Thank you for the Scholarship!

I was asked to speak at the 2024 Parking Industry Expo “PIE” conference in beautiful Schaumberg, Illinois and was able to attend by receiving the Warren Reynolds Scholarship. Without this scholarship, I would have never been able to attend this informative conference so thank you from the bottom of my heart. PIE Expo featured many different seminars from all aspects and parts of the parking industry. From boot camp seminars, new innovative technologies, parking perspectives and data collection, to “Accelerate! The Parking Innovation Pitch Competition”. This conference had many vendors and parking personnel to talk with, laugh with and commiserate with.

Parking Today and PIE’s CEO John van Horn spoke about how he started this franchise by ultimately inheriting and losing his father’s printing company. After selling his fathers’ company before bankruptcy and then working for both Parcs and Secom he saw an opportunity to create Parking Today and eventually PIE. John wanted to create a singular place where everyone can obtain information about all things parking. Even-though many had told him his parking magazine would not last three months, 28 years later Parking Today is still going strong. Now with health in mind John is passing his torch of Pie and Parking Today to Kevin Uhlenhaker. Kevin has two decades of parking experience (being a former boot on the ground himself) and a background in the technological industry. He understands the needs and wants of this industry. Kevin’s new plans are to improve and expand Pie and Parking Today above and beyond what it already has done. Not only to continue to keep publishing Parking Today every three months but to change and update its format, only including long term information that way the magazine is never outdated. Any current and short-term information will be exclusively included featured on their website.

One of the best quotes I heard during this conference was made by the new CEO Kevin who stated “Parking is a utility; it works best if your customers don’t think about it. The best parking experience is something no one thinks about it just works.” Thinking about this concept makes sense, if it truly easy and simple then your customers will have no problems paying for parking, there would be no backlash, no questions on how to pay, no more “your kiosk doesn’t work” excuses when it is user error, nine times out of ten. Streamlining your parking process should be everyone’s number one priority. Another example he gave was that no one really complains at Disneyland about their Parking lot. Their system is so efficient that the customers really have nothing to complain about (except the pricing, or the ones who just like to complain). We should all aim for a simple yet effective system, that everyone from all ages can use. Which makes sense, the only complaints I ever heard at Disneyland (and I was a former pass holder for years and went often) was that the parking line is long or if there was a price hike. There was never a mention about the process itself, though that could come from the fact that Disney does have actual parking employees who process your transactions for you. But they do get their customers through this process efficiently, it takes less than a minute per vehicle. I agree with John’s sentiment, make parking as simple as can be.

There were many Seminars at PIE about current parking technology, LPR’s and their future, ground sensors and wayfinding systems, systems that can bridge multiple parking programs together, customer service in the digital future, disruptive technology, data collection, client retention, customer surveys (who rates them two out of five stars), EV charging woes, Certification, Compliance and Conversion and everyone’s favorite subject the procurement process. For the procurement panel it was discussed that we as parking municipalities need to start planning long term, as parking is here to stay. We need to have a preventative maintenance budget (as it seems kiosk parts last about five years), plan long term for changes in technology (anyone else have 3g to 4g headache woes). If a department has trouble getting something approved by procurement it helps to have data to back up your need. Data not only from your own program but from others as well. We need to connect with one another, share proposals, share ideas, share plans. We are our own biggest advocates in this industry and we all experience the same troubles in our programs and in our backends. To succeed in parking is to make connections, network and ask questions. Because chances are some other programs has tried it and it either worked (and will help prove the usefulness to your procurement department), or it failed. In which case knowing that idea is a failed concept will save your department not only time but money.

There were three different frontline panels during this conference. All very informative and refreshing in that cities across the nation are having the same issues. From employee retention, kiosk issues (user error or dated parts), multi-departmental woes, loading zones and big rigs (need I say more), to transferring programs and the problems it can cause. Some of the parking municipalities stated their lessons learned to warn other programs from making the same mistake. One specific example that will only pertain to the coastal departments was having their kiosks physically below sea level and the consistent connection problems that are associated with a kiosk being below sea level (and a lack of a resolution thus far). The most all-around answer everyone talked about was the absolute need of investing in data collection to either start or maintain your parking program. Data collection will help with stakeholder engagement and infrastructure upkeep. A centralized management (preferred method but not the most frequently done), implemental changes and sometimes you just need to become the parking expert if this is your first rodeo (as some of us have just been thrown into this position) are keys to a successful program. One of the funniest quotes from a program came from one of their downtown business owners stating “if they can’t afford to pay a buck for parking, I don’t want them in my store.” Can we have all business owners in a downtown think this way?

We all understand that the parking industry is more than just writing citations, we connect with people first and foremost. But how do we change culture, how do we change the public perspective on paid parking and parking management? This is an ongoing argument and unknown answer that we are all needing to ask ourselves and resolve. The public continues to see our industry as a negative but often we are a light to someone’s darkest day. There is always a perception versus reality within the other branches of your city/business as well and we also need to help encourage their frame of mind to change. We are not only here to enforce bad parking behavior, yes this is true, but we also rather educate customers so they do not make the same mistake twice. Everyone can misread a sign or forget to pay; everyone has done this at-least once in their life.

Parking perspectives to new innovative technology leading the way in the parking industry, Parking Industry Expo “PIE” helps bridge all aspects of parking into one convenient package. Introducing panels about Frontline perspectives, backend processes, advancements in software or kiosks to parking sensors and new wayfinding ideas. This conference has a little bit of everything for every program size and shape. Whether you manage a parking program with 500 spaces to a program with thousands of spaces, you have a garage or street parking only, we all experience the same day to day troubles and successes in our jobs. Pie Expo can give you the ability to connect further with everyone in this industry as well all need to connect to one another to really succeed in this industry.

I would like to again thank the board members of SWPTA for awarding me this scholarship to be able to attend this event. Not only did I gain a lot more knowledge and insight into the parking industry, networked with other programs and businesses, but I have shared everything I have learned during this conference with my team as well. It has truly helped our small program grow.