PT's Parking Blog

Parking Rules Change, Nothing Happens

Remember the article about suspending the street cleaning rules in Brooklyn for a couple of months this summer so signs could be changed. The locals feared that the lack of "churning" caused by forcing people to move their cars once a week would cause mayhem in the area.

Well, according to the surveys taken during the period, nothing happened. People still took 20 plus minutes cruising to find a space (a free space, I might add.) Streets weren't covered with trash, "outsiders" didn't come rushing in to claim permanent parking space. Life went on.

The reason, quite frankly, was that there was really no change. Parking was free and people didn't change their habits. They cruised for free parking, adding to congestion in the area. Why should they change anything?

However, if parking were not free, people would look for alternative ways to handle their parking issues. Perhaps it would be economically reasonable for entrepreneurs to provide parking for a fee, less than the onstreet charges. People would seek out alternatives, rather than look for the "free" available space somewhere in the neighborhood.

Look for this to happen. My guess is that within the next year or so, "free" parking space in New York City will be a thing of the past. People will have to pay for parking everywhere. The money, however, will not go back into the neighborhoods to replace worn streets or attack graffiti, it will go into the general fund, never to be seen again.

If on street parking rates are set so that there is a space available, cruising stops. Street are cleared of drivers looking for parking, and much of the traffic problems are solved. Alternatives to on street parking would spring up. All would be right with the transportation world.

Christmas 2009

 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts, praising God and saying….

The apostle Luke tells the tale of the magic of Christmas in a most straightforward manner, like a reporter on the scene. Many of the visual's we have of Christmas, the manger, the shepherds, the angels, no room at the inn come from Luke. But Luke's Christmas story is also one of inclusion.

The folks around Bethlehem were invited to participate in the event. They weren't believers; they didn't have a clue what to believe or what was going on. They were, however invited.

So we Christians invite everyone to participate in any way they like. They can join us at church, or simply at dinner. They can help trim a tree, or come to a party. They can take their kids to see Santa, in one of his many forms, and retell this saint's magical story again and again.

When we say "Merry Christmas" it is an invitation to be a part of the magic. The same words said in return simply acknowledge the season. It's not a way to invite you to believe, but to enjoy the warm and wonderful magic of this time of year. "Season's Greetings" and "Happy Holidays" are fine, but they don't convey the message.

At this wonderful, magical time of the year, everyone is welcome. Don't change, don't convert, don't be uncomfortable, but come and enjoy the fun, the excitement, the magic.

Merry Christmas

 

 

 

The Santa Brand

From Marketing Guru Jon Ward…

My 5 yr old Hooper has been extremely excited this year about Santa's arrival.  For the past four days, he's been like a broken record of badly butchered Christmas songs.  The excitement at my house is like a balloon about to pop!  Nearly every story and comment from the boys is about taking care of the Reindeer or what to leave for Santa. 

What a great brand Santa is! From a branding standpoint it's perfection in action. You can see him, associate him with colors, associate him with a feeling (cold, snowy, but he is warm and kind hearted through it all). His brand has taken different forms reflective of the audience and rather than fight to normalize the changes, his brand has been allowed to manifest itself to meet the needs and most importantly the desires of different regions of the world.  As branding experts, we could take simple lessons from Santa:

1) Don't fight your audience's perception of you and what you should be - listen to your customers and BECOME that company for them!

2) A great brand takes dedication and consistency over decades, not months.  If you are changing your brand presentation (not design, but BRAND), every year or two, you do not have a brand.  It's that simple. 

3) A great brand is something that you can see, experience, get to know and rely on over time. Can your customer rely on you?  Where do they see you?  At industry events? Speaking on the latest industry trends?  Do you have an audio brand (like Intel, Verizon and many others) that extends your brand to another sensory point?

In short, be like Santa - friendly, consistent, reflective of customer needs, and reliable and your customers will praise you!

Presents Arrive, Despite Booted Sleigh

'Twas the night before Christmas

And all through the fray

Santa soon discovered that

Someone booted his sleigh

 

With a sack full of presents

He picked up at the mall

He saw the seizure notice

With a toll free number to call

 

"Would anyone answer the phone?"

Santa wondered

Then "Boot Release Line,

Can I have your Violation Number?"

 

Santa complied

And asked for an explanation

"You have three outstanding tickets

For loading zone violations"

 

Unaware of the tickets

And no-one to blame

Santa assumed it was

Rudolph's reindeer games

 

With credit card in hand

And time running short

Saint Nick paid the fine

Instead of going to court

 

After all, the big man

Was running short on time

He got the code to the Boot

And released it just fine

 

So when you wake up on Christmas

To see your presents stocked

Remember that this year

Santa was assisted by PayLock

   

Special Christmas thanks from JVH to

-Chad Collins of Paylock

Motivation

Boy is it hard to get "up" for work. I know I have a lot to do with the February Deadline looming and articles to research and write. But it's rainy and cold. Its three days before Christmas.

The holiday being on Thursday means that people are taking the entire week off so it's difficult to contact folks. And when you get through to them, you find they are out doing that last bit of Christmas shopping (like I should be doing).

The Europeans take time off basically from December 10 through January 10. No one is around. Offices are on skeleton crew, and that simply is the way it is. We here in the states make an effort of working. People do go in, but their heads just aren't in it. Should we take the time off, too.

I'm not for that. I think we need to muddle through. Taking time off "just cuz" simply doesn't cut it for me. OK, maybe we aren't motivated quite as much as we are in the spring, but so what. We are being paid, lets at least give it a shot.

If you take vacation time, so be it. I really don't have a problem with that. If you take five vacation days, (Day after Christmas, three days before New Year's, Day after new year's) you get 11 days off in a row. Such a deal. But then, just why do we work, anyway. Next year it will be much easier. The holidays are on Friday. SO we all get a three day weekend and that's that. No decisions to make (which days to take off. Most will take the four days before New Years).

The French tell me that they work so they can take time off. If that's the case, then maximizing "off" time is the way to go. Americans have, in general, felt that work was its own reward. The goal, it seems to me, is to find a job you enjoy, so that the majority of your waking time is spent doing what you like, rather than pining for time off.

OK, OK, it's not that easy. But you might consider giving yourself a Christmas gift this year. Either take a look around a see what you can do that you enjoy AND makes money, or rethink your present position and consider what you like about it and feel good about what you are doing.

So, you have your marching orders. Figure out what you like about your job, focus on that, and enjoy what you do. If you simply can't, begin a program (it may take a year or more to complete) and change the way you earn a living. Now, with that decided, stop wasting time on the 'net and get back to work.

JVH

Parking Assessments = They don’t solve the problem

Parking Assessments == these are charges the city levies against businesses to cover the costs of providing parking in downtown areas. The city justifies the charges because of the expense of paving, marking, policing, snow removal, and the like. You can read about Jackson, MI's issues here.

Let's review the bidding. Merchants in a down central area want customers. They feel, I guess, that charging for parking on street causes those customers to go elsewhere, so they lobby the city to provide free parking for their customers. The city, understandably, says "sure, we'll provide "free" parking, but someone has to pay. So rather than charge everyone in the city, they charge the merchants an assessment to cover the costs.

The merchants then pass this assessment along to their customers as a higher cost for their goods and services and suddenly downtown merchants aren't as competitive as those in the malls outside of town.

Of course, everyone pays for the cost of parking, not just those who drive. Those who walk, take the bus, or ride with someone else also pay for the parking assessment.

And, there's another problem. There is no way, with "free" parking and a parking assessment, to regulate who parks where. With "free" parking, the folks who work in stores and shops in the area simply park where they like, taking the best spaces. The visitors must "cruise" looking for parking, and causing congestion.

The "free" parking causes traffic problems, angry customers, and frankly, decisions to shop elsewhere. Few make the decision to shop at the mall at the edge of town based on free parking. They go there because of good prices, selection, and the "scene". All of these could be available downtown.

The merchants in Jackson are asking the city to review the parking assessment, some claiming that it is a "tax" (of course it is) and that it is therefore illegal. The city is saying that they will review it, but the program needs to be funded, and the "fee" must stay in place.

Of course there is an alternative – Charge for parking and have the money generated go back into the neighborhoods from whence it came. Charge enough so that there is one empty space always available on each block face. Tell people that the parking charges are there for clean streets, better parks, new sidewalks, and the like.

All would be right with the world.

JVH

Chicago Raises “fees”

My buddy John Hammerschlag from Chicago is wintering in Spain, and says he just might stay there based on what's happening to parking in the Windy City.

He sent along an article from the Sun Times bemoaning the fact that the city is now beginning to charge "fees" for cars parked in the city (except, I guess, in city owned or leased out garages) as a "congestion charge."

This tax, whoops, fee, is to be used for better rapid transit, signal timing, left turn lanes, and the like. Of course on street parking charges are being doubled. The list is endless.

The city says that the increased fees are to open up parking spaces (ala Don Shoup) and cut down on cruising, which of course, will also cut down on congestion.

First – I'm all for market based on street pricing. But to arbitrarily say that in two years the price should be a certain amount is ludicrous. What if the price charged was too low. It would not make any difference to the congestion, just raise money. If it was too high, spaces would be empty and the amount of money raised would go down. The market should set the price based on area, time of day, etc etc etc

Second – Do you believe for one New York ( or is that Chicago) minute that this money is going to be used for its intended purpose. Or will it disappear right into the general fund. We all know the answer to that.

My list could go on,. But you get the idea.

John will find, however, that Spain has other problems, like no place to park at all

JVH

Believe your Eyes

Took a stroll around the neighborhood with my neighbor this morning. He's in some kind of financial business. Of course the conversation got around to the economy.

The world, it seems is awash with cash. It all came out of the markets and is in banks, pillow cases, government bonds, etc. No one wants to invest because they are afraid.

Yes, fear is driving the recession, nothing else.

I asked him if he had personally witnessed any problems. We ticked off the list.

Houses are selling in our neighborhood – it takes a bit longer and you don't get quite as much, however they are selling. People are buying. I don't know personally of anyone who has been laid off (well one guy, but he is talented and skilled but doesn't really want or need to work). Our company is having a great year. Virtually everyone I talk to says they are have a year as good as last year. I went to a concert last night, the place was full. I had to look at 10 restaurants before I found one that could give me a reservation for 2. The donut shop where we stopped for coffee this morning was packed with people. Costco was jammed over the weekend.

The auto companies are frankly in exactly the same shape they were in last year at this time, except that no one will loan them operating cash, like they did before. The bad business decisions they have made over the past decade have caught up with them. It is also a fact that most of the loans (subprime) are working and not in foreclosure.

So what has changed? Fear. People are afraid because they are told to be afraid. People who make their living bringing doom and gloom are saying "I told you so" and since they have a bunch of letters after their names, they are believed.

Don't get me wrong, fear is a great driving force. But let's not be fooled here. We are not going to be living in the streets. The electricity and gas is going to keep coming. Food will be in the supermarkets, and the systems that provide those will continue to work. No one has lost a cent in a bank collapse. (There were probably too many banks anyway). I hear at least a dozen commercials a day on the radio for companies that want to lend you money on your house. Airplanes are flying, busses are running,

What has happened is that we were simply living beyond our means and now it's time for a reset. This has been going on for nearly 30 years, the longest period of boom times in history. So we need a bit of a rethink. However it too will pass, and much sooner than you think. I wouldn't be surprised if we see in April that the first quarter or 2009 actually showed a positive growth rate, small but there.

There's simply too much money out there and people want to use it. And they will. They will just be a bit smarter. Loans are funding right now. For instance, a garage in Chicago was just approved and moving ahead. Of course it's a blue chip project, but then maybe we need a few more of those.

Just saying

JVH

Parking Attendant Impersonators

The city of Milwaukee has a bit of a problem. Seems they have some vacant lots owned by the city that are located near major attractions (the symphony, arts, center, etc). They don't want anyone parking on those lots.

Local entrepreneurs are setting up business on the lots, using legit looking uniforms and even "traffic direction" flashlights to direct folks into the lots. They collect $10 a head and then leave when the lot is full.

The city then comes by and tickets the cars in the lots since they are parking illegally. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it. OK – the city voided the tickets after they found out about the scam.

My comments

1. Where were the police (ostensibly parked a block away) and why didn't they question the practice? (Not my job, man)
2. The parking enforcement folks ticketed a group of cars at 3 PM (matinee concert) and a second group at 8 PM (evening concert). Didn't anyone realize there was a problem here?
3. Why not simply lease out the lots for periods of time that the spaces are needed (during concerts, etc) and let the practice proceed?
4. If private (if illegal) enterprise can make parking word in the area, why can't the city?
5. They voided 135 tickets on that day – that's $1350 that the group collected. Seems like that's a business the city would want a piece of.
6. OK, I understand all the problems with insurance, liability, etc etc etc. But most of that is handled with a couple of signs, isn't it. So in the end the profit goes from $1350 to $1000 (not counting the attendants.)_
7. The attendants must have been pretty good, since they not only collected the money, but directed the people to certain spots and made sure the cars were parked neatly. They probably figured that the neater the parking, the more they could fit in

Hat Tip: Jim Johnson

JVH

Seattle Goes Shoupista, well kinda; Merchants up in Arms

I have been following the city of Seattle and its moving to a type of free market rate setting for parking charges. The emerald city has been taking baby steps in neighborhoods throughout the area.

Most recently, they decided to install pay parking in the Fremont area near Ballard. Read all about it here.

The city has been working on this since 2001. The local Chamber of Commerce is upset because the evil city government slipped it by them and released its decision to the press the day before it told the Chamber. I'm wondering what the Chamber was doing for the past seven years.

Plan seems to be pretty benign. They are putting pay parking in place in areas where the occupancy rate exceeds 75%. The problem is that it doesn't go far enough, and the city isn't saying where the income from the parking fees is going.

It's one thing to hold hearings, get input, and then do the opposite of what the people want, that's just typical government. However had they handled it a bit differently, merchants, the Chamber, and residents could have been on their side.

I wonder what would have happened if the city had told the merchants in Fremont that there would be about $1,000,000 net collected in the area and that money would be returned to the area in the form of new sidewalks, street lights, parks, and other infrastructure. Think maybe folks might have been a bit more positive about the changes?

Instead, it seems like a very adversarial situation has developed. My guess is that the locals will cause the parking system to fail, or at least be at war with those innocents who are tasked with enforcing it. Grumbling will continue until the local politicos can't handle it any longer, and more changes will be made.

Municipalities need to learn that if you take away with one hand, you need to give back with another. More money into the bottomless general fund isn't the way to handle it. Newspapers also need to know what questions to ask (Where is the money going?)

JVH