Parking Management

Parking Management
An Introduction

Prof. David Bernstein
James Madison University

Computer Science Department

bernstdh@jmu.edu

Parking Facilities

On-Street:
- Parallel
- Perpendicular
- Angle
Lots:
- Perpendicular
- Angled Echelon
- "Double" Parking (which requires an operator)
Decks:
- Multilevel
- Automated

Nerd Humor

(Courtesy of xkcd)

Charging Schemes

Duration-Based:
- The amount charged depends on the duration of the stay
Fixed-Price Per Use:
- The amount charged is independent of the duration of the stay but the user is charged for each use
Permit-Based:
- A fixed-price permit provides access to the facility

Payment Technologies - Meters

Payment Technologies - Ticket

Facility Types:
- Lot/Deck
Location:
- Received at ingress point
- Paid at kiosk or egress point
- Shown at egress point (either with proof of payment or not)
Payment Mechanisms:
- Cash/Coin
- Credit/Debit Card

Payment Technologies - AVI-Based

Facility Types:
- On-Street
- Lot/Deck
Location:
- Depends on the facility type and the charging scheme (i.e., can be at the spot, at ingress only, at ingress and egress points)
Tag Types:
- Readers may need to ingress and egress times (depending on the charging scheme) if read-only tags are used
- Read-write tags are more flexible

Payment Technologies - Verification Issues

Kinds of Verification:
- Instant - the amount of the payment is verified when payment is tendered
- Periodic - the amount of the payment is verified periodically (e.g., an employee periodically checks the kiosk)
- Honor System - the amount of the payment is never verified
Overstaying with Duration-Based Charging Schemes:
- Pre-payment for duration-based charging schemes may require repeated verification

"Smart" Parking Systems

Rationale:
- Parking search imposes a cost on the individual
- Parking search causes congestion (because circling increases vehicle miles of travel and because search occurs at reduced speed)
- People sometimes "waste" parking spaces
Services:
- Real-Time Spot Finding
- Real-Time Reservations
- Dynamic Pricing

Collecting Real-Time Information

Ingress/Egress Sensors:
- Appropriate for lots/decks with limited access
Point Sensors:
- Appropriate for all types of facilities
Area Sensors:
- Appropriate for all types of facilities but occlusion is sometimes a problem

More Nerd Humor

(Courtesy of xkcd)

Real-Time Reservations

Benefits:
- Increased certainty (e.g., guarantee the accuracy of spot-finding systems)
Issues:
- When can the reservation be made (and the relationship to route guidance systems)?
- How can you prevent people from occupying a reserved spot?

Dynamic Pricing

Benefits:
- Internalize the externalities (as with congestion pricing)
Issues:
- How frequently can prices change (relative to the duration of trips)?
- When is pricing information made available?

Dynamic Pricing (cont.)

An Example of Demand Changing Over Time
A Park-and-Ride Facility in Newark, NJ