A personal vehicle is a popular mode of transportation. Vehicles have access to vast networks of roadways allowing for flexible travel times and routes. However, using a personal vehicle for transportation often comes with a significant constraint, that is, if a driver or occupant of a vehicle desires to exit the vehicle when they've reached their destination, the vehicle must be parked while the driver or occupant is away from it.
Suitable parking can be difficult to locate. If suitable parking is available, the parking process may involve time consuming and confusing steps. Furthermore, suitable parking may have an associated cost that requires a financial transaction occur between a parking provider and a customer, which can further complicate the parking process.
Due to the many possible combinations in parking transaction type and payment processes, the entities that provide parking services use different types of parking processes. For example, municipalities often offer parking on public property or streets. Some private entities are solely in the business of making a profit by providing parking services. Other entities, such as shopping malls, hotels, or casinos provide parking services to attract customers to a primary business. Many different types of parking processes are utilized by the parking providers. Some example processes are valet parking, pay on entrance parking, lots or garages, or metered street parking. A parking provider may offer one or more parking services at a parking location. Parking providers sometimes make parking processes available at only limited times.
Lack of uniformity in parking services can be frustrating for many drivers, especially when driving in high-traffic areas. Drivers often select a parking service after reaching the general vicinity of a destination. Parking providers try to communicate key details the parking they have available with signs placed near the entrance to a parking facility. As part of the parking process, drivers are often forced to circle the block looking for parking and must make split-second decisions when selecting a parking provider based on limited information displayed on the signs posted by parking providers. Drivers may end up using a parking service poorly matched to the driver's parking needs. Auto accidents may occur when a driver's attention is diverted from driving to reading parking signs. The search for parking may also increase traffic congestion, waste fuel, and increase pollution.
Once a driver finds parking, further confusion may occur related to the transaction. For example, a driver may realize that his or her credit card is not a payment method accepted by the parking provider after parking and exiting his vehicle. The driver must then obtain the necessary form of payment causing delay and possibly be issued a parking citation. Those at pay-at-exit lots may get stuck behind a line of other drivers prior to exiting if multiple drivers attempt to exit at the same time.
Some parking providers have made efforts to improve parking transactions by using on-site automated parking systems. These systems can be configured to process or verify payments. Automated parking systems can be frustrating for customers to operate, expensive to maintain, difficult to locate and lacking in uniformity. Like a transaction with an attendant, customers may experience delay while waiting in line behind other customers to use an automated parking system.
Valet parking is one option that can offer a driver a more pleasant parking experience. In a valet-type parking, control of a vehicle is turned over to parking staff, usually located near the driver's destination. Once the parking staff obtains control of the vehicle, a valet parks the vehicle. When the driver wishes to retrieve the vehicle he or she typically walks to a nearby valet station and makes an in-person retrieval request for the vehicle. The customer cannot depart until the vehicle is retrieved by valet staff, which may lead to delay. A bottleneck may occur during the retrieval process if multiple customers make concurrent retrieval requests. Payment for valet parking is typically processed manually by the same parking staff responsible for retrieving vehicles leading to additional delay for waiting customers.
Although valet parking can provide a more convenient parking experience for the customer, it can be a relatively more expensive service for a parking provider to provide. Compared to other types of parking, valet parking has higher labor costs associated with staffing the drop/pickup area, manually processing payments, and parking and retrieving vehicles. Maintaining adequate staffing levels to minimize delay experienced by customers adds to these costs. Customers must return to the valet station to pick up their vehicle. Some parking providers offer parking to consumers at parking lots and garages.
Sometimes these parking facilities are located within prime commercial or entertainment districts, leading to overcrowding and lack of capacity due to their proximity to customer's destinations. It is very expensive to add additional capacity in prime areas due to the cost of real estate and construction. Other parking facilities are located adjacent to prime commercial and entertainment districts, but not close enough to be as desirable for use by customers. These non-prime facilities are underutilized compared to the prime locations.