It’s 11:15 a.m. on a Tuesday morning. Todd Tucker is sitting at his desk, sipping his second coffee of the morning. He’s finishing up a phone call with his signature grin, messaging his 11:30 that he’s running five minutes late, and turning to give his attention to a sales rep seeking guidance. Todd is trying to change the world of parking. He has a vision of a world where every parking lot everywhere has access to simple, affordable parking technology. And he’s making it happen one relationship, one sensor, and one smile at a time.
Sensors are everywhere. They’re in our phones, our cars, healthcare devices, manufacturing plants, traffic lights, space satellites, and of course, parking lots. Sensors are an integral part of the internet of things (IoT), and by the end of the decade there will be trillions of them around the world.
We’ve all seen sensor technology used by parking lots with the red and green lights indicating where we can and can’t park. But for Todd, the benefits of parking sensor systems aren’t just for the elaborate, expensive red and green lights. They’re for every parking lot, everywhere.
Todd has more than 30 years of experience in the parking, transportation, and mobility industry and is a respected veteran in the market. He’s a visionary leader and that vision took flight when he encountered Parking Logix occupancy management technologies. While parking guidance systems are not a novel concept in the parking landscape, Parking Logix systems are unlike any other Todd had previously encountered, and in truth, their approach is different than anyone in the marketplace.
When speaking to people about parking guidance, even veterans who are in the industry for decades, the first response Todd almost always hears is “oh, that’s just for airports.” The general consensus, Todd notes, is that parking guidance costs hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars and is for elite industry verticals with massive budgets.
But the Parking Logix system is completely different. The parking counting technologies the company offers solve complex parking challenges with scalable, affordable, hybrid solutions. And Todd is sure they belong in every lot, everywhere.
These sensors, used in the company’s proprietary OpenSpace systems, are filling an unaddressed niche in the parking industry. They offer parking guidance that’s relatively inexpensive and can be used in any type of parking environment from simple one lot locations to complex campuses with multiple indoor and outdoor parking lots.
What makes the technologies so unique is that every type of parking lot can use them. Every lot owner wants to maximize their parking spaces, boost revenues, yield manage and improve customer experiences, but they can’t do that with solutions that are cost prohibitive. New technologies are breaking the mold of traditional guidance systems.
Instead of a culture where only vast companies can afford parking counting, these new technologies can equip any parking lot with parking counting and guidance technology. And the effect flows downstream with endless benefits beyond better managed parking. Drivers can find parking faster, avoiding stress and frustration. Carbon emissions are reduced as fewer cars circulate in search for parking. The data created is included in larger platforms like modii, mapping & navigation platforms, EV charging networks, and more, to improve customer experiences and add new data points for many use cases. In an industry where data is priceless, the additions of these data points have vast impact to revenue and expense control.
In so many industries, technology and IoT reign supreme. But much of parking has often been left behind, other than expensive technologies that few lots can afford. But with these affordable technologies, parking can be streamlined and managed smarter using IoT sensors. And the fact that they’re affordable doesn’t mean they’re targeted at only small set-ups or single lots. In fact, Parking Logix systems are being used at Fortune 500 companies, hospitals, national parks, malls, airports, major event venues and more. As Todd puts it, everyone wants smart, affordable solutions. If they have the option to streamline parking and better manage their parking resources most cost-efficiently, why should they spend more to reach the same results?”
His passion is contagious and the sales team exudes it as they meet with airports, city officials, parking operators, major venues, healthcare garage managers and more. Parking is full of complex challenges to solve, and the company’s technology is up to task. They’re innovating and growing and addressing dynamic parking challenges like how to properly monitor and police EV parking spaces or offer dynamic pricing in real time.
The company currently offers three different parking technologies including magnetic sensors (magnetometers), Lidar/laser sensors, and AI camera systems. All of them optimize wayfinding, boost revenue, and maximize parking usage. They’re also all affordable and simple to deploy and can be used in a broad range of indoor and outdoor parking settings. They also can be used in limitless bespoke combinations together for any scenario.
The next step on Todd’s journey to parking sensors in every lot is to integrate parking data with apps, maps, and navigation systems. The company already has its own app, the Mobile Parker app, and also offers robust API integration that allows users to access availability data via third party apps such as parking apps or third party platforms/dashboards like modii, Amano, or others. But Todd wants to see the data accessible in Google and Apple Maps and on navigation dashboards. And he doesn’t see that as much of a hurdle.
“In the direction we’re headed, at the rate of growth we’re seeing, ubiquity isn’t far away.” Todd comments.
The company is also doing its part to help the environment. Carbon emissions are a growing concern in recent years and OpenSpace counting systems drastically help reduce those emissions by reducing the time spend with cars circulating in search of spots. And while the growth of EV usage is nothing short of phenomenal, technologies are needed to guide EV drivers to designated parking spots with chargers. And OpenSpace technologies are doing just that.
EV charger parking spots are premium real estate in parking lots, and, Todd believes, should be treated as such. Likewise for spots near the elevator or close to a mall entrance. Just as other industries, such as airlines and hotels, charge more for premium spots, there’s no reason parking lots can’t do the same. And with OpenSpace sensors sharing data with lot owners, it’s easy to identify higher demand and price dynamically based on that data.
Ultimately, although he believes that while sensors should be in every lot, there is seldom one solution that satisfies all. “Selling everyone the same thing just doesn’t make sense,” he comments. “Different parking configurations and environments need different solutions and we’re cognizant of that. It’s why we offer our customers a choice of different technologies to see what best meets their needs.”
The company has evolved as a consultant service as much as a product and platform, listening to customer concerns and finding the best solution to match. While other companies often offer one technology that they stretch to fit every demand, Parking Logix offers different options including hybrid models to best meet unique needs. Their technologies can be customized to fit any budget and desired performance, which is why they’re becoming so ubiquitous in the market. People like to choose. And we give them those choices, with the belief that we have a way to customize our technologies to every parking setup or need.
Parking Logix was started ten years ago with CEO Louis Newman’s vision of expanding the traffic safety division of the company with solutions to help people drive safer and park smarter. Unlike other start-ups, Parking Logix benefited from the relationships and technology of a parent company experienced in sensor use, driver feedback, and speed cameras. The idea of affordable counting technology in an industry where parking guidance was generally prohibitively expensive was compelling.
It’s why Todd gets so passionate when he talks about Parking Logix. “This technology is simple but elegant, with building blocks that can support any environment and budget. The company has been around for ten years and made great inroads, but I want to see every parking manager get education and access to their options with these types of solutions. I want to give the whole parking industry access to easy, affordable, efficient parking occupancy solutions that essentially pay for themselves while enhancing the customer experience and improving the bottom line.”
Devorah Werner, Content Specialist, Parking Logix can be reached at dwerner@parkinglogix.com
