As you know T2 Systems develops parking solutions. We offer software like permit management and access control, we offer equipment like revenue control equipment and handheld ticket writers and we also offer parking ticket collection services through CCS. Who do we offer those products to? Glad you asked, last year at our annual User Group conference we put together a short video concentrating on our customer successes. We did this because we wouldn't be here without our customers and we wanted to highlight a few facts and figures from them. Feel free to watch the T2 Customer Success video:
Gas in the Indianapolis area reached $4 a gallon (most stations are hovering at $3.99 currently), and I’m already noticing myself doing things to save fuel. Combining trips, making an effort to take our most efficient car when we can, and asking “do we really need to go?” or “Sure it may be a couple dollars more at the local store, but we’ll spend that in gas driving to the city.” While we’ll feel a pinch in the budget, we pay by credit card at the pump and will continue to fill up our cars, however unhappy it makes us.
Lots of people, however, don’t have that luxury. When the cash runs out it’s out. Period. Regardless of what day of the month it is. So the first thing that goes is the discretionary spending. Rather than going downtown for an evening and paying for parking and a nice dinner, folks stay at home. Concert tickets and the expenses associated (along with parking)? Discretionary spending. Last time gas prices hit $4 a gallon, my wife started car-pooling to work with 2 other ladies. For over a year, they shared a single spot in a parking garage. Currently, their schedules aren’t “jiving” to carpool (funny that happened when gas was $2.50 a gallon), but I hear her talking about getting the carpool back together.
What happens when gas hits $5 a gallon like some “experts” are predicting? Is your business ready for less traffic or fighting harder for the traffic that you can get? What if there’s a major shift to micro cars, scooters, bicycles or even public transportation in your area? What can you do to maintain a loyal and happy customer base?
Sometimes the first reaction to less traffic is to lower your prices. Before you do this, ask yourself why? What are the competitors doing, are your prices in line with theirs? Parking is a commodity to the average person, so a better deal will get their attention if all other things are equal, but why keep all other things equal? If your lot or garage is better lit and monitored than the next guy’s, there’s value to that. Are your people friendlier and more professional than the next guy’s? Rather than cutting your prices, how about rewarding people for referrals, or offer loyalty rewards of some sort?
Yeah all those things may cost something. But what about a warm “We really appreciate your business, Mrs. Jones”? Simple things like that can make a commodity seem like a relationship. If gas hits $5 a gallon, things could definitely change. The more prepared you are, the more successful you’ll be.
Jim Peters
Project Manager
T2 Systems, Inc.
You know, we Americans have it really pretty easy...parking included. Yeah, we complain about having to pay for parking and when we don't, we complain about having to pay that parking ticket. But really for the most part, we are pretty lucky. We have technology to help us find parking spaces, automatic access control and revenue control facilities to get us parked quicker and for the most part, we have paved lots and garages.
Recently, I was in Roatan, Honduras and snapped this photo of a parking lot. I tried to be the good T2 corporate citizen and sell them a new parking management system, but they weren't biting. Maybe next time... :)
Recently, I was in Roatan, Honduras and snapped this photo of a parking lot. I tried to be the good T2 corporate citizen and sell them a new parking management system, but they weren't biting. Maybe next time... :)
Okay, so lately I have been spending a rather high percentage of my time at the amusement parks of central Florida. The weather has been beautiful and I just like to get out and about...people watch so to speak. What amazes me though, is the parking operations at the different parks. For example, the Disney parks use manned lots to control parking. You pay your $14 fee to gain entrance to the attendant and follow the cones until you get to the designated parking row where several additional parking attendants guide you into your space for the day - ones even on a Segway (which I think is really cool, but...I digress). The same work flow happens over at Universal Studios with one exception, you get to park in a parking garage instead of having the sun beat down on your car in a lot. Other than that, everything is the same - okay no Segway here but everything else is the same.
So I guess what I am getting at is, aren't they even the least bit worried about having that much cash exchange hands without some kind of control? I mean, yeah most times I go through the gates, the parking attendant rings up the money in the cash register so there is no question. But I am sure there are times when it is busy that the cashier doesn't ring up a transaction, for the sake of saving time. I think this would be a perfect location to have a parking management system. Maybe something like T2's PermitNOW (shameless plug inserted here!) I mean, in order for the parking permits to be printed, a transaction has to take place. So whether the customer is paying by cash or credit card, the parking attendant runs it through the handheld ticket writer and out comes a parking permit for the day. The beauty of this is, since payment has to be made in order to generate a parking permit, everything is trackable through the parking management software on the back end.
Well, seeing as Disney has been in business for a few decades, I guess they probably have this parking thing down, but I say, there is always room for improvement:)
So I guess what I am getting at is, aren't they even the least bit worried about having that much cash exchange hands without some kind of control? I mean, yeah most times I go through the gates, the parking attendant rings up the money in the cash register so there is no question. But I am sure there are times when it is busy that the cashier doesn't ring up a transaction, for the sake of saving time. I think this would be a perfect location to have a parking management system. Maybe something like T2's PermitNOW (shameless plug inserted here!) I mean, in order for the parking permits to be printed, a transaction has to take place. So whether the customer is paying by cash or credit card, the parking attendant runs it through the handheld ticket writer and out comes a parking permit for the day. The beauty of this is, since payment has to be made in order to generate a parking permit, everything is trackable through the parking management software on the back end.
Well, seeing as Disney has been in business for a few decades, I guess they probably have this parking thing down, but I say, there is always room for improvement:)
Working with Advanced Parking Solutions every day can change your perspective. I've been with T2 Systems for almost four years now and the time has just flown by. This week we were having a technical discussion about some possible enhancements to the features in the eBusiness (parker-facing) portion of T2's suite of Parking System Software and it reminded me of my first day at T2.
On my first day at T2, I got the first and only parking ticket of my life. Yeah, that's what I said. I'd never gotten a parking ticket before being hired at T2 and I haven't gotten one since. That's probably a combination of me being a conformist detail-oriented rule-follower, and living in the suburbs where there just isn't a lot of parking enforcement going on. There aren't exactly a lot of parking garages in my neighborhood.
For the record, I totally deserved the parking ticket. I parked in a two-hour zone and got stuck for a lot longer than I expected. I didn't make it back to my car for almost four hours. The parking ticket was a whopping $10. Thinking back on that now, I'm surprised how old-school the ticket was. It wasn't produced using an electronic handheld ticket writer. It was pen on two-part-carbonless paper. No parking ticket computer for them. Pure no-tech.
The really frustrating part was that the city parking solution was entirely manual. Not just the ticket writing. The whole darn thing. I had to pay $10 in cash ONLY and I had to pay it in person within 7 days. Oh, and the parking office was already closed for the day. If only they had given me a way to pay online, I'd have done it right then and there. I'd even have paid a few extra bucks to save the extra trip back to pay the fine.
At the end of the day, it just goes to show that there are a lot more places than need good parking enforcement systems and that following the rules works well for me.
On my first day at T2, I got the first and only parking ticket of my life. Yeah, that's what I said. I'd never gotten a parking ticket before being hired at T2 and I haven't gotten one since. That's probably a combination of me being a conformist detail-oriented rule-follower, and living in the suburbs where there just isn't a lot of parking enforcement going on. There aren't exactly a lot of parking garages in my neighborhood.
For the record, I totally deserved the parking ticket. I parked in a two-hour zone and got stuck for a lot longer than I expected. I didn't make it back to my car for almost four hours. The parking ticket was a whopping $10. Thinking back on that now, I'm surprised how old-school the ticket was. It wasn't produced using an electronic handheld ticket writer. It was pen on two-part-carbonless paper. No parking ticket computer for them. Pure no-tech.
The really frustrating part was that the city parking solution was entirely manual. Not just the ticket writing. The whole darn thing. I had to pay $10 in cash ONLY and I had to pay it in person within 7 days. Oh, and the parking office was already closed for the day. If only they had given me a way to pay online, I'd have done it right then and there. I'd even have paid a few extra bucks to save the extra trip back to pay the fine.
At the end of the day, it just goes to show that there are a lot more places than need good parking enforcement systems and that following the rules works well for me.
Over the holidays, I piled the family into the car and took about a 350 mile trip to take in a hockey game and some museums. It’s something we’d like to do every year, but it turns out to be about every third year we get to do it. So we’re in a town we’re not entirely familiar with, and need a place to park for the game. We find a likely garage, and I watch as cars are turning wide into the next lane in order to make the 90 degree turn into the entrance. One car stops, puts it in reverse to get a better angle, and nearly backs into the car in front of us. I make the wide turn, get into the lane and try to pay the attendant.
“You pay at the office” is what I hear as he waves me on.
Even for someone in the parking industry that statement left me confused. Questions run through my mind, “Where is the office, do I buy a permit and display it, or can I just pay on the way out?” Well, I’ll find a place to park, follow the crowd and figure it out from there. So we follow the crowd to the elevator, and there are several people standing around. I’m staring at the unlit “down” button for a few seconds, and I can’t stand it anymore, I have to press it. I do, nothing happens and I hear a few snickers from the crowd, and a “Yeah, I tried that too.” The crowd starts to disperse toward the staircase, we follow in step.
The stairs lead out to the street, where we have to cross the incoming cars trying to wiggle into the entrance lane. From there, we see the “office” – a glassed in area with a couple of Pay on Foot machines. I pay for my parking, get a ticket and wonder “Do I need to display this, or is it my ticket out?” I watch the crowd leave the “office” and head toward the stadium, so I decide it’s my ticket out.
We have a great time at the game, our team won and the stadium is incredible. We return to the staircase that we took down, and realize there is no door handle on the outside. Luckily someone steps out as we are standing there, so I grab the door and we climb the stairs. We wait patiently as the crowd works its way out of the parking garage, watch as a few cars stop and the driver runs to the office to pay for parking while everyone else is waiting. I approach where I expect to insert my ticket, and there is an attendant there, taking the tickets and pressing the gate open button. I pull out, and immediately curb a tire on the way out. What a great day to be working in parking. There has to be a better way!
Jim Peters, Project Manager, T2 Systems Inc.
I just returned from my first on-site customer consulting engagement since joining T2 Systems. I met with Jennifer, Dianne, Dennis, Kevin and many of the staff members at Western Kentucky University to discuss how they are using T2 Flex, what we could streamline and what current functionality is available but not being used. It was an enlightening experience for all involved, including me. Before my arrival they provided me with a list of processes they wanted to review prioritized by “It’s broken and we need to fix it”, “It works but can we make it better”, a “wish list” of things they were not doing in Flex but would like to be, and “Best Practices” – how is everyone else doing it.
I was extremely impressed by the integrity of their database. They run daily queries and reports to connect permits, vehicles, citations and customer records. No stone is left unturned when it comes to matching responsible customers to charges and they use all resources available to them including RoVR, student records, payroll records and appeals filed.
During my two day visit I was able to observe the day-to-day activities and challenges and talk with staff who had carved time out specifically to review business practices. We found ways to prioritize wait lists using custom fields which will allow them to more fully take advantage of this feature in T2 Flex. We identified the difference between a pre-paid citation and a pre-entered citation which will allow WKU to accomplish the intent of getting the boot information in Flex without causing errors when the handheld ticket writer downloads the same citation but also without attaching a financial transaction when no payments have been collected. We also identified records that could be marked historical to save on screen real estate and processing resources which in turn save time. And what trip to a Parking Office is complete without the sharing of Appeals? Just as I remember – you can’t impound my car, I’m tenured faculty; I had to park close to the door because I had to go to the bathroom (yes, I cleaned it up a little for this blog); and I’m doing my part by riding a bike, you shouldn’t charge me for chaining it to the handrail.
While I was able to use my 12 years experience in the parking business and with the T2 products to offer suggestions, they challenged me with “How can we do this better?” at every turn. A lot has changed in the product since they implemented in 2005 and like most of you; business as usual has prohibited WKU from reassessing the capabilities provided by Flex.
If your department is interested in an in-depth review of your current business practices incorporating any changes since your implementation and suggestions to improve efficiency, contact your Account Manager or the Training Department at T2 Systems. So…on to my report for WKU.
LaDonna SloanTraining Specialist
T2 Systems, Inc.
I've spent the past 8.5 years in parking, and have seen many sides of campus parking solutions. The one that usually brings me an "instant bond" with our customers is the 2 years or so that I spent handling citation appeals.
Aside from being a key component of parking citation management, citation appeals can also provide a delightful source of entertainment. Whether it be the employee who threatened my life from the same "anonymous" email address he used to file his appeal, or the grad student who provided photographic evidence that there were no "No Parking" signs where he had left his vehicle. Granted, his vehicle was 20 feet back from the sidewalk next to the tree line, but he was technically correct.
My personal favorite is still one undergrad who didn't seem to grasp the notion that what she put in an email could come back to haunt her down the line. After offering up several creative activities I could perform upon myself with a BBQ fork, she then followed up by informing me that she had "broken more than her fair share of gate arms over the years" and inviting me to "just try and prove that!" So I hit reply, CCed the dean of students, and sent her the one-word reply of "Done." I miss those crazy kids sometimes.
I think that if I were still working in the operational side of campus parking solutions, I'd have to take advantage of some of the broader functionality offered by today's parking system software. Perhaps a custom field added to appeals records where you could rate them by the creativity of their appeal? Then, when I needed a little pick-me-up, I could run a query to find all my favorites.
I left those appeals behind when I came to T2, but I still have that grad student's picture on the wall above my desk. Just a little reminder that, no matter how delusional, those folks really did believe they were in a legal space. . .
Aside from being a key component of parking citation management, citation appeals can also provide a delightful source of entertainment. Whether it be the employee who threatened my life from the same "anonymous" email address he used to file his appeal, or the grad student who provided photographic evidence that there were no "No Parking" signs where he had left his vehicle. Granted, his vehicle was 20 feet back from the sidewalk next to the tree line, but he was technically correct.
My personal favorite is still one undergrad who didn't seem to grasp the notion that what she put in an email could come back to haunt her down the line. After offering up several creative activities I could perform upon myself with a BBQ fork, she then followed up by informing me that she had "broken more than her fair share of gate arms over the years" and inviting me to "just try and prove that!" So I hit reply, CCed the dean of students, and sent her the one-word reply of "Done." I miss those crazy kids sometimes.
I think that if I were still working in the operational side of campus parking solutions, I'd have to take advantage of some of the broader functionality offered by today's parking system software. Perhaps a custom field added to appeals records where you could rate them by the creativity of their appeal? Then, when I needed a little pick-me-up, I could run a query to find all my favorites.
I left those appeals behind when I came to T2, but I still have that grad student's picture on the wall above my desk. Just a little reminder that, no matter how delusional, those folks really did believe they were in a legal space. . .
I remember getting my first parking ticket - I knew it was coming long before it ever arrived on my windshield and it was gut wrenching knowing it would be there when I returned to my vehicle.
Let's just say my keys went missing one night while enjoying a good time among friends in lovely downtown Boulder. Thankfully I had a friend drive me home anyway, but when I went to go get my car the next morning I had no keys. Although I desperately tried to return before the parking meter enforcement began, I wasn't able to coordinate a ride and a locksmith in time. Reality sunk in that I'd be receiving my first ever parking ticket.
This is not a big deal, right? Now, you've forgotten where I said I was - Boulder. Parking tickets ARE a big deal! Ultimately I decided I should pay it and not make this a huge moment in history. I wanted to pay online as I thought many city parking solutions allow for that. Much to my disappointment an online payment option was not available, so I mailed in a check (on time, mind you).
Little did I know at the time it would be a foreshadow of my future career. A year or two later I went to work for the city and was heavily involved in the implementation of a new parking ticket management system. I worked very closely with our vendor, T2 Systems in making sure our new parking management system was successful - including offering online citation payments and appeals. I loved working in T2 Flex and taking the trainings offered by T2 that not only increased my knowledge about Flex but also all the available reporting options.
Not a long time later I found myself working at T2! I love sharing my personal experience working with a parking management system as a customer while introducing new concepts to our clients such as an online parking payment system (which Boulder now has - thanks to T2!).
Let's just say my keys went missing one night while enjoying a good time among friends in lovely downtown Boulder. Thankfully I had a friend drive me home anyway, but when I went to go get my car the next morning I had no keys. Although I desperately tried to return before the parking meter enforcement began, I wasn't able to coordinate a ride and a locksmith in time. Reality sunk in that I'd be receiving my first ever parking ticket.
This is not a big deal, right? Now, you've forgotten where I said I was - Boulder. Parking tickets ARE a big deal! Ultimately I decided I should pay it and not make this a huge moment in history. I wanted to pay online as I thought many city parking solutions allow for that. Much to my disappointment an online payment option was not available, so I mailed in a check (on time, mind you).
Little did I know at the time it would be a foreshadow of my future career. A year or two later I went to work for the city and was heavily involved in the implementation of a new parking ticket management system. I worked very closely with our vendor, T2 Systems in making sure our new parking management system was successful - including offering online citation payments and appeals. I loved working in T2 Flex and taking the trainings offered by T2 that not only increased my knowledge about Flex but also all the available reporting options.
Not a long time later I found myself working at T2! I love sharing my personal experience working with a parking management system as a customer while introducing new concepts to our clients such as an online parking payment system (which Boulder now has - thanks to T2!).
Recently I was talking the manager of the company that cleans our office building about facility security to insure that they were following all appropriate security procedures in our space. During that discussion, he told me a story about one of their employees that had a very bad day. The cleaning company has a company-wide policy against propping open doors (even for just a minute). This policy exists to protect their clients as well as their employees. One of their employees didn't follow that policy one night. He had a bunch of boxes to carry out to the dumpster and wanted to do it as quickly as possible. With all of the best intentions, he propped open the door figuring that it would only be for a few minutes. Unfortunately for him, some "bad guys" saw him do that. While he was inside getting a load of boxes, they came in, beat him badly enough to subdue him, and then stole a bunch of computers from the office he was cleaning. Fortunately he fully recovered physically. Unfortunately, his company had to fire him that same day for violating security policies and causing the cleaning company’s client to be victimized because of that violation. Double ouch.
So what does that have to do with Parking, Parking System Software, and Parking Access and Revenue Control? It is all about balancing security with convenience and expediency. Lots of parking facilities accept credit cards. If you take credit cards, you’re subject to PCI compliance rules. Much like the unfortunate employee in the cleaning crew, if you take shortcuts that compromise security, your parking facility could face some rather severe consequences. A parking lot can't be beat up or fired, but your bank could take away your ability to accept credit cards, you could be subject to fines and even huge civil penalties resulting from a credit-card related security breach. When an important or valued customer asks you to "just keep their credit card on file" or emails you their credit card information, it is tempting (and often good customer service) to just do what they ask. Unfortunately, like our ill-fated cleaner, doing that can get you in a lot of trouble.
The key is finding a way to balance good service and following good security practices. Unfortunately, security and convenience are inversely related. It is a heck of a lot more convenient to leave your home unlocked rather than fumble with keys when you come home in the dark with your arms full of groceries, kids, or both, but most of us don’t do that. We lock our homes (and often arm alarm systems) because we want and need to take reasonable precautions to keep our homes safe.
T2 Systems has recently completed our PCI-DSS Assessment to become a Service Provider. As a result of that project, we have been listed on the Visa Global List of PCI DSS Validated Service Providers (http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/cisp-list-of-pcidss-compliant-service-providers.pdf). This is a long, complicated, expensive process, but it was well worth it for us and for our customers. By T2 being a PCI-DSS Service Provider, our Advanced Parking Solutions customers have a lot less PCI-related work ahead of them by using the integrated Parking Payment Systems within our products. Our customers still can’t keep credit card numbers on post-it notes, but they have a whole lot less computer system work to do. Regardless of whether or not you are a T2 Systems customer, diligence with credit cards is critical. Credit card breaches typically don’t result in physical beatings, but if you have to deal with a breach, you may almost envy the guy that was only beat up and fired.
So what does that have to do with Parking, Parking System Software, and Parking Access and Revenue Control? It is all about balancing security with convenience and expediency. Lots of parking facilities accept credit cards. If you take credit cards, you’re subject to PCI compliance rules. Much like the unfortunate employee in the cleaning crew, if you take shortcuts that compromise security, your parking facility could face some rather severe consequences. A parking lot can't be beat up or fired, but your bank could take away your ability to accept credit cards, you could be subject to fines and even huge civil penalties resulting from a credit-card related security breach. When an important or valued customer asks you to "just keep their credit card on file" or emails you their credit card information, it is tempting (and often good customer service) to just do what they ask. Unfortunately, like our ill-fated cleaner, doing that can get you in a lot of trouble.
The key is finding a way to balance good service and following good security practices. Unfortunately, security and convenience are inversely related. It is a heck of a lot more convenient to leave your home unlocked rather than fumble with keys when you come home in the dark with your arms full of groceries, kids, or both, but most of us don’t do that. We lock our homes (and often arm alarm systems) because we want and need to take reasonable precautions to keep our homes safe.
T2 Systems has recently completed our PCI-DSS Assessment to become a Service Provider. As a result of that project, we have been listed on the Visa Global List of PCI DSS Validated Service Providers (http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/cisp-list-of-pcidss-compliant-service-providers.pdf). This is a long, complicated, expensive process, but it was well worth it for us and for our customers. By T2 being a PCI-DSS Service Provider, our Advanced Parking Solutions customers have a lot less PCI-related work ahead of them by using the integrated Parking Payment Systems within our products. Our customers still can’t keep credit card numbers on post-it notes, but they have a whole lot less computer system work to do. Regardless of whether or not you are a T2 Systems customer, diligence with credit cards is critical. Credit card breaches typically don’t result in physical beatings, but if you have to deal with a breach, you may almost envy the guy that was only beat up and fired.
We did it! We made it through another User Group conference. And what a User Group it was! We held it at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa in Phoenix, AZ which was an absolutely awesome location. Beautiful, serene mountains to look out on after a hard day of informative sessions.
Speaking of sessions, our instructors really knocked it out of the park this year. We covered T2 Flex, T2 Flex access and revenue control, handhelds and Crystal Reports to name a few. We also had a special "Customer Says" track where our customer presenters spoke on some of their solutions and how they are used in everyday situations. This track proved invaluable to the attendees and was a huge success.
We also had our vendor partners demonstrating everything from handheld ticket writers to access control gate arms. There was even a paystation in the "See it Live" area. Pretty impressive and the customers loved being able to check out the new options and speak with the representatives.
All in all, we had a fantastic time and can't wait till next year when we come home to Indy. No, it won't be as warm as Phoenix, but it will be a guaranteed great time since we are on our home turf!
See you all November 8-10, 2011!!
Speaking of sessions, our instructors really knocked it out of the park this year. We covered T2 Flex, T2 Flex access and revenue control, handhelds and Crystal Reports to name a few. We also had a special "Customer Says" track where our customer presenters spoke on some of their solutions and how they are used in everyday situations. This track proved invaluable to the attendees and was a huge success.
We also had our vendor partners demonstrating everything from handheld ticket writers to access control gate arms. There was even a paystation in the "See it Live" area. Pretty impressive and the customers loved being able to check out the new options and speak with the representatives.
All in all, we had a fantastic time and can't wait till next year when we come home to Indy. No, it won't be as warm as Phoenix, but it will be a guaranteed great time since we are on our home turf!
See you all November 8-10, 2011!!
Hello! I found this on a list serv and thought it was something one doesn't see too often...a poetic interpretation of language typically seen in parking enforcement.
Anyone in the Cambridge area, feel free to check it out!
Anyone in the Cambridge area, feel free to check it out!
Cambridge Artist-in-Residence Sees Poetry in Traffic Enforcement
The Cambridge Arts Council (CAC) and the Department of Traffic, Parking and Transportation (TPT) are jointly presenting a public art project from September 7 - November 17, 2010 by artist Daniel Peltz that offers a poetic interpretation of language typically used in parking enforcement.
As artist-in-residence with the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department for a week in January 2010, the artist shadowed TPT workers and interviewed employees in a variety of roles. As a result of this experience, Peltz was "struck by the complex humanity, warmth and humor" in the staff of the department, something missing from the world of the parking regulations they are charged with enforcing.
Throughout the spring, Peltz developed his project, entitled Crossing Non-Signalized Locations, into a suite of four actions that bring wonder and curiosity to the language of parking regulations: (1) several new street signs designed by the artist and placed in unlikely locations around the City for the next few months to be discovered and pondered;
(2) a re-designed parking ticket envelope that introduces a series of yoga postures for giving and receiving parking citations, inviting us to imagine a more peaceful exchange between Parking Control Officers and car owners; (3) "10,000 Excuses", a large-scale wall drawing in the CAC Gallery (2nd floor of the City Hall Annex), composed from the archive of "excuses" residents have written and submitted in past parking disputes
-- City staff and the public may choose an anonymous "excuse" and re-write it on the wall, transforming the archive into a composite portrait of life in the city; (4) a fictional parking regulation authorizing "soft-booting," in which a stuffed fabric parking "boot" is fabricated in the atrium near the TPT offices.
Cars and the spaces they use are a significant feature of our City, necessarily regulated to ensure the efficient flow of urban activity.
The relationship between municipal authority and the public around parking enforcement is rich with expressive language and emotion. In supporting the ability of artists to offer a new perspective on our lives, the Department of Traffic, Parking and Transportation and the Cambridge Arts Council invite all residents to experience and participate in this unique public art project, Crossing Non-Signalized Locations.
A reception with the artist present will be held at the Cambridge Arts Council's CAC Gallery (344 Broadway) on Tuesday, September 7, from 6-8 p.m. For more information, call 617-349-4389 or visit:
www.cambridgema.gov/CAC/ <http://www.cambridgeartscouncil.org/> and click on the Of, By and For Link.
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.
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.
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.
1. A parking space is like a lawsuit... once you get one you don't want to lose it.
2. Parking at the mall is like the waiting room of a psychiatrist... a collection of people seeking validation.
3. A parking ticket is like bird poop... someting undesirable that shows up unexpectedly on your windshield.
4. Being a parking manager is like a squirrel getting ready to hibernate... you've got to keep track of a zillion nuts.
5. Parking is like paint-by-numbers... results are best when you stay inside the lines.
6. A parking meter is like a pet dog... if you don't feed it then it could come back to bite you later.
7. A manual parking operation is like the BP oil spill... leakage everywhere, no accountability, and a mess that will take years to clean up!
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!
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 news station out in Los Angeles was doing a spot on what cars to drive where when a parking enforcement officer decides to rain on their parade. Even after being told the parking spaces were paid for, she continued to do her job and issue parking tickets. I say good for her to stick to the rules!!
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!
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!
The IPI Tradeshow opened this morning and right from the start we were busy with demos of T2 Flex, PermitNow and our handheld ticket writers. This year we have two new tools to demonstrate as well. Of course, our new T2 Revenue Control hardware is creating quite a buzz on the tradeshow floor. T2 is also debuting a new integration with Genetec as well as an eTicketing solution where parking enforcement officers can write and issue parking tickets from a laptop computer.
It has been a big year for T2 Systems and we aren't even half way through...stay tuned for more from IPI.
It has been a big year for T2 Systems and we aren't even half way through...stay tuned for more from IPI.
On many occasions I will hear of the person who hit the accelerator instead of the brake when parking their car. Sometimes, this action takes them into the ice cream aisle of their local grocery store or through the windows of the car dealership. However, I had no idea parking could be this dangerous and death defying:
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