Tag Archives: technology

Parking & Mobility Article, Publications, Resources, Transportation & Mobility

THE BUSINESS OF PARKING: A Legal Framework for AV Implementation

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By Michael Ash, Esq., CRE

THE PROSPECT OF FULLY AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES (AVs) creates an opportunity to reshape all aspects of modern life. As AVs move from the workshop to the real world, on-road testing and early deployments will be critical to improving performance to accurately detect and anticipate complications. However, to realize the full potential of the emerging technology, mobility professionals must align with legal experts and legislators to cre­ate the framework for the safe and efficient development of autonomous vehicle technology.

In October 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) released new federal guidance for AVs, “Prepar­ing for the Future of Transportation: Automated Vehicles 3.0” (AV 3.0), advancing its commitment to supporting the safe integration of automation into the broad multimodal surface transportation system. AV 3.0 outlines broad im­plementation of a legal framework on the federal level for the deployment of autonomous vehicle technology.

The Objectives of AV 3.0

AV 3.0 incorporates the results of extensive stakeholder engagement by USDOT to provide updated voluntary guid­ance and policy considerations for a range of industry sec­tors, including manufacturers and technology developers, infrastructure owners and operators, commercial motor carriers, and state and local governments. As stated in AV 3.0, USDOT seeks to pursue the following activities:

  • Establish performance-oriented, consensus-based, and voluntary standards and guidance for vehicle and infra­structure safety, mobility, and operations.
  • Conduct targeted research to support the safe integra­tion of automation.
  • Identify and remove regulatory barriers to the safe inte­gration of AVs.
  • Ensure national consistency for travel in interstate commerce.
  • Educate the public on the capabilities and limitations of AVs.

Rather than create a byzantine regulatory framework first and expect the AV industry to develop within its con­straints, the policy statement helps outline a process for USDOT to regulate new technology as innovations develop, with input from all participants. With the publication of AV 3.0, USDOT announced several upcoming rulemakings and other actions under consideration:

1. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will request public comment on a proposal to streamline and modernize the procedures it will follow when processing and deciding exemption petitions.

2. The Federal Highway Administration announced plans to update the 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, taking into consideration new connected and AV technologies.

3. The Federal Railroad Administration is initiating re­search to develop and demonstrate a concept of oper­ations, including system requirements, for the use of automated and connected vehicles to improve safety of highway-rail crossings.

4. The Maritime Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are evaluating the regulatory and economic feasibility of using automated truck queueing as a technology solution to truck staging, access, and parking issues at ports.

5. The Federal Transit Administration has published a five-year research plan on automating bus transit.

Implementation

USDOT is committed to five core strategies:

1. Engage stakeholders and the public as the central point between academia, private industry, public sector agen­cies, and research organizations.

2. Provide best practices and policy considerations to support stakeholders as they work to better understand automation, how it may impact their roles and respon­sibilities, and how best to integrate automated vehicles into existing and future transportation networks.

3. Support voluntary technical standards by working with stakeholders and developers to support technical stan­dards and policies development created by industry groups.

4. Conduct targeted technical research to inform policy decisions and agency actions through critical research and data analysis.

5. Modernize regulations as existing federal regulations and standards may pose challenges to the widespread integration of AVs as many current regulations are based on the assumption of the presence of a human driver.

The publication of AV 3.0 is an acknowledgement of the paradigm shift that will open the door for innovation and experimentation in the real world to safely develop AV technology. There is a clear policy goal to support emerging technologies and to not stifle the revolution of the transportation and mobility industry. There will be op­portunities for IPMI’s membership to engage with USDOT and play a major role in this process. Parking and mobility professionals are encouraged to review AV 3.0 in full at bit.ly/AV30.
This article is the first in a four-part series on the legal challenges presented by emerging technologies.

Read the article here.

MICHAEL J. ASH, Esq., CRE, is partner with Carlin & Ward. He can be reached at michael.ash@carlinward.com.

There is a clear policy goal to support emerging technologies and to not stifle the revolution of the transportation and mobility industry. WWW.TRANSPORTATION.GOV/AV/3

IPMI Webinar: Watch Your Assets! How to Monetize Most Effectively

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Live Online Webcast: $35.00 for IPMI Members, $85.00 for Non-Members

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Description: In the next decade, a growing number of state and local governments, colleges and universities, airports, transit systems, and water and sewer authorities are likely to explore asset monetization. State and local governments own infrastructure properties of significant value and, despite a 10-year economic expansion, some remain fiscally pressured and unable to properly maintain their properties. The scale of today’s infrastructure decay, the declining fiscal health of the U.S. public sector, and a growing appetite from large institutional investors (private sector) for infrastructure properties make asset sales or leases more likely than in the past.

Parking assets (garages, decks, on-street operations) are often eyed by political administrations as a possible cash cow for their pet projects. Now, we see these assets used to fund much-needed infrastructure and technology upgrades.

Learning Objectives:

In this webinar, we will highlight the pros and cons of:

  • Buy outright; part of a system.
  • Sell or lease the entire system.
  • Lease-Leaseback.

Presenters: 

Mark Vergenes is the president of MIRUS Consultants.

Having entered the parking industry in late 1999, Mark has built a clientele that consists of real estate development firms, individuals, and cities. His practice focuses on consulting with those who need an experienced advisor for their project(s).

He is the co-author of A Guide To Parking; Chapter 9, “Economics and Finance” published by IPMI. You can also find him in IPMI’s magazine, The Parking Professional, where he is a financial columnist.

 

 

 

 

Tim Horstmann is a public finance and tax attorney at McNees Wallace & Nurick in Harrisburg, PA. Tim advises governmental entities on the structuring of taxable and tax-exempt revenue bond and general obligation bond financings for a variety of capital projects, including parking facilities, schools, and higher education institutions and water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure. He also represents clients in the monetization of publicly-owned assets through various arrangements such as sales, leases, sale/leasebacks, and lease/leasebacks.

IPMI On-Demand Webinar: Accessible Parking and Placard Abuse

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On-Demand Webinar Fee: $35.00 for IPMI Members, $85.00 for Non-Members

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Description: Accessible parking challenges and disabled placard abuse are continuing challenges. While some federal standards exist, cities and states take a wide variety of approaches. For the first time, the issues are being considered on a national level by a broadly based united group. The IPMI-led Accessible Parking Coalition (APC) includes transportation officials, government agencies, advocacy groups, parking management and technology experts, veterans’ groups, civil rights advocates, and independent living movement members. Gain insights from APC research and resources, and learn how a number of municipalities and universities are addressing the issues successfully.

Learning Objectives:

  • Gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges surrounding accessible parking problems and eliminating disabled placard/plate abuse.
  • Learn how to tap into available resources offered by the Accessible Parking Coalition.
  • Learn ways to successfully address the issues through innovative programs that are working for a number of municipalities and universities.

Presenters:

Gary Means, CAPP, holds a BA in broadcasting from Eastern Kentucky University and is executive director of the Lexington, Ky., Parking Authority. He is secretary of the IPMI Board of Directors. Locally, he serves on several downtown-oriented boards/committees including the YMCA, Downtown Lexington Management District, and the Downtown Lexington Partnership. Gary has worked in the parking industry for more than 22 years in both the public and private sectors.

 

 

 

 

 

Debbie Hoffman, CAPP, is director of transportations services at Texas A&M University. She serves on the board for the Center for Transportation Demand Management, as treasurer for the Red River Chapter of the Association of Commuter Transportation, and on IPMI’s Parking Matters committee. She holds a master of science degree from Texas A&M University. Her passion is bringing people together to develop creative, high-functioning solutions.

IPMI On-Demand Webinar: Curb Management: Strategies and Tech to Define, Manage, and Enforce the Curb

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On-Demand Webinar: $35.00 for IPMI Members, $85.00 for Non-Members

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Description: Struggling with curb management or just starting to think about it? You’re not alone—balancing shared use of this limited and valuable real estate is a challenge, and it’s only projected to become more complicated from here. Learn what curb management is and how various technologies will support effective curb-sharing. This presentation explores four major categories of consideration and how technology will be applied to de-clutter and de-stress curb space.

Learning Objectives:

  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of the elements of curb management.
  • Understand the use and data elements that are required to define and manage the curb as a critical asset.
  • Discuss the established and emerging strategies and technologies that will help you charge for curb access appropriately and enforce access, restrictions, and more.

Presenters:

Mike Drow, CAPP, is senior vice president, corporate development, at T2 Systems, where he establishes and manages technology partnerships and acquisitions to align with the company’s long-term strategic goals. He has led the development of mobility services, remote management operations, mobile payments, and interactive marketing services, and has worked with municipalities, universities, airports, and urban garages. He is co-chair of IPMI’s Technology Committee.

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Debow is a managing member of D&D Advisory Group, a parking and mobility consulting firm.  He has extensive experience in the parking industry and is widely recognized as a technology and innovation leader. Prior to his current role, he served as SVP of sales and account management for Parkmobile, as director of municipal parking in State College, Pa., as well positions in private operations.  He serves on the IPMI Parking Technology Committee and is a frequent contributor to the IPMI magazine as well as the Blog.

IPMI Blog, Resources

Light Bulbs and Light Bulbs

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By Isaiah Mouw, CAPP

This year, I worked to make our house a smart home. Our Roomba vacuums our floors. Our Nest controls the temperature. Our speakers and TV are powered by Google Cast. Our light bulbs were swapped out to smart Philips Hue bulbs. Wemo turns lamps on and off and Tile finds our wallets and keys when they go missing. All of this is controlled by our Google Home device.

I remember showing this off to my older brother, Jeremy, and the exchange went something like this:

Isaiah: Hey Google, turn off the lights.

Google: I’m sorry. I don’t understand.

Jeremy chuckles to himself.

Isaiah: Hey Google, turn off the lights.

Google: I’m sorry. I can’t reach your lights right now.

Jeremy: I have an idea.

Jeremy then used the old-fashioned light switch to turn the lights off, much to everyone’s amusement and laughter, including my own.

That’s when a light bulb, pun intended, went off in my brain. Our smart lighting system does more than turn off or on based on a voice command and save our house energy and money. But my brother had a great point. How many times in the parking industry have we created, developed, adopted, purchased, or implemented smart solutions that may actually end up needing more time than doing things manually?

Technology isn’t always the answer and sometimes  advancements don’t do much advancing. I read several articles recently about how autonomous vehicles may initially make traffic and congestion worse, not better. The key is ensuring you always do your due diligence before adopting certain technologies, and not being afraid to pivot if a certain technology isn’t working out. Parking has changed rapidly this decade and even significantly in 2018 alone. Most of this has been for the better. But remember that sometimes manually flipping a switch may be the most efficient method out there.

Isaiah Mouw, CAPP, is vice president, municipal solutions with Citizens Lanier Holdings.

Parking & Mobility Article, Resources, Sustainability, Technology, Transportation & Mobility

The Parking Professional: Technology of Parking and Market Disruption

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By Jeff Pinyot

THE BUZZWORD IN BUSINESS IS “MARKET DISRUPTION.” The excitement about disrupting a market is that in the first place, we start with a thriving and confirmed market that is in the cross­hairs of investors. Take the parking industry: It doesn’t take much research to acknowledge that parking is huge and profitable, so it’s a market worthy of looking for possible cracks and creases for new methodologies and possible disruption. If it currently takes 10 different vendor or specialty groups, from hangtag suppliers to PARCs providers, to have a functioning piece of vehicle real estate, but only four would be needed through new disruptive technologies, the one who figures out the proverbial Rubik’s Cube would be disruptive and enjoy a lucrative result.

What does market disruption mean and why should you care about it? In layman’s terms, some­thing that disrupts a market is something that chal­lenges the way it’s always been done and threatens its conventional wisdom. Take Blockbuster video stores: Its former stores are now outlets for Hallow­een costumes in October and sparklers in July. The empty storefronts are a reminder of a disrupted mar­ket. Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and others com­pletely disrupted the video rental business Wayne Huizenga created. Understand, there is still a market for watching movies—in fact a larger market that also includes the new verb “binge-watching.” We watch our entertainment in a more efficient manner. Similarly, parking won’t go away disrupted—it will just be done differently.

I once heard “Shark Tank” investor Mark Cuban say he would invest in any disruptor of a proven market. Look at our industry, for example. Parking reservation apps are huge market disruptors and getting plenty of attention from venture capital firms. When I go to Chicago overnight on business, I stay at the Palmer House. If I park my car with a valet, it’s going to cost me the price of tuition at nearby North­western University. But, if I use a parking app to find a space, I’ll save a bundle. That is market disruption. There will always be an alternative to the posted rate.

What does market disruption mean and why should you care about it? In layman’s terms, something that disrupts a market is something that challenges the way it’s always been done and threatens its conventional wisdom.

Case Study: Pittsburgh
There are three market disruptors in Pittsburgh—three companies building autonomous vehicles. Why Pittsburgh? One reason: the Pittsburgh left (hang on—I’ll explain)! Well, that’s the main reason, but there are others. First, the city’s streets are not in a grid pattern. There are more bridges in Pittsburgh than in Venice, Italy.

Then, there is the Pittsburgh left. Say you are in a left-hand turn lane waiting for a green light, but the light turns green and there is no turn arrow. What to do? Not a problem if you are first in line in Pittsburgh. The first car in line to go left simply turns in front of the oncoming traffic and without anyone getting killed. It’s courtesy in the ‘Burgh to let the first driver through. The autonomous vehicle companies figured that if their driverless cars could do that, they can drive anywhere.

Transportation network companies (TNCs) Uber and Lyft have severely injured the taxi cab market, but they are also affecting airport parking. Smart airport parking operations are finding ways to make money from these disruptors. The reduced cost of TNCs means people who live closer to the airport Uber or Lyft there instead of driving and parking. Everyone has their own equation as to the economics of Ubering versus driving and parking. But on the business side, fees for TNCs to enter airports and defined staging areas that require payment by the TNCs are making up some of the losses.

New Innovations
Frictionless parking is on everybody’s mind in the parking world. What innovation will we see next? One of the big areas the industry has seen growth is in parking guidance systems (PGS). There are many players in that industry, from pucks to ultrasonic to camera-based. PGS can be costly but also can be justified quite easily, as their systems attract parkers to specific facilities. Some operators still guess when the garage is full and put the sign out proclaiming such. I’ve driven by many “full” garages where two or three cars were leaving.

Finding the Right Disruptors
When considering a new disruptive technology, ask questions! Competitors of new technologies might try to sink the claims of new innovators. Claims that wireless technologies aren’t proven, for exam­ple, challenge conventional wisdom, considering almost no one has wired phones anymore and we can stream hi-def videos on our smart devices almost anywhere. The owner who thinks ahead will not only still be in business but will be making more money than ever before. Embrace and be flexible. As autonomous vehicles become common, parking spaces will shrink from nine feet to seven feet wide. Systems will have to adapt—and some already have. Buyers need to think ahead.

Thinking Ahead
Rick West is an alt-use specialist and CEO of the Millennium Parking Garage concession in Chicago, Ill. He is always looking for alternative uses for that massive behemoth. Have an alternative use plan in place so you aren’t left with open space and an emp­ty wallet. Some alt uses are making more money than do parking spaces. As an industry, we should freely share best practices in this area.

A way of protection from empty spaces is right-sizing a garage. In right-sizing, design a garage that is the correct size and is flexible and fluid to the actual needs it will see. The best example I have is a mixed-use property that offers public parking on the lower three levels and gated resident parking on the top five levels. This guess rarely pays off. Rather than gating the top five levels, use a flexible line of demarcation. Expand the resident parking from the top down through a PGS and sell the extra spaces to the public, rather than having empty and unsellable spaces beyond the gate.

Change is good and prepared change is better. What new market disruptors will we see in the next few years? Chicken Little, the sky is not falling, and no, little boy, there is no wolf!

Read the article here.

JEFF PINYOT is president of ECO Falcon Vision IPGS/ECO Lighting Solutions and member of IPMI’s Sustainability Committee. He can be reached at jspinyot@ecoparkinglights.com.

 

IPMI Webinar: Municipal Procurement: Repeating Mistakes on Purpose

On-Demand Webcast: $35.00 for IPMI Members, $85.00 for Non-Members

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Description: Are your RFPs for technology products finding the best products for your operation at the best price? RFPs aim to introduce a level playing field for vendors and reduce any potential for favoritism, and garner the best prices. But it doesn’t always work that way; cities can achieve better outcomes by changing the way they buy software. Refocusing RFPs on the operation’s unique needs instead of product specs can bring much more effective results, but it’s a different way of thinking than the traditional. Join us for this archived webinar and learn how to use the RFP process more effectively to get the products you want at the best possible price.

Objectives:

1. Understand the weaknesses of current procurement practices.
2. Evaluate a new RFP evaluation methodology.
3. Produce an improved way to purchase cloud-based technology.

Presenter:

Ben Winokur, chief of staff, Passport Labs, Inc., is a lawyer turned data product manager. He loves working with audacious, passionate entrepreneurs. He owned and sold a company before, and he has a passion for SaaS startups. Winokur currently leads Passport’s data platform product, helping parking and transit operators manage their operators based on real-time data.

Parking & Mobility Article, Resources, Transportation & Mobility

Mobility & Tech: Creating A-List Parking in Urban Settings

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By Taylor Kim, AIA, LEED AP

PARKING IS OFTEN THE FIRST AND LAST IMPRESSION a patron has when visiting a destination. In parking-challenged urban centers such as San Francisco, Calif, where parking isn’t expected to be easy, providing an A-list parking experience can add tremendous value. By integrating mobile app technology, seamless valet services, and mechanical parking for increased flexi­bility, parking can become an amenity rather than an inconvenient necessity.

At Lumina Towers, a luxury resi­dential development in the Rincon Hill neighborhood of San Francisco, each of these technologies was used to not only improve the residential experience, but also provide a cost-effective way to offer sufficient parking within a limited footprint. Lumina consists of four high-rise towers that take up an entire city block. While this site is larger than most, it was still a challenge to accommodate the number of parking spaces needed to serve its 655 units. Given the amount of parking needed and the high level of service desired to serve Lumina’s cli­entele, it was determined that full valet parking, rather than self-parking, was the right approach.

The Specs

Parking for the development is supplied on three basement levels. The first basement consists of the valet drop-off and pick-up areas and accessible parking, as well as pedestrian connec­tions to each of the four towers. The second and third basement levels are only accessible to valet attendants. To densify the parking to meet the project’s program, the third basement level also incorporates mechanical stackers that use volume to make more efficient use of available space.

Valet-operated mechanical parking allows for more flexible operations and increased parking capacity with minimal increases to the volume of the garage. Because the prime location means many residents don’t regularly use their vehi­cles, valets are able to manage demand by leveraging stackers and remote spac­es in the garage for long-term storage. Experienced valets also make it possible to use a complicated parking layout with a delicate one-way traffic pattern and parking at various angles, resulting in extremely efficient operations.

By integrating mobile app technology, seamless valet services, and mechanical parking for increased flexibility, parking can become an amenity rather than an inconvenient necessity.

Why Valet Makes Sense

Valet is often thought of as an expensive, slow, labor-intensive operation. However, with the use of technology, many of the disadvantages of valet parking have been minimized at Lumina Towers. Instead of a traditional valet operation where drivers request their vehicle once they reach the valet station in the parking garage, resi­dents at Lumina text or call the valet desk for their cars before leaving their units. The valet then queries the central system at the main valet office, where attendants can locate and retrieve the vehicle. By the time the resident reaches the garage, their car is staged and ready.

The garage drop-off was carefully de­signed with the driver in mind. There is adequate queuing space for residents to be able to leave their cars on arrival and proceed to their building during heavi­er peak periods. Attendants are also able to prepare for the morning peak demands during the slower overnight hours by staging the regular vehicles for pick up on the B1 level. Having a regular dedicated valet staff onsite also forges a personal connection, increasing the level of service to the residents.

In one of the densest, busiest cities in the country, Lumina Towers not only overcame the innate challenges posed by parking, but also turned the parking experience into a luxury amenity that provides residents with a seamless, high-level experience.

Read the article here.

TAYLOR KIM, AIA, LEED AP, is project manager and associate with Watry Design. She can be reached at tkim@watrydesign.com.

 

IPMI & Member News

Wanted: Students with Innovative Solutions to Parking and Transportation Challenges to Enter International Competition

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Wanted: Students with Innovative Solutions to Parking and Transportation Challenges to Enter International Competition

New, international competition strives to discover and showcase the Next Big Idea

Parking Solutions Student Competition Details Click Here
Parking Solutions Student Competition Registration

(ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Dec. 21, 2017) Are you a student with innovative ideas that might solve parking and transportation challenges? Here’s your chance to showcase your talent in a student competition sponsored by the International Parking Institute, the world’s largest association of parking professionals.

IPI invites college students, working either independently or in multi-disciplinary teams, to enter its inaugural Parking Solutions Competition, a design and development challenge based on real-world scenarios. The world’s largest parking organization seeks to tap bright, young minds in hopes of discovering the Next Big Idea in parking.

“Technology, a focus on sustainability, and a driver-friendly approach to parking has revolutionized the parking industry in the past decade,” explains IPI CEO Shawn Conrad, CAE. “We know that college students are an untapped resource of new ideas, just waiting to be applied, and are very excited to see the results of this competition.”

Up to four finalists will be selected, based on creativity, innovation, realism, applicability, scalability, overall presentation, and ability to benchmark success and demonstrate return on investment.

One member of each finalist team will be sent to the IPI Conference & Expo in New Orleans, La., May 21-24, 2017, to meet international experts and present their innovative idea at the Parking Solutions Competition ceremony. Each will receive roundtrip airfare and a two-night hotel stay, conference registration (valued at $1,299), and a one-year IPI student membership.*

IPI’s Parking Solutions Competition is open to any student actively enrolled in an undergraduate institution or pursuing a graduate degree, competitors must be 18 years of age or older as of May 18, 2017. Entrants must first register and provide a 1,000-1,500-word narrative on their concept, which may feature a mobile application; website or online service; plans, drawings, and/or graphics; and/or 3/D models, animation, or video. (To discuss additional formats, contact Stephanie Santoro at santoro@parking.org.)

The deadline for submissions is February 15, 2017. More information about registering can be found at www.parking.org/parkingsolutions.

The Grand Prize winner will receive $500 and be featured in IPI’s award-winning magazine, The Parking Professional, as well as traditional and social media.

Could entering this competition be your ticket to success? CEO Wen Sang, attributes the success of his company SMARKING to winning a similar IPI competition in 2015 while working on his PH.D.

 

*International travel not included. 

Parking & Mobility Article, Resources

Constant Progress

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IPI’s volunteer leaders have been hard at work via the association’s committees, advancing the parking profession with programs, initiatives, and research. Here’s what they’vetpp-2016-05-constant-progress_page_1 been doing so far this year.

Awards of Excellence Committee
IPI’s Awards of Excellence competition for new facilities, surface lots, innovative programs, sustainable new construction, and restoration of existing structures never ceases to amaze the committee. Committee members review the entries each year; at press time, members just completed our second year of online judging and are looking forward to turning it up a notch in the 2017 competition by increasing the total number of overall entries. Every year, it’s tougher to choose the beautifully designed facilities, technology-driven innovative programs, and overall architectural achievement winners.

Prior to opening the upcoming 35th annual competition, the committee will be streamlining the category criteria and looking at ways to increase the total number of entries. The committee will also be moving the timing of the competition’s timeline for entries to begin in summer 2016 with a deadline moving to late fall 2016. For more information, visit parking.org/aoe.

CO-CHAIRS: Rick Decker, CAPP, and Anderson Moore

Consultants Committee
The Consultants Committee is participating in numerous IPI initiatives that cross committee lines. The committee is supporting the Parking Matters® initiative to create case studies that demonstrate just how critical parking programs are to our cities, campuses, and transportation networks. In addition, the consultants are actively engaged in supporting IPI’s Green Star Exhibitor program, which gives recognition to companies that provide sustainable solutions, products, and services that are in line with IPI’s ustainability Framework. We are working with the Smart Card Alliance to generate a timely and relevant update to the EMV and Parking White Paper and help guide parking professionals through the transition to Europay MasterCard Visa (EMV) technology. And we are bringing back the Consultants Talk Back panel to the 2016 IPI Conference & Expo, this time with a focus on
mobility and alternative transportation.

CO-CHAIRS: John Bushman, PE, and Mark Santos, PE

Education Development Committee
Last summer, the Education Development Committee (EDC) welcomed several new members. The current committee, comprised of 16 volunteers, continues its tradition of effective and relevant output. The committee’s recent focus has included an update to the CAPP Resource Guide, a refresh of the CAPP practice exam, and the development of new online courses, including “Technology Trends” and “Foundations of Finance.” These two courses, as well as other online courses, are available for purchase through IPI. It is important to note that several of the courses have been provided to state and regional parking organization workshops as part of their front-line, in-person training efforts.

Recently, Denny Smith, PhD, joined the IPI staff and is working with several committee members to further professionalize our education products. Next in the queue for the EDC is to work closely with the USGBC and develop course content in support of the Green
Garage Certification process (now known as Parksmart).

CO-CHAIRS: Tom Wunk, CAPP, and Josh Cantor

ITS Parking Task Force
It has been an exciting couple of months within the ITS Parking Task Force as we have been actively pursuing presentation opportunities nationwide. We were selected to present at the New England Parking Council Spring Conference & Tradeshow in late March and were offered a special opportunity to present during the IGNITE session at the 2016 IPI Conference & Expo. Part of the task force’s recent efforts has been to format our current presentation to the IGNITE timeframe of five minutes, which has been an interesting challenge. We were also fortunate enough to have an article published in the February edition of The Parking Professional that highlighted a traffic management center (TMC) and our objectives. Lastly, we are putting the finishing touches on the Tennessee DOT-TMC visit, which will serve as the only offsite facility tour offered at this year’s IPI Conference & Expo in Nashville, Tenn.

CO-CHAIRS: Jason Jones and Ken Smith, CAPP

Membership Committee
New members, first-time attendees, and member prospects will have plenty on tap to welcome them at the 2016 IPI Conference & Expo, May 17–20, in Nashville. Among them:

  • A new-member/first-timer orientation that will include a fun speed-networking social session featuring topics designed to get the conversation flowing.
  • Conference morning meet-ups in Central Perks, a relaxed coffeehouse setting, with membership committee members on hand to greet. Look for membership committee members wearing big buttons that say “Ask Me Why I (Heart) IPI,” and share your personal stories about how IPI benefits you, your career, and your organization.

By reaching out and growing membership, we will add new voices and ideas and further expand IPI’s sphere of influence worldwide. Ultimately, our goal  is to advance the parking profession, and one way to do that is to help members access all the benefits of membership—most of all, offering the ability to connect, share, and learn from peers.

Also in the works, an update to IPI’s short but sweet member video. Stay tuned!

CO-CHAIRS: Allen Corry, CAPP, and Mark Lyons, CAPP

Parking Matters Committee
Parking Matters. We know it, but to many outside stakeholders, which include city  managers, elected officials, university decision-makers, airport and hospital executives, urban planners, etc., the proof is seeing real parking solutions to real challenges.

That’s why the Parking Matters Committee is on a mission to gather case studies that tell our story across all sectors. Have a case study to share? Let us know, and we’ll send you a case study form to submit. At this month’s IPI Conference & Expo, we’ll also be videotaping industry leaders, capturing compelling parking success stories for a series of videos. And Parking Matters Marketing & Communications Awards winners will be announced. This year, more than 10 programs will receive honors, with three capturing Best of 2016 awards. Look for their great ideas and marketing takeaways in the July issue of The Parking Professional.

We’ll also be unveiling an (unfortunately) much-needed tool for parking professionals on suicide prevention, response, and recovery. Also, if you see reporters or TV crews in the Expo Hall, that’s our PM media outreach initiative up close and personal, improving  perceptions about parking.

CO-CHAIRS: Gary Means, CAPP, and Vanessa Solesbee

Parking Research Committee
The mission of the Parking Research Committee is to help our members and industry take a deeper look into topics that are both timely and useful. As such, our group has been allocating its recent effort on a project that could help define the parking industry. Our group, in conjunction with staff and the Membership Committee, is hosting an ongoing survey to derive the overall size (spaces, revenue, and type) of the parking industry—first, within IPI’s membership. The survey went to IPI members recently and will be compiled and analyzed in 2016; all participants will receive a copy as soon as it is released. The ongoing survey is likely a jumping off point for bigger efforts beyond IPI’s membership but serves as a starting point and foundation for this important exercise.

In addition, members of our committee are also beginning parallel efforts that will create a library of relevant and timely published research for IPI membership, create succinct information about mobile applications, and embark on research about the true effects of paid parking in an urban environment.

CO-CHAIRS: Irena Goloschokin and Brett Wood, CAPP

Professional Recognition Program Committee
This program has always been about one thing: parking industry people. Whether individually or as a team, their outstanding go-getter attitudes build the organizations that are leading the way for others to follow.

This year, the new Emerging Leader of the Year category was added to the Professional Recognition competition. The committee also reviews the nominations for lifetime achievement and staff member, supervisor, organization, and parking professional of the year. It’s always a difficult playing field, but the committee is happy to see what others are doing in the industry and committed to choosing those to honor at the parking.org/prp.

In the near future, the committee will be gearing up to move the timing of the ompetition’s call for nominations to begin in summer 2016 with the deadline moving to late fall 2016. For more information, visit parking.org/prp.

CO-CHAIRS: Dan Kupferman, CAPP, and Wayne Mixdorf, CAPP

Safety and Security Committee
The Safety and Security Committee is made up of a group of professionals with a wealth of experience in safety, security, and incident command scenarios.

Current committee projects include:

  • Senior driving campaign. IPI is working with AAA to launch a campaign to educate senior drivers about parking safely.
  • Inclement weather survey. This initiative will provide resources to improve the safety and security of parking patrons, staff, and facilities. The survey will be distributed to IPI membership in fall 2016.
  • Suicide Prevention Task Force. In an effort to help member agencies, IPI is working in cooperation with mental health and suicide prevention experts to develop education regarding awareness, prevention, response, and recovery to incidents of suicides taking place within parking facilities.
  • NCS4: IPI and NCS4 (the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety & Security) are developing member education to enhance event safety. (See p. 24 for more.)

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

State & Regional Committee
When IPI asks state and regional associations (SRA) how we can better support their success, the resounding answer is with membership management, including marketing, recruitment, value proposition, and retention.

The IPI/SRA liaison program is in high gear with more than 10 liaisons building upon and fostering new lines of communication, and IPI set forth to develop an education series surrounding membership management for SRA volunteers. With the successful premiere of the “Thirty Minutes of Education (TME), Gearing Up to Grow Membership,” IPI provided its first quarterly expert-facilitated talk for the SRAs.

On Feb. 24, Peggy Hoffman, CAE, president of Mariner Management, talked about the top three needs to jump-start marketing, additional resources and case studies, and two action items to get started. IPI looks forward to continuing the engagement of industry experts for SRA volunteers in the TME series. Future TME topics may include increasing the member value proposition, raising membership rates, and finding new revenue sources.

CO-CHAIRS: Bridgette Brady, CAPP, and David Onorato, CAPP

Sustainability Committee
When this issue went to print, the Sustainability Committee was gearing up to review applicants for the Green Star Exhibitor program at the 2016 IPI Conference & Expo. Green Star highlights exhibitors who have a commitment to sustainability and/or provide products or services that help organizations meet their sustainability goals.

The committee is also developing case studies on sustainable projects that will be available to the IPI community. Case studies under development include bike access, lighting, ventilation, and electric transportation. The committee will provide a full slate of
articles to The Parking Professional, including stories on stormwater management and bike education programs.

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

TPP-2016-05-Constant Progress