So, you are a parking organization that is stuck in the 1960's handwriting parking tickets. There's no budget for handheld ticket writers for all of your parking enforcement officers, so some of them use the old ticket book to write up parking violations. Well, as you and I both know, there are often challenges with writing those parking citations; it can be difficult reading the officers' handwriting (especially if it is like mine) and the time and effort required to locate and manually input the data into the parking management system can be significant.
T2's new eTicketBook software eliminates the hassles associated with the handwritten tickets by enabling officers to issue parking citations from their in-vehicle computers and automatically upload the citation data into the T2 Flex parking management system.
Cool alert!! The new eTicketBook software also integrates with AutoVu a mobile license plate recognition (LPR) system developed by Genetec.
Wow...I have no idea what Bob Dylan was trying to say with those words of wisdom(it's a little before my time). However, I think it is pretty cool that someone like Bob Dylan would even reference a parking meter in a song. That being said, let's get to the meat of this blog...
HAPPY 75th BIRTHDAY PARKING METER! Yes, three quarters of a century ago, on July 16, 1935, the parking meter was born in Oklahoma-as was an entire industry. You see, shortly after the first meter was installed, parking tickets came around and of course parking enforcement officers were right there too-only back then, people referred to them as "meter maids".
As seen in some of my previous blogs, joining the parking industry isn't normally your first thought upon earning that college degree, but why not? We have enforcement officers. We work with governments, universities, the private sector and even hospitals. The parking industry is international-just about every country has some sort of parking controls in place. The technology behind parking is constantly being upgraded and tested including things like parking management software, handheld ticket writers, parking pay-by-phone, parking apps for smart phones and of course the new multispace parking meters.
I am pretty sure when Carl Magee developed and installed that first meter, he had no idea he was igniting this industry and in essence changing the world-some think for the better! So, thanks Carl. It is because of you I have a job. And when I tell people I work for a software company that develops parking software, I get that strange look which is always fun.
In my last blog entry, I said I thought I should stick to what I know (technology) and not dive too deeply into the industry side of parking that many people know so much better. I'll be keeping that in mind again today. So last month I went to the IPI (International Parking Institute) Conference and Expo in Las Vegas. This was my second IPI (after a bit over three years working in the technology side of the parking industry).
After seeing everything there, I have to say that I'm proud to work for T2. I knew we had some pretty cool stuff (end of shameless plug), but it really hit home how much T2 stood out in that room. Don't get me wrong. I'm not slamming anybody. I'm just so accustomed to thinking about technology meaning servers and terabytes of storage and hosting an Advanced Parking Solution. That makes it easy to forget that a lot of the industry has nothing to do with computers and that technology in parking often has nothing to do with computers.
T2 sells Parking Garage Software, Parking Citation Collections, Campus Parking Solutions, Handheld Ticket Writers and a whole lot more cool parking Technology. That's all cool stuff and I love working with it, but how cool is it to sell a giant ice melting machine that you can drive around. I may have lots of cool servers with a bunch of cool blinking lights, but I can't push a button to melt a bunch of snow off of a parking lot. That's got to be a lot more fun than making something go away with the delete key. Most interesting to me was all of the technology in that melting machine. It (and a few other booths) made me realize that lots of parking technology has to do with fuel efficiency and reliability without having even one server. That said, I think the melter had a few blinking lights so it still made me smile.
Ok, I don't consider myself a lazy person... I like to walk, bike ride, swim; I always choose the stairs over the elevator (unless we're talking about more than 5 floors of course), and I get peeved whenever I see the same person circling a parking lot or parking garage multiple times just so they can get the closest parking space available. I just think that's ridiculous...by the time they find something, I'm already in the store getting my stuff done!
However, I must admit that there are definitely times when I sooo want to take advantage of the new "mommy" (or should I say "parent") parking spaces that many stores and other areas now provide - even when I don't have my kids with me! How horrible is that?? Have you seen these spaces? They usually are indicated by a drawing on the space that shows a parent with a car seat, stroller or other contraption for transporting your children. And even though my kids aren't with me, the car seats in the back are clearly visible. Would anyone really see me walk out of the car without the kids? Is there an enforcement officer walking the grocery store parking lot with a handheld ticket writer making sure that you really do have your kids with you? Would they really give me a parking ticket or citation?
Believe me, there have been days when I'm so tired and there are clearly no spaces that are close - so I've been tempted to snag one of the "parent" spaces, even without the kids. For those of you who may watch "Desperate Housewives", there was an episode in which one of the wives (Gabby) mis-used her husband's handicapped parking hangtag - just so she could be close and not have to walk far in her high heels. Does my tempatation put me in the same category as her? I certainly hope not!
Let's face it - there are times when we all want to park our car as close to our destination as possible...there are days when we just don't want to walk it. As one who works for a parking management solution provider, I understand the importance of parking rules. That's what keeps me employed! Businesses, cities/municipalities, colleges and universities all need rules, and ways to manage those rules and all of us that park. Why else would there by the need for parking system software, parking permit management systems, access and revenue control systems, and a ton of other parking management solutions?
It's because at the end of the day, we're all selfish - willing to fight, drive around, waste valuable time - and break the rules, in order to snag that coveted close parking space! We all just might as well admit it!
A few months back, T2 Systems entered into a venture with the City of Indianapolis. With Citation Collection Service's (CCS) help, the city opened a new court in which parking violators can protest the fines. The new court is open five days a week and is in an easily accessible building with ample parking (so you don't run the risk of getting more tix).
Well to update everyone, preliminary numbers are in and it appears the pilot program is a huge success. CCS has helped the City of Indy increase parking revenue by 80%!! What's better than that? Come May 1, the City of Indianapolis will double the number of customers they take to court. This can only mean more revenue for the City from those parking tickets.
WAY TO GO CCS!!
Cindy Scheich Collections Manager T2 Systems, Inc.
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!
Recently I was visiting a customer site and I got the chance of a lifetime...I tagged along with parking enforcement officers. Now, some of you are saying "big deal, I do that every day." However, for those of us way, way, way behind the front lines, this was a fantastic experience.
We started out on a street with parking meters and immediately we saw that red light flashing. EXPIRED!! Yes! This is my chance to catch a parking enforcement officer in action. We jumped out of the van rather "COPS"-esque and off we go to issue the parking citation to the violator. We had to work fast, mostly because it was cold. There I was, recording his every move. Wes, the parking enforcement officer, wrote that ticket in a matter of seconds, slid the orange envelope of shame under the wiper blade and away we went, back to the van and on to the next adventure.
Our next parking ticket came on a permitted street. You know, I have no idea how they spotted the violator. I am such a novice. Anyways, the van door slid open and out we jumped, like members of a SWAT team. No permit, YESSSS! This time, Wes took a picture of the illegally parked car with his handheld ticket writer. Nice! That picture will go on to the parking citation in the parking management system which virtually makes the ticket iron clad.
After a few more tickets and a not so happy parker turned violator, we were back at the office. Wow, what a day. I am not too sure how the parking enforcement officers do it on a daily basis. My kudos go out to them!!
I will admit it...I have attempted (very unsuccessfully I might add) to get out of many speeding tickets in my driving career. Yes, I have a lead foot and that has cost me some pretty good money over the years. I have cried. I have used my powers of female persuasion, which come to find out aren't all that persuasive. I even hit rock bottom, I faked being sick. Nothing has saved me from the impending doom.
Parking tickets, on the other hand, I just take as a fact of life. I see the Parking Enforcement Officer coming with their handheld ticket writer and I just know what's coming. So, instead of trying to get out of it, I just accept the parking citation and move on. That's not because I work for a company that produces parking management software, it's because I just don't want to put forth that much effort to avoid the inevitable.
This commercial, however, shows some of the lengths people will go to it avoid that horrible parking citation. I mean really...like it is all that bad. I would much rather pay for a $25 parking ticket than that $180 speeding ticket and 4 points on my license...I'm just sayin'.
I can't believe it's September already - Holy Cow!! That means T2 System's Powerhouse User Group conference is only 2 months away. For those of us in the marketing department, this means we are T minus 60 days from our most important event of the year and we are in high gear - that translates into flying 100 miles per hour with our hair on fire.
What is Powerhouse User Group you might ask? Well it is an opportunity for T2 customers to learn more about T2 Flex, their parking management software. It also gives our customers the opportunity to discover cool new features and hardware offerings. This year, as in years past, our customers will be able to demo the latest in handheld ticket writer options as well as experience a truly unified parking management system. We will even have parking access and revenue control hardware so our customers can see how T2 Flex raises and lowers gates for garages and parking lots.
The conference is not only about discovering new T2 solutions, it is also about networking with other parking professionals to explore new ways of managing parking operations.
I have to end my blog here - have to get some promotional material out for the conference.
Even tho you may not realize this, technology and parking enforcement have always gone hand-in-hand. Is she crazy? might be crossing your mind about now. The short answer is yes, slightly crazy with a tinge of insanity - that's another post though.
Think about it. Parking enforcement was born the same time parking meters arrived on the scene back on July 16, 1935. (Happy 74th Birthday you mechanical parking enforcement Stud, you!) From that day forward, parking technology and parking management have been linked at the hip. When an obstacle presents itself to the industry, a parking solution is developed and the two move forward, hand in hand.
We've seen parking meters grow from those single space mechanical beauties to the sleek, solar powered, credit card enabled, multispace meters that are popping up in cities and on campuses worldwide.
The old handwritten ticket books are becoming a thing of the past with the new handheld parking ticket computers. No longer does a citation have to be tossed out because of a data entry error or illegible handwriting. The tickets are printed from the ticketwriter. Then citations are simply uploaded into a parking management system from the handheld. Done and done!
What does the future hold for parking enforcement and technology? The sky's the limit. But, sticking with a solution, and for that matter a technology based company, that has it's eyes on the future may not be all that bad of an idea.
So...I was shopping in a downtown area and completely lost track of time. Needless to say, when I arrived at my car - bags in hand - I had the “Orange Envelope of Shame” on my windshield. Yep – even though I work for a parking software company - I am not immune to the parking ticket. Well, I threw it in the glove box after some choice words and went on my merry way.
A few weeks later, I received a “nasty gram” in the mail about not paying my ticket. I had completely forgotten to pay that thing. I only go into my glove box for the tire gauge and the occasional “license and registration please” speech. So, out came the checkbook and I dropped my payment – and late fee – in the mail.
You know, more parking organizations, whether they be in a city or a college/university, should employ these tactics. There has got to be gobs of unpaid parking citations out there. That money could help organizations hire more parking enforcement officers, upgrade their parking management software, or purchase new handheld ticketwriters. In all honesty, everyone could benefit from collecting on unpaid tickets during this time of shrinking budgets.
While some parking organizations collect the bad debt themselves, others outsource parking ticket collections to a collection agency. T2 Citation Collection Service (CCS) is an outside collection agency that specializes in collecting that unfound revenue. What’s cool about CCS? The parking organization can outsource what they want and keep what they want. So if the organization wants to send the first letter reminding the offender of their citation, they can. Then when the offender doesn’t pay, the parking organization can turn it over to CCS to do the dirty work. It is just that simple.
Long story short, if people would just pay their parking ticket on time, we wouldn’t need to employ these practices. However, as both you and I know – and is evidenced by my tardy ticket – things happen. A little nudge in the right direction can keep the revenue flowing in, especially in the current economic climate.
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!
So...I was shopping in a downtown area and completely lost track of time. Needless to say, when I arrived at my car - bags in hand - I had the “Orange Envelope of Shame” on my windshield. Yep – even though I work for a parking software company - I am not immune to the parking ticket. Well, I threw it in the glove box after some choice words and went on my merry way.
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