Multi-Vendor Parking Dashboard & Notification System

Client Profile

Client Size: 32 employees

Location: Cedar Rapids, IA

Executive Summary

Our customer has 40 Digital Payment Technology (DPT) “Luke” pay and display parking stations throughout the downtown district of Cedar Rapids. The Luke pay stations accommodate 1,100 on-street parking spaces and Cedar Rapids plans to add another 71 (multi-space and single-space) pay stations as part of their long term vision. Although DPT does provide web based applications for the management of Luke, DPT also provides a web-services API so third party development companies can customize applications that will tie all business areas together. Client partnered with Infinite Computing Systems on initiatives to provide operational efficiency and greater effectiveness of the Park CR infrastructure with Infinite’s suite of products. These include the operations command center dashboard modules and mobile applications.

Background

Although back office support systems provide an abundance of data that can be sorted and viewed, it was determined that it was inadequate in providing real time information tied to all the employees at the street level, the ones closest to the customers. The GM, felt it was critical that more information be available in real-time from both on-street and off-street systems in order to provide a better end user experience, as well as to manage the department as effectively as possible.

The Solution

Infinite has built the system in modules that sit inside of an operational dashboard. It is designed to show data, maps, messages and video.

It is a monthly subscription service so clients can install without a large investment in infrastructure or software.

It is a hardware agnostic application that can be used with almost any on-street and off-street on-line hardware a parking operation has.

The architecture is built to accommodate integration of different vendor’s equipment along with integrated mobile applications.

Mobile Applications

• Each Street Ambassador has a smart tablet or phone with alerts and messaging
• On/off duty toggle button allows employees to conveniently log their daily time without having to travel to nearest time clock
• GPS location and route recording application. The dash board map shows current location of all employees for easy deployment to problem areas and targeted alert messages
• GPS location based Predictive Ticketing for Street Ambassadors
• For the Public: An integrated Parking Availability application

• Real time meter health and space information table
• Google Map view of Streets Ambassadors, Luke Stations, Garages and status of parking spaces (expired, open, and filled)
• Ability to send/receive alert messages between the operations center and Street Ambassadors/Parking Technicians of Luke failures, fixes or issues
• Ability to display parking garage information: occupancy and equipment status (gate open/closed/inoperable, payment kiosk information, CC reader status)

• The system is using T2 systems off-street garage hardware
• Administration log in and views based on roles and responsibility
• Tablet and smart phone compatible
• Dashboard is color-coded with hover technology and ability to drill down to access more information on employees or stations
• Tablet application for “ON DUTY”/”OFF DUTY” messaging and time recording
• Created a platform to build future applications and easily “Enable” other vendor’s hardware

Visuals of the current conditions

The Dashboard is segmented into three main sections. The upper left portion is a real time view of the Luke Stations, their active status, and whether or not the spaces each station is aligned with is Open, Filled, or Expired. Drill down capabilities of specifics can be displayed.

On the right side a Google map is integrated with GPS and represents a real time view of the Streets Ambassadors, Parking Technicians, and Luke Stations. Health of the Luke Stations can be depicted through color coding: Green means healthy, Yellow is an error, and Red is offline, the Streets Ambassadors are blue.

The lower left of the dashboard is used for the off-street parking equipment status and occupancy data. The lower section is the direct messaging and alerts area. Messages can be sent to groups, all, or individuals. Alerts can be directed to all or targeted personnel.

Mobile Application View

For the Streets Ambassadors, Infinite’s mobile application will leverage GPS capabilities and tie into the Luke API for real time notification of Luke device errors, expiration alerts and messaging.

The mobile application can be housed on any smart phone or tablet device and be as simple to use as the diagram below.

A tablet device can be used in the field and provide the level of detail as offered on the dashboard. Infinite chose to build a mobile-agnostic application to provide flexibility to Park CR and other clients while passing on cost savings to the client.

Public Parking Availability Mobile Application

Infinite’s parking availability application will leverage GPS capabilities and tie into the digital meter information for real time data and give the user a view of on-street parking availability.

The application also interfaces directly to the smart phone’s navigation application to direct the user to the parking space.

Results and Expectations

It has been in use since December of 2012 and huge efficiency are now apparent. which seeing at least 15% efficiency in operational personnel and the potential for a 20% revenue increase with the Predictive Ticketing modules.

Infinite will continue to build various new operational modules for our client. CR Park has seen a higher level of employee satisfaction by providing better tools at the Streets Ambassador level, and greater customer service at the street level.

Management will be able to provide solid personnel direction based on historical and real time data available at their fingertips and save hundreds of hours of manual operational tasks.