Let The Games Begin!

Thinking back over the years it has been a long journey to where we are today and where we are headed in the future. Think about how far we have come from writing paper parking tickets. We started out using big old clunky DOS based units with serial cable connections, remember those...wow that seems like a lifetime ago. We then moved on to the palm platform based handhelds like the Symbol 1700 and the Palm 500C and thought we were in heaven! With this we could also do communications via TCPIP through a local secondary network. Little did we know that over a short few years we have escalated to more robust handheld devices that run Windows Mobile 6, have built in bluetooth, Wifi and can be used for a walkie talkie, a phone and the likes of a mini desktop computer that you can carry around with you anywhere you go.

Now that we have been using the network/tcpip method over the last several years it is time to jump once again into the future. Shazam... Welcome to the future HCS WebServices is born! What is this you ask, well I have the answer for you. In an effort to move away from the much dreaded (mostly from IT folks) FTP file transfers HCS WebServices was born! What this method does is eliminate the use of the HCS Workstation by utilizing an internet connection gained by the handheld ticket writer. This can be done via GPRS (cell service) or via bluetooth and wifi connected to an internet port in the office. A few changes to the handheld configuration menu and away you go communicating via the World Wide Web! This opens a lot of doors for you as customers because it frees up a workstation and gives the officers options for communicating from other places in the field where they may be able to get an internet connection on the handheld ticket writer.

If you would like more information or are willing to move to this new method I ask that you let support know by emailing us at support@t2systems.com and we can schedule some time to get you going! I actually would like to get all of our customers upgraded to this method of communications over the next 6 months. I believe in it and feel like it is the future for communications with the handhelds!

Well the games are over and I am back in the home office and normality of life will resume for both myself and the staff in Whistler. I know the By-Law officers are glad to resume normal hours of operations opposed to the 12 hour shifts they have been working the last three weeks.

There were no major parking adventures so to speak and the crowd was very cooperative and followed the rules and regulations. The MC75 handheld ticket writers have done an outstanding job both weather wise as well as ease of use. There were a number of redeployed employees assigned to the By-Law Office that are not normal users who have expressed to me how much they have enjoyed using the units. The hardware has been dependable and the software was self explanatory and easy to use. Now that is something I like to hear!

I was so impressed by the operation of the By-Law office and the entire parking staff at Whistler. What an outstanding job of taking care of business while at the same time being the friendly host to thousands of visitors who converged on the town. The RMO had an excellent plan, regular morning briefings and a commitment to excellence which attributed to the overall success of the operations. 

In the next few weeks Whistler will be changing their setup and moving to the HCS Webservices and Real Time Wireless functionality with the handhelds. They are extremely excited about this new endeavor and feel like it will make their operations much more efficient! 

In closing I would like to say thank you again to Sandra Smith, Jim Watts, their staff, family and friends for making this a great and wonderful experience! Though there was a lot of work involved there was some spare time to enjoy the games as well as the beauty of Whistler-thanks to all of them! If you are ever up for a trip I highly recommend Whistler as your destination.

After spending the last 21 one days in Canada I can officially say I am Somewhat Officially Authentically Canadian! What is that you ask? Well if you can answer 4 out of these 5 questions you too can qualify EH?

1. Which of these is a classic Canadian Icon?
    a. Bread
    b. Beaver
    c. Zebra

2. What are the ingredients of Poutine?
    a. Ice cream, yams, cranberry sauce
    b. Cereal, milk, peanut butter
    c. French Fries, cheese curds, gravy

3. In the flag what do the number of points on the maple leaf signify?
    a. The Provinces and Territories
    b. Lucky number 11
    c. Nothing

4. Complete this sentence:
    Nice weather we're having ____?

5. Which is considered Canada's national summer sport
    a. Lacrosse
    b. Capoeira
    c. Table Tennis

As you know I am here working with the RMO and their parking operations during the Olympic Games where things have been going great! We are in our third and final week of Olympic Operations and the By-Law staff have done an outstanding job regulating and enforcing the parking!

There is however another side to parking here in Whistler which operates from a slightly different perspective. So I thought I would tell you about another one of our T2 Customers based  in Whistler named FastPark! FastPark is a private parking entity owned and operated by Jim Watts. Fastpark picks up where the RMO leaves off around the area and manages approximately 2000 private spaces here in Whistler. Some are owned by Merchant Groups and others by individuals or corporations. The difference here is that the locations Jim is in control of were not obtained by VANOC as were the majority of the Municipal lots.

Jim's main focus is to keep the parking for the merchants free and clear so their patrons can get in and out of the lots to perform business as necessary. One of the largest lots is the Marketplace which is the busiest because of it's close proximity to the Village where a lot of the activities are taking place. The lot has a maximum one hour time limit so there is plenty of work to be done with regards to parking enforcement.

Jim has several tools at his disposal that assist him in his day to day operations. He of course uses T2 Flex for the backend systems and uses the MC75/Oneil handheld ticket writer bundle for the ticket issuance. He uses the Real Time Wireless option on the handhelds as well as the HCS Web Services which gives him direct results that are needed in his operation. He also uses the Verrus system for monitoring paid spaces in the lot and is currently testing the AutoView system as well during the games. Besides himself he also has several full time employees that assist him in the daily operations.

Jim has also been my host family while I am here and I have been staying with him and his family. I want to give a special thank you to him and his family for taking such great care of me while I am here! I also have to give kuddos and a word of admiration for his 11 year old son Reed who is actually a Luge athlete! All I can say is WOW! If you got to watch any of the Luge events as I did and see how fast they go down the track, just imagine the courage and the skill that this young man has. He won a gold medal himself last year and this year in local competitions!

Stay tuned!

The games have begun and the crowds have arrived. Things are in full swing here in Whistler with games, the Village Festivities and the Medal Ceremonies. The weather could be cooperating a little better but the Olympic Spirit is alive and well here no matter what.

The By-Law officers are out in full force with a maximum of ten officers out in the field at any one given time. There have been a few challenges regarding the parking operation here but Whistler is working fast and diligently to correct any problems that occur.

So you think ok, parking is a universal language right? There is the typical space laid out there on the pavement with two lines and the object is to park your vehicle between the two lines. How hard could it be right? Though parking is universal in nature, the laws that regulate them can be significantly different depending on where you go. One big challenge for the officers here in Whistler is the language barrier. There are literally thousands of people from all over the world who can be confused by the simplicity of parking. I use the word simplicity as a pun because we all know from being in the parking business there is nothing simple about parking! The officers however do an absolute fantastic job of explaining things so that whoever they are dealing with can understand.

The second challenge for the officers here has been that VANOC (Vancouver Olympic Committee) has issued parking permits to their vehicles that are being used as well as to other staff and resources. Those permits however are not valid "Park anywhere you want to" permits and are not valid here in Whistler. The officers here do an amazing job of getting the vehicles moved in a courteous and polite manner.

Prior to the Olympics the majority of signage was changed to accommodate the on street parking for the venue. With that local residents, delivery service companies as well as repeat visitors are having to adjust their ways of doing business. Though all were given maps and instructions with their permits there have been some violations written with regards to blatant  misuse of spaces. A few areas have become an issue because of spaces being taken out that are affecting local businesses like hotels and service vehicles, but the RMO By-Law office has quickly made changes to ensure these items were taken care of. In a very fast and timely manner I might add.

The MC75/Oneil handheld bundles are out in full force working to assist the officers with their citation issuance process. We have had several types of weather here including, rain snow, sleet and ice pellets and they have performed without fail each and every day.  Statistically in the past week since the official kick off they have issued 50% less tickets during a one week span then this time last year. Consider however that more then half of their parking has been taken by VANOC for Olympic staging it shows that there is still plenty of work to done here for the enforcement staff.



So stay tuned and check back soon for updates and happenings from here in Whistler.