Beijing-parking-ITDP-China

Mexico City parking meterThe app of SFpark, San Francisco’s on-street parkingsystem, shows real-time vacancy and prices of on- andoff-street parking spaces. It helps directing drivers toavailable parking spaces and thereby reduces cruising.PDAs for parking operation andenforcementFor parking operation and enforcement, it isrecommended to equip parking guards withhandheld PDAs. The PDAs have GPS, GPRS,license plate recognition software, camera anda separate mobile printer that is connected viabluetooth. The PDAs communicate directly withthe central system.With payment done at the meter or by cellphone by license plate number input, no paperproof of payment tickets are needed under thewindscreen of the driver. To check for parkingpayment, inspectors rely on the use of handheldPDA devices (portable manual computers).Parking inspectors scan the license plate with thePDA and its license plate recognition software andare automatically told by the system whether thedriver of the car has paid. If he has, the inspectormoves on to the next parked car. If not, the PDAwill print a fine that is to be put under the windscreen wiper of the car. The inspector is asked totake pictures of the car from different angles andinput the brand and colour of the car. The fineis then printed automatically, with a time andlocation stamp, and the violation is registered inthe central system.Parking inspectors are assigned different routeson a frequent basis, making it impossible for themto have control over the same parking spaces allyear-round.Drivers are no longer to make dealswith parking inspectors and are required to paythe official parking price.The PDAs should have the following functions:●●automatic scanning of license plates withlicense plate recognition software;●●camera for photo-documentation of parkingviolations;●●logging violation data (location, time, vehiclelicense number, etc.);●●printing fines by automatically determiningthe charge and printing the ticket;●●transmitting data and content to the centraldatabase.The PDA shortens the period required forverification and fining, has thorough documentationof violations and is transparent. PDAscan work in online or offline mode (the latterusually meaning that events are recorded onlywithout GPRS/3G/4G communication). When inonline mode, PDAs provide information on theBeijing Parking, ITDP-China 1281 March 2015