Parking Industry Survey Reveals Latest Trends
Advances in technology and focus on sustainability are transforming industry
Download the 2011 Emerging Parking Trends Report (PDF)
Media Contact:
Helen Sullivan
703.847.9702 office
703.606.7622 mobile
sullivan@parking.org
(PITTSBURGH, PA - May 25, 2011) According to a just-released
survey on trends in parking, while parking professionals are
finding increased pressure to boost parking revenue, significant
trends center on demand for sustainable parking solutions and
advances in new technology that are revolutionizing the
industry.
These changes are taking place at a time when the expertise of
parking professionals is gaining recognition as integral to urban
planning, development and transportation solutions.
The 2011 Emerging Trends in Parking survey was conducted online
among members of the International Parking Institute (IPI) and
released at IPI's Conference & Expo, the world's largest
gathering of parking professionals with more than 225 exhibitors
and nearly 2500 attendees from 25 countries.
The survey reveals that the need to generate more parking revenue
is the top trend impacting the industry. Nearly half of
professionals (44 percent) placed increasing revenue at the top of
their list of significant parking trends.
IPI Executive Director Shawn Conrad explains that parking
professionals "are being asked to do more with less as
cash-strapped cities tap parking revenues once re-invested into
parking and transportation-related services to fund non-related
services."
An increasing demand for green and sustainable parking solutions is
the second leading industry trend, cited by more than one-third of
survey respondents.
In a related concern, 19 percent of respondents specifically
identified the need to provide accommodations for alternative fuel
vehicles, including charging stations for electric cars, in the
near future.
Conrad explains that parking is more compatible with sustainability
than most people realize. A critical element of the transportation
equation, well-planned parking can increase use of mass
transportation, reduce the number of commuters and decrease
cruising for parking.
He adds that many parking garages today are using energy-efficient
lighting, solar panels, and innovative water and waste management
systems to reduce the carbon footprint.
In addition to parking revenue and sustainability, survey
respondents signaled that new parking technologies belong atop the
list of emerging trends.
About one-third of IPI's survey respondents see an increasing
demand for cashless or electronic payment methods.
More than one-quarter anticipate an increase in the use of smart
phone apps to find, reserve and pay for parking, and a similar
number see a move toward innovative technologies to improve access
control.
Industry professionals also cited other emerging parking
technologies such as automatic vehicle identification and wireless
sensing devices for traffic management.
These technologies are already revolutionizing the industry.
About 23 percent of the survey respondents cited an increased need
for improved customer service as an emerging trend.
"Parking matters to people and we never lose sight of the need for
customer service," Conrad says. "The industry is focused on ways to
make the parking experience more efficient, more
environmentally-friendly, and more satisfying."
The complete list of trends with the most impact on the parking
industry is:
1. Increased demand for finding ways to increase parking revenue
(44%)
2. Increased demand for green parking and sustainable parking
solutions (36%)
3. Increased demand for cashless or electronic payment (32%)
4. Increased use of cell phones to find, reserve and or pay for
parking (27%
5. Increased move toward innovative technologies to improve access
control (24%)
6. -- Increased need for improving customer service (23%)
-- Move toward more public-private partnerships
(23%)
7. Improving accommodation for electric cars/charging stations
(19%)
8. Increased appreciation for integration of parking in project
planning phase (16%)
9. Increased use of wireless sensing devices for traffic management
(14%)
10. Increased need for improving security (10%)
The IPI survey was conducted in January 2011. Results were
tabulated and analyzed by Opinion Works, an independent research
firm based in Annapolis, Maryland.
A report on the survey is available at the International Parking
Institute's website at www.parking.org.
About the organization:
International Parking Institute is the largest and leading trade
association representing parking professionals and the parking
industry worldwide. The organization publishes The Parking
Professional monthly magazine, dubbed the "bible of the parking
industry" and each year hosts the IPI Conference & Expo, the
largest gathering of parking professionals and exhibitors in the
world. www.parking.org
