City of Austin

Innovative Parking Solutions
for the City of Austin and ABM

Who’s Involved

Jim Lyons, Branch Manager at ABM
Mark Garcia, Facility Manager at ABM for Indeed Tower
David Dale, Parking Services Manager, City of Austin

Customer Takeaways

ABM and the City of Austin experienced significant operational improvements and customer satisfaction with ParkHub’s SmartPass and digital wayfinding technologies.

The SmartPass campaign worked so well we are now at capacity!

[ParkHub’s] SmartPass Product allowed us to sell flexible parking options for flexible workweeks.

[ParkHub] gave us the ability to gather and push occupancy data to our wayfinding systems without the expense and maintenance of a space-by-space counting system.

Summary

The City of Austin, Texas, was facing parking challenges from rapid changes in urban mobility and work patterns. Working with ABM, which manages the City’s Indeed Tower Garage, the City of Austin needed to address traffic congestion from the search for parking spaces and shifting demand for traditional monthly parking contracts. 

A previous attempt to relieve congestion with digital parking occupancy display signs at two locations, Central Library Garage and Central City Garage, proved unsuccessful. The City abandoned the signs when parking administrators were unable to integrate them with their parking system data.

ParkHub stepped in to address these challenges with two innovative solutions: the SmartPass system for flexible parking options and a cutting-edge digital wayfinding system for real-time parking availability. These solutions enhanced operational efficiency, reduced traffic congestion, and improved user satisfaction.

The Challenge

The pandemic created a shift in desire for monthly parking contracts and increase in the need for flexible parking options for flexible work weeks. 

Complex parking systems did not allow for necessary predictive analytics, leaving two large digital parking signs unused.

Urban traffic congestion in the City center left drivers frustrated by the search for parking spaces.

The Solution

Flexible Pass Options

The SmartPass Solution allowed for various parking options that cater to the new, flexible work week.
This system enabled ABM to offer parking spaces more efficiently without dedicating spots to individual users,
ultimately leading to full occupancy at the Indeed Tower Garage.

Unified Data

ABM collaborated with ParkHub to assimilate parking data for the Central Library Garage and Central City Garage.
Smarking BI eliminated the need for daily parking reconciliations and employed a machine learning algorithm
to precisely recalibrate garage occupancy counts.

Reduced Stress

In collaboration with ParkHub, ABM and the City of Austin deployed digital signs to display real-time parking availability,
reducing the time drivers spent searching for parking and urban traffic congestion.

The Results

Full Occupancy Achieved

By leveraging ParkHub’s SmartPass, ABM’s Indeed Tower Garage reached full occupancy, showcasing the effectiveness of flexible parking solutions in meeting modern demands.

Graph showing revenue increase after flexible pass options became available
Graph showing revenue increase after flexible pass options became available

Reduced Urban Congestion

The introduction of digital wayfinding signs significantly decreased the time drivers spent looking for parking, contributing to a smoother flow of urban traffic and increased resident satisfaction.

Operational Efficiency

Both solutions streamlined parking management processes, reducing the need for manual interventions and optimizing the use of parking resources.

In Conclusion

The implementation of ParkHub’s SmartPass and digital wayfinding solutions by the City of Austin and ABM highlights
the importance of adapting to changing needs. These innovations enhanced parking management efficiency and
improved the overall experience for drivers.

Learn More

With integrated payments, devices, and business intelligence, ParkHub is paving the road to a brighter digital future. On that road, ParkHub customers are driving away from cash, quickly and seamlessly.