Blogs

The Future of Parking in Your City… By Tate Misiaszek

By Tyler Perkins posted yesterday
By Tate Misiaszek How do you see the future of parking in your city? If I would have asked this question fifteen or twenty years ago we would be speaking about flying cars and all sorts of other, out of this world, possibilities. What comes to mind when you think of this question now? How do you see the future of parking in your city? When I think of the future of parking in my city, a beautiful coastal town with a wild, tourist driven, peak season. I think of satellite parking lots. As cities seem to fill up more and parking seems to disappear, it begs the question of self driving cars and satellite lots. I am more of a gas and oil kind of person and not ...

Remembering Donald Shoup By Bill Boyle

By Tyler Perkins posted 6 days ago
By Bill Boyle Reposted with permission from the Mid-Atlantic Parking & Transportation Association No child dreams of entering the parking industry. I certainly didn’t. Like many of us, I stumbled into this field through a series of unexpected opportunities and practical decisions. What began as “just a job” eventually became a lifelong career. And for years, as we built our company we did so the same way. Looking at opportunities and making practical decisions. Then one day, idly skimming the stacks at Kramerbooks, The High Cost of Free Parking popped out at me. What? I pulled it out, cut it open and read: “Children first learn about ...

Why Paid Parking is the Key to Smart City Sustainability By Brooke Krieger

By Tyler Perkins posted 7 days ago
By Brooke Krieger Cities across the country are facing a financial crossroads. As federal and state funding sources become increasingly unpredictable, municipalities must find new ways to sustain critical infrastructure, transit, and public services. The solution is locally controlled revenue through paid parking programs. For too long, free parking has been treated as a given, but maintaining parking infrastructure comes at a cost, one that many cities can no longer afford to subsidize. Paid parking isn’t just about generating revenue. It is about building a self-sustaining municipal model that reinvests local dollars into community improvements. Cities ...

Connecting to the History of the Parking Meter By Adam Feller, PTMP

By Tyler Perkins posted 8 days ago
By Adam Feller, PTMP Within the evolution of the parking meter and metered parking space, I find it settling that the soul of the metered space remains intact – ease congestion, allow parking egress and support customers to find a space to park. The concept supports both locals making visits to their favorite restaurants or businesses as well as folks coming in from out of town to seek the spoils of a new and wonderous treasure. Regardless of the technology that the meter has or will have, the initial goal still holds sway. As time goes on, many of the factors will continue to change; more shared spaces, bike lanes, parklets and ongoing review of what makes ...

Two Steps Forward, Three Steps Back By Nicole Chinea, CAPP

By Tyler Perkins posted 13 days ago
By Nicole Chinea, CAPP I recently dove into the world of planning after being dedicated to the parking industry for 20 years. In my previous parking career, I had the opportunity to scratch the surface of grants. However, as a planner I dove headfirst into the world of grants, specifically transportation-focused Federal Funding Pursuits. I quickly got on board learning grant jargon -NOFO, BCA, Justice 40, LMI, etc. Throughout my entire learning process, my parking hat was still on. I simply refuse to take it off. Old habits, right?! I remember saying to myself while proposing projects, “Why didn’t I look into grants for that and this?” There were so many ...

Changing Leadership Styles: Is It Too Late? By Tavris Parker, CAPP

By Tyler Perkins posted 14 days ago
By Tavris Parker, CAPP As leadership dynamics shift within workplaces, many experienced managers wonder if it’s too late to change their leadership style. The answer is simple: it’s never too late. Leadership is a skill, not a fixed trait, and it can evolve throughout your career. Why Change? The traditional, top-down leadership style is no longer as effective in a world that values collaboration, transparency, and empathy. Today’s leaders are expected to inspire, empower, and adapt. If you’ve been leading a certain way for years, it may feel daunting to shift styles. But making small changes can enhance your leadership and improve team engagement. The ...

What Happened to the Family in Parking? By Tate Misiaszek, CAPP

By Tyler Perkins posted 15 days ago
By Tate Misiaszek, CAPP As business’ grow and corporations take over the Mom and Pop Organizations, where are the companies that used to promote themselves as a family? In the parking and transportation industry we seem to have lost the family feel in the last few years. As companies are expanding, and bottom lines are scrutinized more than ever, what are you doing to ensure your employees are happy? What are you doing to support your employee’s growth and expansion? With major parking and transportation companies growing and expanding the amount of employees they have, how is it possible to treat your team as you once used to? I feel this is an ever growing ...

Policy Corner By Mark A. Vergenes

By Tyler Perkins posted 19 days ago
Driving Change: How PTAP is Advocating for Smarter Parking Policies in Pennsylvania…you should too! By Mark A. Vergenes As a member of the IPMI Policy & Legislative Task Force, our cohort provides strategic guidance and recommendations on policies and regulations impacting the parking and mobility industry. As part of our initiatives that inform policymakers, stakeholders, and the public on effective strategies for improving urban mobility through well-planned parking policies, we are sharing this example from Pennsylvania to demonstrate specific advocacy efforts. In Pennsylvania, updating state laws that govern parking in cities of the 1st, 2nd, 2A, ...

Planning for Success: Prioritizing Parking Maintenance and Capital Improvements by Vincent Campagna, CAPP

By Tyler Perkins posted 20 days ago
By Vincent Campagna, CAPP We are all aware of the famous Benjamin Franklin quote “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”, yet again and again we are reminded how true that is. As Parking Professionals, we are often tasked with creating plans and having a plan for an abundance of programs like; Standard Operating Plans, Emergency Action Plans, ADA Plans, Customer Service Plans, Revenue Control Plans, the list goes on and on. However, Facility Maintenance and Capital Improvement plans seem to take a back seat to the more “parking operational plan” types when in reality, Maintenance and Capital Improvement plans need to be on the top of every parking ...

The State Finds You Obsolete by Jodi Hart, CPA, CFE, CAPP

By Tyler Perkins posted 21 days ago
By Jodi Hart, CPA, CFE, CAPP As a proud Gen Xer, card carrying member of the MTV generation and certified latchkey kid, I grew up on bowls of sugary cereal watching Saturday morning cartoons. Hands up. Who thought at this point in history we’d all be flying around in our Jetson cars? Come on. You aren’t kidding anyone. We all did. Fast forward and we are hearing about autonomous vehicles and AI driven technologies shaping our lives. More and more cities are nixing the urban sprawl in favor of bringing people back into the cities. We are bombarded with green initiatives, bike to work, public transportation instead of driving, carpooling, scooters on ...

Inter-City Transportation, Is It Your Cup Of Tea? By Tate Misiaszek, CAPP

By Tyler Perkins posted 27 days ago
By Tate Misiaszek, CAPP If you are reading this, chances are, you are involved in the parking or transportation industry. What do you think about inter-city transportation in your city? Is it useful or unusable? What are some of the hardships of public transportation? In our city we have a wide and well-funded public transportation system, yet somehow, it is often late and unused. We are a beachside tourist destination and find that rental cars and beach cruisers often trump the amount of public transportation used. This is great for our local parking resources but at what cost? Why have such a well funded transportation system when beach cruisers and pedestrians ...

Realizing You’re Not in It Alone: Who’s Behind City Parking Restrictions? By Tavris Parker, CAPP

By Tyler Perkins posted 29 days ago
By Tavris Parker, CAPP Parking. It’s one of those daily puzzles that many of us don’t think much about until we’re searching for a spot. But behind every parking spot and restriction in your city, there’s more going on than you may know. In most municipalities, parking regulations aren’t just made-up thoughts by a few city employees. They’re the result of a careful balancing act involving several key stakeholders. City governments often establish parking restrictions to ensure safety, ease traffic flow, and make room for residents, businesses, and visitors. But how do these decisions come to about? Who’s Involved? Local Government: The city council ...

Exploring Hybrid Residential/Employee Parking Permits in Richmond by Steven Bergin, CAPP

By Tyler Perkins posted 02-13-2025
By Steven Bergin, CAPP In October 2024, I wrote about how the City of Richmond was embarking on a study on a hybrid parking permit model. The key objective was to examine the feasibility and best practices surrounding a hybrid residential/employee parking permit program and examine shared parking opportunities between public and private entities within the parking districts. As urban areas continue to evolve with the removal of parking minimums, so do the challenges, which has led to city officials and residents voicing concerns about the potential negative impacts from this change in zoning parking legislation. Understanding the Challenge Residential parking ...

Parking: From Mundane to Marvel by Liz Young

By Tyler Perkins posted 02-05-2025
By Liz Young Who would have thought something as mundane as parking could ignite such a boom in the tech world? We’ve come a long way from punching holes in tickets and counting cars on our toes. The idea of effortlessly gliding into a parking garage—without even glancing at an entry device—once felt as futuristic as flying cars and robotic maids. And yet, here we are—zipping in without a care in the world, our cars recognized automatically, payments handled invisibly, and spaces reserved with a tap on our phones. Behind this seamless experience lies strategic collaboration that has driven this growth. As an industry, letting go of rigid proprietary thinking ...

Daily Reminder: Reset Your Mindset Daily by Tavris Parker, CAPP

By Tyler Perkins posted 02-04-2025
By Tavris Parker, CAPP In the workplace, it’s easy to get bogged down by challenges, deadlines, and pressure. But here’s a simple truth: a positive mindset can make all the difference in how you approach tasks and ultimately succeed. A Positive Mindset Matters A positive attitude isn’t just about feeling good—it’s about changing your perspective to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. Whether you’re studying for exams or tackling a tough project at work, your mindset shapes how you respond to hardship. When you focus on solutions instead of problems, you’re more likely to find creative ways to overcome them. Benefits of a Positive Approach ...

Clean Transportation Fuel Pays Off…Literally by Mark Hairr, CAPP

By Tyler Perkins posted 01-29-2025
By Mark Hairr, CAPP As with many mobility and transportation agencies, Wave Transit in Wilmington, North Carolina has a strong commitment to sustainability initiatives by working to grow ridership, reducing dependence on automobiles, limiting emissions, and minimizing our carbon footprint. Recently, Wave implemented a program that takes advantage of our use of Compress Natural Gas (CNG) for fueling buses by producing monthly revenue through a unique program. CNG has low amounts of nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide while being an average of 33% less than diesel. This particular program falls under the Environmental Protection Agency’s Renewal ...

Identifying Top Business Practices in Strong Work Cultures by Zach Pearce

By Tyler Perkins posted 01-28-2025
By Zach Pearce I am a firm believer that an organization’s work culture will determine employee longevity and overall success or shortcomings for a company. While the Keurig coffee machines and donuts are appreciated when supplied, culture goes beyond these types of perks and instead centers on professionalism, understanding and respect across an entire department. I also believe most working employees strive to perform their jobs efficiently with favorable behavioral patterns. It is the primary responsibility of leadership to guide and maintain positive working cultures, which includes the below: Engaging management style Encourages staff on a consistent ...

What’s Your “Coffee” in the Morning? What Gets You Going? By Tavris Parker, CAPP

By Tyler Perkins posted 01-23-2025
By Tavris Parker, CAPP We all have that one thing that kickstarts our day—the equivalent of a cup of coffee (even if we don’t drink it, “I do”). Whether it’s a morning ritual, a music playlist, or a specific task that helps you feel energized, there’s always something that gets us out of bed and into work mode. In my office, the morning routine is crucial. Some reach for the classic caffeine fix, while others may choose something a little different. If you’re not a coffee person, maybe it’s a quick workout or a few minutes of meditation that gets your mind sharp. For others, it might be simply checking off a small task first thing, like sending an email or ...

Movers, Shakers, and Currents in Mobility Policy by Benito Pérez, AICP, CTP, CAPP

By Tyler Perkins posted 01-22-2025
By Benito Pérez, AICP, CTP, CAPP With a mobility ecosystem rapidly evolving, what are the topline mobility issues to be aware of, who are the key decision makers framing mobility policy, and how can you and your organization help steer the mobility conversation? The transportation and mobility space is constantly evolving, impacting how people and goods move through and between our communities. That ecosystem is framed around a policy framework developed by decision makers at varying levels of government. Most mobility practitioners are in the business of implementing policies and programs that help manage the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. ...

A New Year Means New Opportunities by Anthony Caddell

By Tyler Perkins posted 01-21-2025
By Anthony Caddell We all know about New Year’s Resolutions and sayings like “New Year, New Me.” Sometimes, these resolutions are jumping-off points for positive life changes. Often, they are forgotten or given up by the end of January, but hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?! What is always true with the turn of the year is that new opportunities lie ahead. That can mean many different things to many different people. The pace at which our industry is moving is faster than ever, and if you’re reading this blog, it means you, too, have an entire 12 months ahead of you to take advantage of new opportunities. Whether you’re a technology provider hustling ...