Global Press

How Parking Garages Track Open Spaces, and Why They Often Get It Wrong

Your flight takes off in 45 minutes and you're just pulling into the airport parking garage. Yes, you should have left earlier, but there's nothing you can do about that now. Your only hope is to find an open parking space quickly and start hauling for the gate.

You're in luck. The airport has one of those new-fangled "space available" systems that tell you exactly how many open spaces are left on each level of the garage. There are lots of red "full" signs, but it says there are seven spots still left on the roof. If you stretch the 5 mph (8 kph) speed limit, you might just make it.

How Stuff Works

INDECT USA, the parking industry’s leading provider of sensor-based parking guidance systems, today announced the installation of its UPSOLUT parking guidance systems at River Oaks District, a high-end retail destination in Houston. The parking guidance program involved the installation of parking sensors to monitor more than 1,300 spaces in the shopping center’s five level garage. River Oaks District, which is operated by OliverMcMillan, is a storied Houston retail landmark that dates back to 1930. It is a widely recognized mixed-use development that combines 650,000 square feet of luxury retail, fine-dining restaurants, street-side cafes and entertainment, along with upscale residential units.

“River Oaks District has built a reputation of being committed to delivering the best shopping experience possible,” said Hassan Sulehri, of OliverMcMillan. “We believed it was important to extend that experience for guests as soon as they pull into the parking facility.”

Texas A&M University's Cain Garage is the first site in the USA to offer fully-integrated wireless Nedap sensors in combination with the INDECT ultrasonic parking guidance system.

Texas A&M University's Cain Garage is the first site in the USA to offer fully-integrated wireless Nedap sensors in combination with the INDECT ultrasonic parking guidance system.

The newly built 1434 space garage is utilized by a wide range of patrons including students, faculty, permit holders and game day visitors. In such a busy environment, accuracy is paramount.

Executives with DFW International Airport Thursday hosted the official unveiling of a brighter, more techno-friendly Terminal A, marking the first completed portion of a $2.7 billion airport upgrade.

The effort is designed to make the airport more appealing not only to North Texas residents but also to Asian and European travelers who can choose among stop-over hubs such as Dallas, Atlanta, San Francisco and other major airports.

Kaylee Hoisington watched the gas meter on her car slowly drop while driving around campus for up to 35 minutes searching for a parking spot last semester.

Now, after utilizing the parking garage on Jenkins since its opening Jan. 14, psychology junior Hoisington’s quest for a spot has been reduced to five to 10 minutes.

“I think it makes it a lot easier to find parking,” Hoisington said. “My first trip here it was kind of confusing because it’s a different setup than the other parking garages on campus, but I like that it’s a little more open and the spaces are wider, so it’s easier to drive and find a parking spot.”

Let's hope downtown visitors remember where they parked.

Thanksgiving morning, I drove to downtown Houston to watch the H-E-B parade. I saw an entrance to an underground garage, pulled in, paid $10, parked in a hurry and came up for air and the parade.

It was the first time I used the Theater District Parking Garage. Until this year, I could park in the Chronicle's garage downtown, but we've moved to swanky new quarters at Loop 610 and the Southwest Freeway. Bye bye, free downtown parking.