Project goal: Increase transparency of real-time parking availability

Workstream: Auxiliary Services 

Project owner: Nicole Kotter, Senior Associate Director, Commuter Services 

Background: The university has faced growing challenges with parking availability as the demand for spaces continues to rise while the supply remains limited. It is essential to optimize the use of existing parking inventory and innovate new ways to improve the parking experience for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. 

Efforts underway: A live parking occupancy system will be implemented by Commuter Services to provide real-time updates on parking availability through a mobile app. This system will help commuters identify open parking spaces as they drive to campus, reducing the time spent circling busy lots. The initiative, which will cost about $1.2M to implement, is designed to improve the overall campus experience by addressing a common frustration for students, who often report being late or missing classes because of parking challenges. Faculty and staff arriving later in the day will also benefit from knowing where available spaces are throughout campus. 

Looking ahead: By implementing a live parking occupancy system, the university will better utilize its existing parking inventory while enhancing the experience for all campus commuters. Phased implementation for the new system is planned to begin in the spring of 2025.  

In their words: “The Operational Excellence process provided a path for Commuter Services to take what was once just a concept, and turn it into a fully vetted, funded, executable plan. A live parking occupancy system is something we’ve dreamt of implementing on campus for years, and only now through the Operational Excellence process have we made this dream a reality. Through the structure of the Operational Excellence process we will now be able to provide drivers with real time parking availability, thus enhancing the overall customer experience.” - Nicole Kotter, project owner