come from California and North Carolina and most states in between.

The mission of CPTA is to promote and represent the parking industry on the campuses of colleges and universities. The organization is committed to enhancing the professional image of parking while serving as a unifying force in promoting state and local legislation through partnerships with individuals.

“MCPA (now CPTA) is a great opportunity to renew old friendships and make new ones,” says Donna Hultine, CAPP, University of Kansas.

Awards No one has been a better friend to CPTA than Patrick Kass, CAPP, director of transportation services at the University of Wisconsin-­ Madison. At last year’s conference, Kass received the 2015 Pyramid of Success Award.

Criteria for receiving the award include having significantly affected the development and growth of the organization, being willing to share personal insight about parking issues, contributing to the networking efforts of CPTA, and helping ensure that CPTA remains a viable and successful organization. Consideration also is given to individuals who affect the industry through innovative programs and techniques that contribute to improving the satisfaction of customers and improving the image of the industry.

“In my view, Patrick has been a champion for CTPA in every way, serving as president multiple times and as a board member, too. He has served on several committees and subcommittees and chaired many of those groups,” says Doug Myers, director of parking and transportation at the University of Oklahoma.

“Many times, Patrick has been called on to instruct sessions at CTPA conferences, and he always comes

through. Whether he has minutes to prepare or weeks, his classes always are informative,” Myers says.

The 2015 Conference At the 2015 conference at the University of Kansas, Kass led a session on “Metrics: How to Measure Success in Parking.” Other sessions included: ●● Americans with Disabilities Act regulations. ●● Transit coordination. ●● Developing privacy policies for parking departments. ●● Campuses in transition: the move to controlled parking. ●● Managing garages: diagnose before you budget. parking.org/tpp

“The sessions provided a good mix of just what parking professionals need,” Myers says. “Networking during the football game on Sunday night is sometimes just as important as the sessions. I learn so much speaking with professionals from across the country, and I help answer some of their questions, too.”

Attendees were treated to a banquet, gift exchange, tour of the facilities in Lawrence, and much more.

Of course, a highlight of the annual conference is election of officers and board members for the coming year. They are: ●● President: Beth Snoke, The Ohio State University. ●● Vice President: Patrick Kass, CAPP, University of Wisconsin-Madison. ●● Treasurer: Betty Love, University of Oklahoma.

JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

49

Secretary: Gary K. Smith, University of Arkansas.

Vendor/Affiliate: Casey Wagner, Walker Parking Consultants. ●● Board member: Hugh Kierig, University of Rochester. ●● Board member: Dave McKinney, CAPP, Arkansas State University ●● Board member: Linda Turner, University of Missouri—Colombia.

Without the vendor affiliated members, we would not have CTPA. A special thank-you goes out to aQity, Inc.; Associated Time; BOSS Software by AssetWorks; Carbon Day Automotive; Cardinal Tracking; Cryotech Deicing Technology; DoubleMap, Inc.; AIMS/EDC ●● ●●

DOUGLAS MYERS is director of parking and transportation services at the University of Oklahoma. He can be reached at douglasmyers@ouhsc.edu.

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

Corp., Gillig, Masters Transportation; Mid America Coach; NuPark; O&A Associated, Inc.; Parkeon; Parkinfsoft LLC; Parkmobile LLC; Passio Technologies; SP+; T2 Systems; The Toledo Ticket Co.; Todd, Bremer & Lawson, Inc.; Walker Parking Consultants; Walter P Moore & Associates; and Weldon, Williams & Lick, Inc. The group also acknowledges retiring board members Eric Crouch, Doug Myers, and Tom Knight.

Planning Ahead Make plans now to attend the 2016 CTPA Conference at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, or the 2017 CTPA Conference at the University of Oklahoma.

IPI IN ACTION PARK TANK

JUMP IN THE PARK TANK

By Rachel Yoka, CAPP, LEED AP

A

re you ready to swim with the sharks again? If we learned anything last year creating and hosting the first annual Park Tank™ at the 2015 IPI Conference & Expo, we found out that the competition is fierce.

Park Tank (Part Deux), fashioned after ABC’s hit show “Shark Tank,” will showcase the brightest and best ideas in parking today on the main stage at the 2016 IPI Conference & Expo in Nashville, Tenn., this May (ipiconference.parking.org). Participants will be extremely limited, and we want you to be prepared for the experience!

Before You Dive In Here are some lessons learned and insights into the program for the next batch of entrepreneurs who are getting ready to face our sharks on stage in Nashville: This event will feature multiple entrepreneurs, startups, and new exhibitors who are leading the industry.

We are giving them a one-of-a-kind opportunity to share their ideas, innovations, and solutions.

This year the stakes are even higher—Park Tank will be a keynote session, and all eyes will be on our contestants. Make sure to mark your calendar to attend and find out just where the industry is headed.

Last year’s winner, Smarking, according to both the parking sharks as well as the popular vote, set the bar high. The people spoke and echoed the sentiments of our distinguished venture capitalists and market leaders.

Once again, we expect you, dear audience, to vote for the People’s Choice. Make sure that cell phone is charged and ready to go—we need your participation to see if your choice matches that of our sharks.

These intrepid business people will enter our Park Tank to face our very own industry sharks, and every entrant will be required to submit a short video as part parking.org/tpp

of the application process, in addition to a detailed survey to share his or her idea and business proposition. Presentation matters and so does personality, so applicants, be sure to express both in your video clip!

Speaking of videos, we will be sharing the videos from our inaugural event in short order. In case you missed last year’s Park Tank, this is your chance to binge-watch and catch up in time for Nashville.

Once our participants are selected to enter the Park Tank, it’s time for them to prepare a short and compelling description of their product, technology, or service. Presentations will be limited to less than five minutes this year, and participants will use three slides each to share visuals with the audience. The lights are bright on that stage with the (parking) world watching, and the judges won’t be going easy on our entrepreneurs.

Practice makes perfect—so applicants, make sure you have your pitch down pat.

In addition to earning kudos and bragging rights, this year’s winner will also receive free advertising in The Parking Professional as well as a booth at the 2017 IPI Conference & Expo in New Orleans. Worth more than $4,000, this set-up will help any startup position itself as an innovative leader in the industry.

If you need more information—or are almost ready to jump in the tank and just need a little push—please let me know. My email address is to the right, and I would be happy to oblige. Apply before the March 1 deadline at ipiconference.parking.org/parktank. See you in the tank!

RACHEL YOKA, CAPP, LEED AP, is IPI’s vice president of program development.

She can be reached at yoka@parking.org.

JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

51

COMMUNITY DIGEST

INTRODUCING IPI’S APO BOARD IPI is pleased to introduce its Accredited Parking Organization (APO) Board, which provides oversight and strategic direction and supports the development and maintenance of industry standards representing the highest level of professionalism and competency.

APO is a designation for parking organizations that have achieved a comprehensive standard of excellence. APO recognizes best practices in responsible parking management and operations, customer service, professional development, safety, and security.

Read more at parking.org/apo. APO board members are:

ALEJANDRA ARGUDIN, CAPP, LEED AP Chief Operations Officer Miami Parking Authority

HERALD HENSLEY

CASEY JONES, CAPP

MARIA IRSHAD, CAPP

Parking Manager Denver International Airport

Vice President, Institutional Services SP+

Assistant Director City of Houston

Staff Liaison

AMY ROSS

Consultant to the Board

Manager for Parking Systems and Communications Cornell University

DAVID HILL, CAPP

SHAWN CONRAD, CAE

RACHEL YOKA, CAPP, LEED AP

CEO Clayton Hill Associates, LTD

CEO IPI

Vice President, Program Development IPI

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

Staff Liaison

COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY COMPLETES NEW GREEN PARKING PROJECT Colorado State University (CSU) completed its latest green parking initiative—part of its vision to remain the greenest university in the U.S. The installation of a sensor-based parking guidance system from INDECT USA enhances the garage, which has also been designated a green garage demonstrator by the Green Parking Council.

“CSU is committed to sustainability, and the INDECT sensor program will make a vital contribution to our efforts to make our campus greener,” says Doug Mayhew, associate director of parking and transportation for the university. “By guiding parkers directly to open spaces, the parking guidance system minimizes the amount of time spent searching for parking.The program will also dramatically decrease the amount of vehicle exhaust emitted in the structure and reduce the amount of unnecessary fuel waste.”

CSU was named the 2015 America’s Greenest University

by BestColleges.com and is the first school in the world to receive the platinum star rating from the AASHE STARS program.

The new parking guidance system features parking sensors in each of the 645 covered spaces and monitors all 870 spaces in the university’s only parking structure. A space-indicator light is installed on a dropper at the front of the parking space, offering drivers a clear view of where open spaces can be found and what type of parking is permitted in an individual space. Different colors indicate each space’s status and parking.org/tpp

user group: green for available, red for occupied, blue for handicapped parking, and purple for electric vehicle charging stations.

The lights are clearly visible to drivers when they enter each level so they can quickly determine if a space is available on that floor. A monument-style sign is installed at each of the garage entries to

advise customers of real-time parking availability as they approach the garage.

The sensors collect data about length of stay, occupancy, and usage for each of the different user groups at the garage, which the university will use to enhance its parking policies and procedures.

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COMMUNITY DIGEST

HEATHROW & APCOA OPT FOR APT SKIDATA APCOA Parking UK Ltd, the approved operators of Heathrow Airport’s parking facilities, chose APT Skidata to re-equip nine car parks and refresh a 1,580-space short-stay garage serving Heathrow’s Terminal 3.

The car parks currently use multiple parking systems. Paul Connolly, senior

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

head of airports at APCOA Parking UK Ltd, says the decision to consolidate to a single technology makes better commercial and practical sense, “With the need to accommodate 34,000 employees from airline crew to ground handling teams, this is better achieved through a common system that offers easier access and enhanced management and reporting,” he explains.

APT Skidata is installing its Column.

Lite entrance systems at entry lanes in the airport’s colleagues structures, equipping them with radio-frequency identification devices. “This means colleagues will now be able to use an access card to tap in and out, ensuring we know who has parked and for how long, optimizing space capacities,” Connolly says.

At the short-stay car parks, the challenge was greater, with focus on the customer experience and the ability to manage a high volume of vehicles and a quick turnaround.

To this end, APCOA Parking UK Ltd., in conjunction with Heathrow Airport’s commercial management team, has opted for a combination of Column.Gate and Barrier.

Gate systems across the six entrance and seven exit lanes.

The two technologies work together to allow smooth and easy access. They integrate with a dynamic guidance safety feature that illuminates a red or green arrow to indicate when it is available to enter.

They also integrate with automatic number plate recognition to increase security and prevent tailgating. For ease of payment, nine Power.Cash and three Credit.Cash systems will also be installed.

APT Skidata will also incorporate hir­esolution pinhole cameras to all of the newly installed equipment. These integrate with the latest Parker Logic 8 management software, which centralises the monitoring of all parking systems for better overall control, so customers can directly speak to an operator when assistance is required.

WIRELESS TELEMATICS PARTNERS WITH VERIZON WIRELESS Wireless Telematics, a lighting control business, is introducing its patented LCMS Lighting Control and Monitoring Service—a revolutionary web-enabled, wireless controller for outdoor lighting at shopping centers, parking lots, quick-service restaurants, and more.

The Ohio-based company has partnered with Verizon Wireless to provide the network connections that require uninterrupted lighting control for the safety and security of patrons.

The service uses exact GPS coordinates to automatically adjust for the daily changes in sunrise and sunset times, as well as Daylight Savings Time and after power outages. The schedules can be set or changed from any Internet-capable device over the Verizon network and then left to run with no need for continuous updating or onsite schedule adjustments.

“This Wireless Telematics solution is the most cost-effective, simple, and energy-saving alternative to timers and photocells because it eliminates unreliable factors such as weather conditions and human error,” says Greg Kimmel, president of Wireless Telematics. “With the strength of the Verizon network, facility managers and store owners can rest assured that their outdoor lighting will operate seamlessly, providing a well-lit and safe area for employees and customers.”

In addition to benefitting from the easy installation and use of the set-and-forget light controls, users of the Lighting Control and Monitoring Service will save money with lower energy bills and

reduced labor costs. Wireless Telematics regularly saves businesses 20 percent or more on energy bills, while eliminating the need for cleaning or replacing photocells or constantly adjusting timers. Less time with the lights on during daylight hours means less bulb and ballast replacement as well. The Wireless Telematics LCMS is also a control solution for LED outdoor lighting applications that allows for additional cost savings.

Wireless Telematics’ Lighting Control and Monitoring Service features power-outage notifications and auditable, historical documentation. This easy-to-program-and-install service includes a lifetime warranty as well and usually has a return on investment of six months or less.

parking.org/tpp

JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

55

COMMUNITY DIGEST

PARKCLOUD SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH SAP FOR IOT ParkCloud signed a technology agreement with SAP, in which ParkCloud will integrate its solution with SAP® Vehicles Network running on SAP HANA® Cloud Platform for the Internet of Things (IoT). When used together with SAP Vehicles Network, the ParkCloud solution will help enable drivers across Europe to reserve parking and manage park reservation systems and parking inventory.

The collaboration is expected to generate new revenue streams for ParkCloud’s parking operators while delivering a convenient vehicle-centric experience for the customer.

Mark Pegler, managing director of ParkCloud, says, “Working in collaboration with SAP is a significant milestone for us and demonstrates our commitment to working with the parking industry to deploy innovative, cutting-edge technology.”

ParkCloud offers 340,000 bookable parking spaces in 1,250 car parks across 414 locations worldwide and was

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

selected to provide a broad range of parking inventory for the SAP Vehicles Network.

“ParkCloud’s solution fits with SAP Vehicles Network aims and objectives in simplifying parking access and mobility services for drivers across Europe and globally,” says Gil Perez, senior vice president of IoT and customer innovation, general manager connected vehicles, at SAP. The SAP Vehicles Network is a cloud offering that enables enterprise companies to offer end-to-end vehicle and mobility centric services more securely and conveniently, irrespective of devices or vehicles. SAP Vehicles Network will enable drivers in North America and across Europe to access connected fueling and connected parking through a mobile wallet or app. Services provided through SAP Vehicles Network will help empower drivers to activate gas pumps, pay at the pump, reserve parking, open off-street parking gates, and pay for on-street parking.

Too close for comfort?

WALTER P MOORE INTRODUCES NEW CONSULTANT Introducing Armen Megerdoomian, senior parking consultant and newest member of Walter P Moore’s growing Parking Group.

Based in the firm’s Los Angeles office, Megerdoomian will lead its West Coast parking operations and assist in strengthening international relationships.

An L.A. native, Megerdoomian joins the firm with more than 20 years of experience as an international parking consultant and designer focused on master planning, functional design, and feasibility studies for mixed-use, retail, commercial, education, entertainment, health care, aviation/transportation, casino, and hotel-parking applications. He has also worked on parking facilities all over the world, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, Kuwait, U.A.E., Turkey, and Italy.

MEGERDOOMIAN UP CLOSE In Six: Six words don’t do me justice.

Little-Known Tidbit (also in six): Degreed in architecture. Devoted to parking.

On Making a Difference: “When done correctly, parking can have a positive effect on any community: It can minimize congestion, save time (and sanity), and return the streets to pedestrians.”

Stupid Human Trick: Can quote “Young Frankenstein” from start to finish: “Hello. You’ve caught something there. Crude, yes.

Primitive, yes. Perhaps even grotesque. Yet something inexplicable tells me that this might be our man.”

Extracurricular: Soccer (himself), soccer (with his 12-year-old son), and more soccer (with his 14-year-old son). parking.org/tpp

Not with Park Sentry

®

In the close confines of parking structures where space is at a premium and structural columns limit lines of site, collisions are a reality.

Park Sentry® cushions the impact of collision damage; wrapping columns in a highly visible, energy absorbing material that withstands repeated impact and buffering vehicles and columns from costly dings, dents and scratches. Made of high-tech material, modular design; customizable to fit any size column or wall.

For additional information contact

Sentry Protection Products 1.216.228.3200 info@sentrypro.com www.sentrypro.com www.parksentry.com

JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

57

COMMUNITY DIGEST

John Manzi Named Regional Sales Manager for Nova Bus Nova Bus recently announced the appointment of John Manzi as regional sales manager for the East Coast.

Prior to joining Nova Bus, Manzi served as the eastern regional transit sales manager for a major transmission manufacturer. With more than 30 years of experience in the transportation industry, he brings an extensive level of experience and knowledge of the U.S. market to Nova Bus.

“I am delighted to welcome John Manzi as our East Coast regional sales manager,” says Rob Mowat, vice president of sales for Nova Bus. “His vast experience of public transit in the U.S. market brings significant value to our team, and he will be a key asset to our business strategy in this region.”

Nova Bus offers a diversity of propulsion technologies, such as natural gas and electric buses.

T2 SYSTEMS ON DELOITTE’S 2015 TECHNOLOGY FAST 500™ T2 Systems announced it ranked No. 444 on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500™, a ranking of the 500 fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, and energy tech companies in North America.

T2 CEO and Founder Mike Simmons credits a combination of new customers, services, and acquisitions with the company’s revenue growth. “Over the last 21 years, T2’s portfolio of clients has grown to include universities, hospitals, airports, cities, and private business campuses, all seeking an intuitive and ­customer-focused approach to making the parking experience as seamless as possible,” Simmons says.

“This recognition is a credit to the strong team at T2.”

“Amid a fierce business climate, there seems to be no shortage of new and established companies that are unlocking a seemingly unlimited potential for growth and advancement through technology’s continued disruption and proliferation across industries,” says Sandra Shirai, principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP and

58

U.S. technology, media, and telecommunications leader. “It is inspiring to witness the innovative ways that companies are incorporating emerging technologies for business gains, be it cognitive computing, or the Internet of Things. We congratulate all those ranked on this year’s Fast 500 and look forward to seeing their continued growth into 2016.”

“Through the efforts and utilization of new and emerging technologies from these companies, we are

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

witnessing greater business demands from across almost all industries,” adds Jim Atwell, national managing partner of the emerging company practice, Deloitte & Touche LLP. “We look forward to the opportunity to serve these companies as they strive to grow to the next level—be it towards introducing new solutions or entering new markets—and with it, make important and long-lasting impressions on the technology market as a whole.”

EMX IS READY FOR UPCOMING UL325 CHANGES EMX Industries has introduced the IRB-MON—a

devices, and each manufacturer is free to design

thru-beam photoeye—to meet the upcoming 2016

its own system. As manufacturers submit their op-

UL325 standard. Effective this month, the new UL325

erators to UL for approval, they will specify which

standard will go into effect. All gate operators sold

components will be listed with their operators.

and installed going forward will be required to

EMX designed the IRB-MON to comply with all

have monitored safety devices for UL-compliant

the known monitoring methods and will be add-

operation. Many manufacturers are currently in

ing any new methods as they become available.

the process of updating their operators to the new

EMX recommends that you check with your gate

UL325 standard.

operator manufacturers to confirm that they will

There are several methods being implemented to meet the requirement for monitoring safety

parking.org/tpp

be listing the IRB-MON as an approved component with their equipment.

JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

59

PARKING CONSULTANTS

DESMAN

Design Management National Parking Specialists Architects Structural Engineers Parking Consultants Planners Transportation Restoration Engineers

▪ Parking Structure Planning & Design ▪ Studies & Operations Consulting ▪ Restoration Engineering ▪ Structural Engineering

800-FYI-PARK carlwalker.com

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

Boston Chicago Cleveland Denver Ft Lauderdale Hartford New York Pittsburgh Washington, D.C.

Green Parking Consulting

Providing Parking Solutions for Over 40 Years

w w w. D ES M A N . co m

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SERVICE • Parking Facility Design • Restoration Engineering • Parking Study Services

Leverage Data | Metrics Guidance | Optimize Resources Safeguard Assets | Analysis Consensus | Reduce Risk Plan Effectively | Decisions Policies | Improve Service Innovate Smartly | Alternatives Providers of objective advice for more than 30 Years

800.860.1570 www.walkerparking.com

Philadelphia, PA n 215-564-6464 n www.chancemanagement.com Parking

n

Transportation

n

Access Management

Parking engineered to your needs

Jacob Gonzalez, P.E. 800.364.7300 WA LT E R P M O O R E . c o m

parking.org/tpp

Project Management Design Parking Consulting Structural Engineering Diagnostics

Traffic Engineering Civil Engineering Intelligent Transportation Systems

JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

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ADVERTISERS INDEX Aims (EDC Corporation). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 aimsparking.com | 800.886.6316

Rich & Associates, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 richassoc.com | 248.353.5080

Carl Walker, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 carlwalker.com | 800.FYI.PARK

Rydin Decal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 rydin.com | 800.448.1991

CHANCE Management Advisors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 chancemanagement.com | 215.564.6464

Sentry Protection Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 sentrypro.com | 888.265.8660

Digital Printing Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 626.334.1244 | dpstickets.com

Southland Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 southlandprinting.com | 800.241.8662

DESMAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 desman.com | 877.337.6260

TIBA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 www.tibaparking.com | 720.477.6073

Global Parking Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 globalparkingsolutions.com | 215.399.1475

Timothy Haahs & Associates, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 timhaahs.com | 484.342.0200

IntegraPark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3 Integrapark.com | 888.852.9993

Toledo Ticket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C4 toledoticket.com | 800.533.6620

IPS Group Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 ipsgroupinc.com | 858.404.0607

United Public Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 upsafety.net | 215.394.1906

Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 61 kimley-horn.com/parking | 919.677.2090

Walker Parking Consultants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 walkerparking.com | 800.860.1579

POM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 pom.com | 479.968.2880

WALTER P MOORE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 walterpmoore.com | 800.364.7300

PARKING BREAK

JIM BASS is landside operations manager at the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, Little Rock, Ark. He can be reached at jbass@fly-lit.com or 501.537.7354.

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INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

NEW AND RENEWING IPI MEMBERS

ACADEMIC

CONSULTANT

University of Waterloo Sharon Rumpel

GRAEF Dewey Hemba

University of Central Florida Krishna Singh

Finfrock Design-ManufactureConstruct, Inc. Gail Kroll

University of Nevada, Reno Michelle Horton Arizona State University Melinda Alonzo Texas A&M University-College Station Peter W. Lange New Mexico State University Stella Harvey Oklahoma State University Steve Spradling Montclair State University Benedicto Omuya Pennsylvania State University Ryan Givens University of Washington at Bothell Calvin Johnson III

AIRPORT Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Department of Aviation Katie Stanciel Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport Lisa Ransom Norfolk Airport Authority Catherine Sutherland General Mitchell International Airport Holly Ricks Saskatoon Airport Authority Chad Munchinsky

City of Boulder Molly Winter

Stego, Inc. Shandy Garraway

City of Riverside Dulce Gomez

Trecan Combustion Limited David Dwyer

City of Tacoma Eric Huseby

GTechna, Inc. Michel Guay

City of Summit Rita McNany

ParkingSoft LLC Nicolas Mcpherson

Winnipeg Parking Authority Randy Topolniski

HECON/Hengstler Anne-Kristen Martin

Stationnement De Montreal Charles Auger

Parkopedia Christina Onesirosan Martinez

City of Austin Steve Grassfield

SLP Lighting Kristin Hudson

City of Durango Amber Blake

PG Park, Inc. Murray Arkinstall

Borough of Carlisle Stacey Hamilton

JCM Global Teri Abou

The District John McBeth

Aerionics, Inc. DBA Macurco Steve Bonino

HOSPITAL-MEDICAL CENTER

RETIRED

MC Sign Co. Lisa Swienton

University of Pennsylvania Health System James Atkinson

SUPPLIER

TRANSITTRANSPORTATION

Pierce, Goodwin, Alexander, & Linville (PGAL) Ian Nestler Walter P Moore & Associates Jacob Gonzalez

CORPORATE Washington State Convention & Trade Center Susnios Tesfaye Desarrolladora LCP, Corp.

Manuel Morales MVP REIT, Inc. Mike Shustek

Johns Hopkins Medicine Neil Marshall

All Traffic Solutions Lori Miles

PUBLIC

Spancrete Machinery Corporation Kimberly Wacker

Montgomery County Department of Transportation Jose Thommana

ParkMan USA LLC Michael Eggert

City of Frederick Steven Johnson Georgia Building Authority J. Diane Hale Phoenix Arena Development/ Phoenix Sports & Entertainment Services Norwood Browder City of Salisbury Kevin Beauchamp

parking.org/tpp

David Feehan

New York City Department of Transportation Michael Marsico

Aiphone Corporation John Mosebar CitySync Limited Brian Kaminski TIBA Parking Systems Michael Bigbee W.S. Tyler Wendy DeCapite Global Parking Solutions Michael Kavur

JANUARY 2016 | INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE

63

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Highlighted are IPI and IPI Allied State and Regional Association Events

2016 January 20

April 29

Young Professionals in Parking Hot Spot Event Miami, Fla. parking.org/ypip

Parking Association of the Virginias Spring Training Workshop Fredericksburg, Va. pavonline.org

January 21 Media Training Miami, Fla. parking.org

March 2–3

APO Site Reviewer Training Nashville, Tenn. parking.org

Next Gen Parking and Traffic Management Summit Dubai scl.fleminggulf.com/nextgen-parking-summit

May 16

March 13–16

May 16–19

Mid-South Parking and Transportation Association Spring Conference Louisville, Ky. mspta.org

CAPP Course: UVA Business Management Nashville, Tenn. parking.org

March 30–31 New England Parking Council Spring Conference Boston, Mass. newenglandparkingcouncil.org

CAPP Course: Behind the Fine Print: A Blueprint to Parking Management, Operations, and Regulations Nashville, Tenn. parking.org

April 5–8

May 17–20

Intertraffic Amsterdam Amsterdam, the Netherlands intertraffic.com/amsterdam

2016 IPI Conference & Expo Nashville, Tenn. parking.org

April 11–14

June 26–29

Texas Parking & Transportation Association Conference and Tradeshow Texas A&M University texasparking.org

World Parking Symposium Vancouver, Canada worldparkingsymposium.ca

April 27–29

National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security Conference Phoenix, Ariz. ncs4.com

Parking Association of Georgia Conference Jekyll Island, Ga. parkingassociationofgeorgia.com

64

May 16

INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | JANUARY 2016

Green Garage Assessor Training Nashville, Tenn. parking.org

May 17–19

July 12–14

Take command of your parking empire – anytime, anywhere – with Rome.

With the new cloud-based Rome application, you can review real-time data from multiple revenue control systems – anywhere you have an internet connection. Rome automatically feeds revenue data from the garage to your general ledger and provides 24x7 access to unmatched analysis and reporting capabilities. In other words, Rome makes your old way of working ancient history.

www.IntegraPark.com

SM

Toledo Ticket offers the widest variety of efficient and flexible ticketing solutions designed to keep your business running smoothly.

With consecutive numbering, bar codes, QR codes, RFID, magnetic stripes, along with full-color printing, a range of colors and sizes, exceptional turnaround time and competitive pricing, you’ll find our solutions the perfect fit for your unique needs.

Toledo Ticket....You’re In!

SPITTERS HANGTAGS & CREDENTIALS ACCESS & KEY CARDS VALET TICKETS STICKERS STAMPS & COUPONS

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GREENY VER E. L FLEXIB

SCRATCH-OFFS RFID EXHIBITOR NUMBERS COMMERCIAL PRINTING

TICKETS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION SINCE 1910.

1.800.533.6620 | TOLEDOTICKET.COM Gumby and Gumby characters are trademarks of Prema Toy Company, Inc. All rights reserved. ©2016 Prema Toy Company, Inc.

JANUARY 2016 The Parking Professional ● PARKING AND SOCIAL MEDIA ● NEW YORK CITY PARKING ● PLANNING FOR FINANCIAL SUCCESS ● STRUCTURING AN RFP ● IPI COMMITTEE UPDATES