By now, Parking Guidance Systems need no introduction. A few such systems can be found in South Africa and they are gaining popularity all over the globe. In fact, according to Ski-Data, a leading European parking equipment provider, most new projects in Europe are specified with Parking Guidance System at the design stage.
Parking Guidance Systems assist drivers looking for available parking using way-finding devices and space indicators. They drastically reduce the congestions caused by drivers aimlessly driving around searching for parking and at the same time maximize occupancy.
Parking Guidance Systems will benefit any covered parking lot such as:
• Shopping Centre parking lots.
• Airport parking lot.
• Parking Arcades.
• Large Corporate office buildings underground parking.
• Any unallocated parking lot.
We at Joint Ventures Electronic Services believe that in a decade Parking Guidance System will be the norm rather than the exception. We therefore developed a complete solution which caters for new installations and retrofits alike.
Why employ a Parking Guidance System?
A Parking guidance System is, by its nature, a high cost system. Its installation is far from simple and it requires a bit of understanding and getting used to its logic.
The concept of parking guidance systems is relatively new and drivers have managed without it for decades. At the end of the day, the parking lot is there and if there are available bays drivers will eventually, in most cases, find them. It might take 5 or 10 minutes but so what? Why bother?
The following are a few points highlighting the benefits of parking guidance systems.
1. Reduced driver frustration > Another way to improve customer service
We, as customers, are driving and are parking at various facilities as part of our daily activities. When we encounter parking guidance system such as the one in OR Tambo we so appreciate the service and hope to get such service all around.
Although difficult to quantify, one cannot ignore the frustration experienced by drivers when looking for parking in a busy shopping mall or office building. Frustrated people may spend less time in the facility or even go elsewhere.
2. Reduced driving time > Increase in net occupancy
Some parking lots use IN/OUT counters to determine the number of available bays in the parking lot. If such equipment is not employed, a manual system is often used whereby the stuff in charge assesses the availability level and put up “FULL” sign when it appears to be full.
Assuming a parking lot of 1000 bays with close to full occupancy and an average usage of 2 hours per bay with an average of 3 minutes seeking time and 1 minute exit time. Easy statistical calculation revels that you will have 33 cars driving around looking for parking or on they’re way out.
The IN/OUT Counter will count these cars as IN as they are inside the parking lot. Also, these cars create a very busy impression on the stuff members.
In order to make sure that every car entering the parking lot will find a vacant bay one must take a safety factor set-up the sign FULL once the IN/OUT counter is down to 50 bays. In case of the manual system the situation is even worst, and in most cases cannot be predicted as stuff members are subject to pressure and generally will set the sign FULL long before the parking lot is actually full and will discover available parking long after it become available simply because they cannot be expected to be everywhere all the time.
In other words - 5% loss of income!
Unlike any other parking management system, a PGS system is everywhere all of the time!
Using the PGS, The time to park can be reduce to 1 minute bringing the number of cars driving around to 16 of which 8 are seeking parking and 8 card are busy exiting. . In other words, in order to make sure that every car entering the parking lot will find a vacant bay You will have to setup the sign FULL once you are down to 10 bays on the PGS counter.
In other words, - 1% loss of income.
Assuming parking fees of R5 per hour and 8 hour day the daily saving will increase by R1600 per day. Based on the cost of around R500.00 per bay (depending on certain installation requirements) one can envisage a return on investment after only 8-10 months.
The example assumes 1000 bay parking lot but the principle holes for larger or smaller facilities.
3. Management of dead-ends > Increase number of parking bays
In the design of the parking lot, dead ends are generally avoided as they can create traffic jams. The PGS system nullifies this concern allowing optimising of all parking bays at the end of lanes, especially shorter lanes with hidden parking spots.
4. Reduced driving time > Reduced gas emission and ventilation time
In the above example we showed that the driving around cars in any given moment have been reduced from 33 cars to 16. In other words the toxic gas emission can be halved.
Beside the general benefit of the reduction in the gas emission, the PGS system analyses the movement and controls the fans as required. Saving energy and further reduce the cost of running the parking lot.
5. Accurate occupancy statistics > Optimised parking facility
In most office buildings parking is allocated based on statistic occupancy figures. The management must also assume safety margins ensuring that everybody who has been allocated with basement parking will find parking. In busy parking arcades, where parking is scarce and at a premium, accurate statistics is vital to ensure that the parking lot is optimally utilized.
6. Install Parking Guidance System > Lead the way
As already mentioned Parking Guidance Systems are gaining popularity all around the globe. One can goggle the phrase “Parking Guidance System” and find links to quite a few manufacturers and to numerous installations in many shopping centres, airports, office building etc.
We believe that parking guidance systems will gain popularity and will continuo to penetrate until such time that it is the norm and not the exception.
By providing your customer with this innovative service you will lead the way.
Now that you are convinced of the benefits of Parking Guidance System we would like to suggest our Diamond Parking Guidance System
The JVES Diamond PGS, Parking Guidance System, is the most cost effective, modular, easy to install; complete driver guidance system. Locally designed, manufactured and supported we can provide a full solution from data collection through way finding to data display analysis and
statistics in one integrated system.
