Urban parking challenges and solutions: a case study

Urbanization and an increase in vehicle ownership have intensified the need for efficient parking solutions and have made parking services a critical component of urban mobility. Despite this, however, researchers have not fully explored the diverse factors that influence customer satisfaction with parking services but have relied on previous studies that primarily focused on broader transportation services, such as public transit, bike-sharing, and rail. This paper aims to investigate the complexities and uncover the key determinants of customer satisfaction with the goal of offering policy recommendations. To this end, a comprehensive survey was conducted of a college campus community and an ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed of 873 responses. The results highlight that shorter search times, easier access to parking spaces, reasonable parking costs, and effective communication and enforcement of parking rules are crucial for higher satisfaction levels. While technological innovations such as AI-powered parking apps show potential, their impact on satisfaction was not statistically significant. Based on this information, we recommend enhancing the availability and distribution of parking spaces, implementing real-time information systems, and maintaining transparent and fair pricing policies. Clear communication about parking regulations and consistent enforcement practices are also essential for improving user satisfaction. These recommendations are likely to significantly enhance user satisfaction and improve the overall campus environment, as they offer practical ways that university administrators and policymakers can improve campus parking experiences, ultimately supporting broader urban development goals.