Over 2,500 insurance claims were made to AAMI for car park accidents in December. That’s a 37% increase on other months. January was only marginally better with over 2100 claims. (Source: Parking Australia)

This isn’t a new phenomenon. Stressed Christmas shoppers and frantic families during school holidays mean car parks become more unsafe over summer. Extra demand for parking and increased congestion creates short-tempers. Keeping an eye on a vacant parking bay while driving towards it diverts attention from reversing cars with blind spots, wayward abandoned trolleys or milling shoppers.

Add to the mix the kids on school holidays in the back seat, and distractions to drivers are rife. Car parks become more risky places to drive and walk.

So, what can car parks do to improve both safety and customer experience?

One of the many benefits of installing a Parking Guidance System (PGS) is having real time, accurate bay availability data being shown to drivers. Using dynamic LED signage that indicates exactly where cars can park keeps drivers focused. It also saves them time searching for a park. This makes the decision on where to shop an easy one from a customer perspective.

Way finding signage also reduces congestion. Providing correct information on how to quickly get to a free parking bay dissuades drivers from blindly circling each level of the car park at a crawl speed, slowing everybody down and creating a back-up of traffic.

An added bonus of a PGS is the rich data that provided in its reports. For example, a heat map highlights car park areas that are busiest by time of day. This data allows car park operators to manage their assets more effectively ahead of time via directional signage, amended pricing structures, overflow parking areas and so on.

A behavioural economist for AAMI suggests in this article that drivers should adjust their mindset and expect to be in the car park for a longer period at this time of year. Yet we know that ease of parking and travel has a bigger impact on choice of shopping location than store reputations and promotions.

A parking guidance system is a powerful marketing tactic that influences a customer’s choice of where to shop. A PGS with accurate, real time data and dynamic way finding signage offers the benefit of easy and efficient parking meaning customers can spend more time (and money!) in the shops.

For more information or trusted advice on how to reduce the risk profile of your car park contact us today.

The uptake of parking guidance systems (PGS) among asset owners has grown substantially in recent years, and given the benefits they provide, it’s easy to understand why. As a result, there have been some new market entrants providing parking guidance solutions. Regardless of who you choose for parking guidance here are our tips on what to look for when selecting a parking guidance system to invest in for your asset:

1. Asset Yield – research shows that 10% of car park bays are empty when customers think they’re full*, depriving asset owners of additional custom and the opportunity to optimise revenues. Furthermore, studies tell us that the ease of parking is more important than store promotions when consumers are choosing where to shop*.

By investing in a PGS you’re creating customer loyalty. Returning customers are great word of mouth promoters of your asset and increase the yield of your car park facilities. For optimal results, it is necessary to ensure that what the customers sees is simple, easily understood and timely.

2. Accuracy – accuracy matters. Customers love parking guidance but when they see a green bay availability indicator light above occupied parking bays their experience quickly turns sour. There is also little point having way-finding signage in place if the display data is several minutes behind in updating. Your parking guidance signage and indicator lighting needs to be correct and updating in real time. The lack of accuracy or update performance will only serve to create more complaints and waste the time of your asset managers. Check the update frequency, reporting and notification features of any system to ensure that the data supplied is going to be of use to effectively manage (and improve) your operations.

3. Equipment – Ensure that the hardware that is being installed in your asset is one that is robust and reliable. A parking guidance system is generally in operation all day, every day and situated in an environment that demands durability.

4. Maintenance – Check the maintenance programs of your provider to ensure your investment is going to be looked after for at least 5 if not 10 years. Software in particular but hardware also will inevitably require maintenance to ensure ongoing functionality and smooth operations.

5. Customisation – No two car parks are the same; and if your car park has specific or unique requirements it is critical to ensure that you have flexible and dynamic signage messaging capabilities. Specialty bays; time variant availability; the combination of commercial and residential parking areas are different for each location. It is also important to ensure that your parking guidance system can be customised and easily tailored.

6. Signage – A parking guidance system without excellent way-finding signage is a poor investment choice. Ensure that the signage installed is sufficient to make the way-finding and customer experience smooth and stress free.

7. Installation – check that the installation method and processes will minimise disruption to your daily operations during the project phase. Check that the installation Project Manager has considerable car parking industry expertise. Most people underestimate how complex these assets are.

Improving yield and customer experience are often the key drivers to install a parking guidance system and your car park will reap rewards from a PGS only if the above 7 factors are tailored to the unique requirements of your asset. But if it’s done well, it’s a compelling ‘win-win’ for asset owners and car mark managers and a great experience for your customers.

For site tours, quotes, technical specifications and trusted advice from experienced parking industry professionals, contact us.

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* Sources: 1. Cormack, L. (2016) Sydney Morning Herald 2. Brantley, D. (2015) Parking Today

Our devices, our internet usage and our shopping habits – all provide data to organisations who use it to understand how best to refine and improve their service offerings.

The parking industry is not immune. With a plethora of articles and research considering the future of parking, the industry is poised for adaptation …without knowing exactly what that change looks like.

Trends that are widely tipped to influence the need for parking include a generational change in the attitude to, and demand for, cars; driverless vehicles; the sharing economy; environmental concerns; and an increasing bike culture.

How then can the parking industry prepare for and leverage these trends that are shaping the future of parking? The answer is data. Using the data available from parking guidance systems to understand utilisation trends over time and optimise the management of parking assets means owners use relevant information to inform their current operations and have the tools to be more agile when it comes to future change.

Just like hotels and airlines, the parking industry relies on selling its bays as many times as possible for the best price, and an empty bay represents lost revenue. In the short term, using data to understand things like peak periods, seasonal cycles, customer types (casual, long term etc) and overstays means operations can be streamlined to optimise utilisation of the asset and maximise revenue .

Many asset owners already use parking guidance technology to enhance their service and customer experience. As this case study shows, Dee Why RSL use their PGS technology to allocate specific parking bays to local business according to time of day.

Adapting usage within parking assets is not uncommon where residential and commercial buildings share common space. The trick is to manage it effectively for the benefit of all users – and having access to real-time data is an essential enabler.

In the long term, as this article suggests, there is an increasing need to review parking policy to ensure it is efficient and equitable. Concepts such as market-based, adaptive pricing for on- and off-street parking; bay rental and transference of ownership are all possibilities for the future of parking as a service offering.

Studies already occur using statistics and algorithms to predict and optimise parking outcomes, cementing the idea that data has a large role to play in the future of parking. Those who don’t consider their capacity to collect and effectively use the information at their disposal, do so at the risk of future responsiveness to a changing business landscape.

• Car parks that install a parking guidance solution typically report improved customer satisfaction almost immediately. Respecting the customer’s experience by saving them time and stress is a win for ensuring return business.

• When it comes to a PGS, accuracy matters. Park Agility’s parking guidance solutions boast infrared sensor technology with >99% accuracy, providing real time occupancy data that helps asset managers improve car park optimisation. In addition, accurate data means wayfinding signage and highly visible per-bay indicator lights are correctly updated, ensuring drivers are only being guided to available parking bays and not to an already occupied space.

• A parking guidance system helps asset owners optimise their parking mix with dynamic multi-coloured sensor lights making various parking bays – such as wheelchair accessible, pram and electric charging bays – available at different times of day. Real time reporting also allows for notification and management of overstays and of incorrect bay occupation, for example residents parking in a public parking area for extended periods instead of in assigned residential bays.

• As reducing our carbon footprint increases in importance, the reduction in congestion and exhaust fumes that comes from no longer circling car parks but being directly guided to availability becomes valuable, especially for those asset managers looking to achieve a higher green star rating for their property.

• Park Agility’s easily adaptable way-finding signage ensures our customers can tailor the use of their parking guidance system. In this case study, Dee Why RSL use different areas of their car park for different parking users at various times of day, optimising both the carpark’s use and their customer’s parking experience.

• Installing a parking guidance system need not be a headache. Our fast installation process is facilitated by local assembly and flexible timings that work around our clients’ business operations. As an Australian based organisation, on-going service and maintenance occurs in your time zone and our experienced team offer over 75 years of experience in the parking industry, meaning we understand your challenges.

Still not convinced? Contact us for site tours, technical specs, trusted advice and local references to ensure our parking guidance system helps optimise your commercial parking asset.

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is seeing growth in research and experimentation in the transport industry across the globe as governments and communities try to manage increasing populations and transportation in an effective, affordable way.

In its simplest form, MaaS is a digital system whereby mobility solutions are provided as a service based on individual travel needs. The goal is to integrate an end to end system that allows users to plan, book and pay for their journey via an app and using multiple options to reach their destination such as ride sharing, bike sharing, public transport, and more. This service, in theory, will make more efficient use of existing private and public transportation services infrastructure.

Although such a system suggests that in future the requirement and desire for private car ownership will fall, this Deloitte report suggests there are a range of industries that can capitalise on the rise of MaaS, including the parking industry.

Currently, the industry seeks to balance the supply of parking to cater to a city’s resident and visitor needs, the effective utilisation of prime real estate and the need to manage road congestion. The use of sensor technology and parking guidance solutions to comprehensively understand utilisation in real time, track and manage peak periods, provide real-time wayfinding plus optimise availability, is largely creating an efficient, positive consumer experience.

With the rise of MaaS, the theory expects the demand for parking solutions may fall, and that the services the industry provides will both improve and evolve. For example, a shift to fleets of shared (or self-driving) cars may well see demand move away from personal vehicles, yet those fleets will still require space for idol periods. New types of spaces such as pick up/drop off zones and electric vehicle charging stations will increasingly appear and the ability of the parking industry to adapt, innovate and provide value will be critical.

Until this occurs, opportunities in the parking industry are slated to be around value-add services, space management, flexible facilities, payments and pricing , customer experience, partnerships and much more.

The benefits of using technology to create more user-friendly, valuable and efficient parking experiences are many, as are the challenges. The changes that MaaS forecasts will require coordination across a large variety of stakeholders – operators, governments, payment providers and software and technology companies.

As a provider in the parking industry, Park Agility keeps a close eye on information about trials of MaaS locally and in other countries and has developed and continues to evolve open APIs to its core management system. Doing so ensures that we can assist our clients with adapting to the changes that will inevitably occur.

For as the Deloitte report aptly ends, “for those willing to not only look at today’s needs but anticipate tomorrow’s challenges, they may find that parking can be an important enabler – rather than a victim – of the future of mobility.”

The increased utilisation of parking guidance systems (PGS) in shopping centre and destination location carparks is a testament to their benefits. The core purpose of a PGS is increased productivity and an improved customer experience, using directional signage and sensor lighting to indicate availability. This reduces the amount of time cars are circling carparks to find somewhere to stop.

For many carpark owners, this ability to optimise assets efficiently and reduce emissions, whilst improving the experience of their customers, makes investment in a parking guidance system well worth it.

Which is why an extension of the concept detailed in this article caught our eye. It details a research project in the beachside town of Rye on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula that will use sensor technology on a small scale to create a smarter city.

As a tourist destination, Rye experiences congestion during holiday periods and weekends. Using sensor technology and historical data, the project is trialling (among several other things related to the tourist experience) guidance of traffic during peak times. Far from being limited to large parking precincts, sensors and directional signage will be used to broadcast parking availability throughout the town and direct drivers towards it using the least congested route.

Not only does this efficiently cut emissions and reduce congestion, it positively impacts the visitor experience by providing local parking knowledge to reduce circling and parking search time.

It also benefits local government and business. When tourists know in advance their visit will be smooth and congestion free, they are much more likely to make the trip – optimising council assets and supporting local business.

In the future, the research leader of the Rye project envisions sensor technology and its associated data being used for bigger, more complex environments. Cities such as Sydney and Melbourne will be able to utilise their resources and infrastructure efficiently;

“Using data can help city planners to be more predictive. For example, they will be better able to anticipate the numbers of people coming and going and help them determine how many parking spaces will be required, or if more parking spaces are necessary.

It can show how many people are overstaying in their parking spots in certain areas because they might require longer time periods to park, due to the scarcity of street parking in the CBD…

[and] road and public transport authorities will be able to utilise data from the traffic to ease up traffic congestion and develop a system to warn ahead of time that there are problems, enabling individuals to respond in real-time.”

This article shares some startling statistics around traffic inefficiencies, citing a cost of $19.2 billion per year in LA and $33.7 billion in New York, on time wasted sitting in traffic congestion on their roadways. This doesn’t include any costs around energy consumption or emissions.

The case appears to be clear – from a single carpark to a smarter city, the core purpose and benefits of parking guidance systems and sensor technology remain the same – increased productivity, reduced emissions, time efficiency and happy customers.

With increasing car park guidance technology, exploration into self-driving cars and a shift towards electric cars, it’s reasonable to ask what the future of parking looks like.

With, as this article points out, state and local governments reducing the number of parking bays available whilst ensuring tram tracks, public transport options and bicycle lanes are appearing more readily, one could be forgiven for thinking our reliance on cars is in decline. One would be wrong – the number of registered vehicles grew in every state apart from the Northern Territory last year.

So why are we reducing the number of car parks while demand for cars in Australia continues to rise?

According to urban planners interviewed for this news piece, the number of cars will reduce over the coming decade as millennials delay getting drivers licences, the population moves away from outer suburbs towards urban centres and the demand for ride-sharing services such as Uber continues to rise.

As we observe the conflicting views about what will happen to the demand for cars over the coming years, what enthuses us at Park Agility is bringing to market improved technology based solutions for the car parking industry. As both of these articles suggest, there is room for improved management of parking with use of innovative technologies that assist with reserving bays, optimising parking spaces that already exist, with allowing online booking and payment opportunities – before a journey has even begun and with better precinct signage and guidance- to avoid endless circling around city centres to find somewhere to park. Not only do these solutions assist the driver (or driverless car, as the case may be), but also promotes time efficiency, optimises the car parking asset, makes for happy and returning customers to the parking site and, most importantly, reduces air pollution as cars know immediately where to go in order to stop.

This article from the US suggests it is critical for developers to look at innovative parking solutions now, to be able to adapt and implement new intelligence and new technology. It goes a step further, planning the physical layout of future parking facilities: “futuristic parking garages should have two key facets: increased floor to floor space and level floors… recommends parking garages have a 15-foot gap between each floor, so they can be repurposed later on as residential, retail, office, or loft areas.” The article goes on to suggest that if the future sees demand for car parking rise, not fall, this design could then morph into double layered parking given the height is already there.

So what does the future look like? We know there will be new innovations and improved parking asset technologies. But will there be more cars or less? Will there be driverless cars or more ride sharing?

Watch this (parking) space!

We read with interest articles such as this one that comment on the future of electric vehicles in Australia and the conditions required for a sustainable uptake.

For electric vehicles to become the norm there appears to be three conditions that must be met

– Price parity with petrol cars

– Availability of models to choose from

– Availability of infrastructure to overcome the fear of ‘range anxiety’

The first two conditions are on our doorstep. Price parity with petrol cars is expected by the early to mid-2020s and there are already around a dozen electric car models to choose from in Australia, with more projected to be on their way.

The third area, availability of infrastructure, is where electric vehicles and car parking assets meet. With a need to allay ‘range anxiety’ and also provide a convenient charging solution, are car parks a realistic option?

The parking industry is certainly not averse to innovation, and discussions continue around how best to improve customer experience within car parks. With services such as car washing; valet parking; uber and taxi ranks; click and collect parking options; and parking guidance used to contribute to UX, why not electric vehicle charging as well? But not just for shoppers.

Currently there are limited spaces for electric vehicles with charging options in many shopping centre car parks. And wayfinding signage to direct drivers to those specific bays is sparse. The convenience of leaving a car to charge whilst doing shopping is sound. But what about the vast number of ride sharing vehicles that are also on the hunt for a charge?

Perhaps petrol retailers will step in to provide charging? Uber/ride share drivers will take a break, grab a coffee, a paper and top up their car battery’s charge. This article discusses it in depth. But it may also be an option for car parks to offer this service. With ready access to amenities, cafes and retail outlets coupled with parking guidance to locate available charging stations, the fast turnaround of charging bays could transform the parking industry into a power supplier as well as its existing value as a property asset. There are details still to be nutted out: the speed of charging, battery loads and, of course, revenue and cost models.

But as the up-take of electric vehicles accelerates, charging bays and accompanying customer experience offerings have the potential to become a point of difference. Will your car park business model leverage it?

We shared this article on LinkedIn several months ago which outlines the issues our road networks face: congestion, road quality, the slowing decline in our road death toll, the impact commutes have on the mental health of drivers and now, a looming issue with funding as the rise of electric vehicles sees a fall in the fuel excise revenue the government receives.

Road reform is a hot potato for politicians– a long term overhaul is required as the fuel tax from the bowser benefits those who can afford more fuel efficient cars and places more of a burden on those who must drive decades old cars that guzzle fuel.

As the article shares, the revenue the government receives from fuel excise is almost equal to what is spent on road infrastructure. With the increased popularity of electric cars that don’t rely on expensive fuel, that revenue is set to decrease unless the national roads policy is addressed. That policy structure had various ideas raised as a solution, including motorists being charged based on the kilometres they travel, a congestion tax to deter entry into busy areas during peak times and possibly an emissions or air quality tax.

Unfortunately the government has recently announced it is shelving the inquiry into road reform citing its complexity and long term nature so for now, the status quo remains.