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PARKVIA STRENGTHENS SPANISH MARKET PRESENCE WITH LEADING OPERATOR AENA

October 24, 2019

European airport parking retailer, ParkVia, has renewed its long-standing contract with the world’s leading airport operator, Aena.

The announcement builds upon the success of previous renewals and the initial contract, which dates back to 2011, when ParkVia first promoted Aena’s parking facilities at Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga airports.

Having significantly strengthened its Spanish coverage over the eight-year partnership, ParkVia now markets Aena’s entire portfolio of 32 Spanish airports through numerous consumer-facing channels.

In addition to its popular airport parking comparison site, ParkVia offers additional exposure via its collective global airline partnerships, allowing fluidity for the customer at every point of the booking journey.

With a shared synergy for technology-focused travel solutions, the two companies have worked collectively to present Aena’s 264 million annual passengers with a range of parking products that suit travelers’ varying parking needs.

With primary responsibility for the country’s airport network, it is vital that Aena creates strategic collaborations that offer reliable support services for its diverse passenger base.

ParkVia has demonstrated time and time again its commitment – not only to growth in coverage – but also to integrating new technologies that enable travelers to unlock more ways to enhance their travel itineraries.

Valentina Moise, Commercial Director at ParkVia, said:

“Aena’s renewed confidence in our partnership enables us to continue offering our Spanish customer base the best possible airport parking experience across Spain. We are confident for the contract term ahead and remain committed to supporting Aena through its next phase of development.”

To find out more about ParkVia, please visit www.parkvia.com.

About ParkVia

As Europe’s favourite airport parking retailer, ParkVia is dedicated to connecting the world’s drivers with parking spaces in 43 countries. Its online retail platform allows consumers to book parking as part of their journey, working with both car park operators and travel industry market leaders to ensure that parking is visible at the right time.

Encouraging its philosophy of ‘Choose parking’, ParkVia believes pre-booking is the key element in the travel process, allowing customers to plan in advance and giving them freedom of choice to select the parking product that suits their specific journey type.

Founded in 2008, ParkVia has grown in popularity and reputation over the last 11 years, particularly within the wider airport parking sector. As an established partner for many of the world’s leading international airports, ParkVia is able to maximise visibility for official car parks and ancillary products by covering more points of entry with its targeted marketing expertise.

Today the services of over 2,000 parking providers are promoted to ParkVia’s 3.8m registered users, as well as a large network of partner websites, that includes airlines, travel partners, online travel agents and in-car navigation technology – making it an attractive and lucrative proposition for partners looking to collaborate for white label and in-path projects.

ParkVia. Choose parking.

https://www.parkvia.com

Winner of Queen’s Award for International Trade

Awarded to ParkCloud 2019

The IPC goes ‘Over and Above’ at its Annual Conference

October 24, 2019

The IPC goes ‘Over and Above’ at its Annual Conference

Skills development and ever-higher professional standards were at the heart of the 2019 International Parking Community’s (IPC) Annual Conference in Milton Keynes. As well as a series of special training and advice sessions for the highest ever number of conference delegates, the event also saw the launch of the new IPC Code of Practice. Adopting a theme of ‘Over and Above’, the Conference featured a series of presentations from invited speakers and raised just under £13,000 for this year’s IPC nominated charity, Papyrus.

“Even though it now has Royal assent, the new Parking Act is not the end of the story in helping to establish fairness and consistency within the parking industry,” said Will Hurley, Chief Executive of the IPC in his opening address.

“We are all well aware of the prevailing political uncertainty and it’s anyone’s guess how these turbulent times in the corridors of power will impact the timing of the consultation process for the Parking Act’s Code of Practice. But that is no justification for prevarication and mustn’t hold us back. On the contrary, the mould has been set and we should now be looking to put the spirit of the Act into practice by setting an example for all corners of the industry to follow. And we need to ensure we do so in a way that will raise standards within the industry without eroding the rights of all parties.”

Mr Hurley unveiled the IPC’s new and simplified Code of Practice to Conference delegates. As well as making it a mandatory requirement for operators to have an assigned Compliance Officer, there are many significant changes in the new Code including tighter regulations for self-ticketing operations and a clear statement of the obligations that lie with any motorist when parking their vehicle. He also drew attention to the IPC’s new ‘Marking the Lines’ manifesto that provides a definitive and progressive statement on the IPC’s position on all of the key issues relating to parking on private land. This comprehensive document also emphasises the importance of competition as a driving force for continual improvements in the provision of parking services and practices.

“Quite simply, we’re taking decisive and immediate action that is wholly in line with the objectives of the new Parking Act,” continued Mr Hurley. “We know what’s needed. We know what’s important to our members. And we know what assurances the motoring public are seeking. We are determined to lead by example and ensure we go over and above what is expected of us – to ensure that standards are raised without eroding rights and, above all else, to ensure the spirit and aspirations of the new Act are followed through in practice without any delay.”

As well as an open Q&A session with members of the IPC Steering Committee, the main Conference Hall also featured an insightful presentation from Sarah McLean, a Senior Policy Adviser at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

As well as highlighting initiatives to boost the vitality and appeal of High Streets, she also provided delegates with an update on the Parking (Code of Practice) Act. Having previously had responsibilities as Bill Manager as the Act passed through Parliament, she is now working on its implementation and confirmed there is now clarity on the areas that will be covered by this ‘enabling Act’. She also applauded the “candid thoughts” of the IPC over the past year and stressed the ongoing importance of evidence-based industry submissions during the forthcoming consultation process.

Tony Porter, Surveillance Camera Commissioner for England and Wales also returned to the IPC Conference stage to provide delegates with an update on the National Surveillance Camera Strategy. He also took the opportunity to praise the proactive stance of the IPC in maximising ANPR standards and presented Certificates of Compliance to Athena ANPR for its use of ANPR technologies and to District Enforcement Ltd for its use of Body Worn Video and ANPR systems.

Other speakers included Louis Ellis, who outlined the significance of the new e-learning platform for enforcement recruits launched by The Training and Development Academy, and the widely acclaimed motivational speaker, Mark Rhodes. There were also a series of workshops on parking law, compliance, Research and Development Tax Relief and ANPR standards as well as special workshops for IPC members in centres of higher education and in local authorities.

No less than 28 exhibitors had stands in the adjacent exhibition area that, once again, proved to be a popular area for discussing the topics covered by the main speakers and for networking with other professionals from all areas of the parking industry.

As in previous years, the day concluded with a Gala Dinner and entertainment in the main Ballroom of the DoubleTree by Hilton in Milton Keynes. This included an exciting and highly competitive auction that raised £12,920 for PAPYRUS, the UK Charity for the prevention of young suicide.

“We were delighted to be selected as the IPC’s nominated charity this year and it was a pleasure to meet so many professionals from the parking industry at the Conference and Gala Dinner,” said Liam Durkan, Corporate Fundraising Officer at PAPYRUS. “However, I have to say that the money raised at the charity auction far exceeded our expectations and will go a long way in helping us to lead the fight against suicide among young people. On behalf of everyone at PAPYRUS and everyone who contacts our helpline, a huge thank you to the IPC and its members for their support of our cause and their wonderful generosity.”

The IPC has confirmed that the 2020 Annual Conference will be on Thursday, 12^th November.

Editorial enquiries – Ron Dyson tel 01935 83622 ron.dyson@auroracomms.net

Issued on behalf of The International Parking Community

22 October 2019

The Digital Curb debuts in five new cities across North America – Coord

October 24, 2019

We’re five steps closer to supporting over 100 cities across the globe by 2021 as we welcome the curbs of Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver and our first Canadian city Vancouver to our platform

This past June, we announced our goal of supporting over 100 cities across the globe by 2021. At the same time, with the help of our engineering firm partners and municipalities, we added support for Austin, Miami, Philadelphia, San Diego and Washington D.C. to Coord, continuing our mission to help cities manage their streets, starting with the curb.

We are excited to expand access to the curb in five additional North American cities in our Coord Toolkit. This means curb users like mobility and logistics companies can now leverage data and analytics for these cities to optimizing vehicle routing to loading zones, improve safety for their users, reduce parking tickets and tows, and so much more.

Having a digital record of city curbs is crucial for cities — particularly as the ways people and goods get from point A to point B continue to rapidly evolve. Whether it’s new busways, a la New York City, the continued rise in micro-mobility options like scooter or increased packages and on-demand services, curb space is an increasingly scarce resource. So, in order to help cities adopt new curb management practices to better serve current and future needs of their communities, it’s important to start with an accurate record of their curbs today. A historically overlooked piece of infrastructure separating where we work, sleep and play, from how we get deliveries to how we get around by car, bus, or bike — the curb is quickly becoming the gateway to the city.

The Coord Toolkit helps cities digitize, analyze, & reimagine curb use. By being able to integrate curb data alongside parking meter transactions, citation information, permit allocations etc. cities can begin to put together a bigger picture for better planning and communication within their communities. By helping cities share data through our API we also help curb users such as mobility and logistics providers be more efficient, compliant, and safe along the curb. Among a variety of potential uses, this means companies can leverage the curb data for better routing, improving congestion as well as safety for drivers and passengers.

What’s new?

Just a few months ago, we announced support for nine major cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Austin, Miami, Philadelphia, San Diego and Washington D.C. Today, five new cities have been mapped for the Digital Curb revolution! We are so excited to welcome the curbs of Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver and Vancouver to the Coord family.

Now let’s dig into these new cities:

In Boston, we partnered with engineering firm Stantec to survey the historic cobblestone ways of the North End and Beacon Hill, to the hustling new streets of Downtown Crossing, Back Bay, and the Financial District. In four days, surveyors tracked 95 miles of Beantown curbs.

In Chicago, we partnered with leading traffic and transportation planning and engineering firm, Sam Schwartz, to survey the most heavily populated neighborhoods of the Windy City. From The Loop, River North, Streeterville, Gold Coast, Magnificent Mile and near West Side, surveyors tracked 122 miles of curbs over just seven days!

In Atlanta, in seven days, surveyors from NDS (National Data and Surveying Services) collected 94 miles of curbs. After this week of surveying, we learned that Downtown Atlanta has a lot of curbs where you can’t park or stop! 38% of the curb space in downtown Atlanta on an average weekday is allocated to no parking, with another 27% allocated to no standing and 10% allocated to no stopping.

In Denver, we worked with IDAX to digitize 90 miles of curbs in six days across the neighborhoods of Highland, LoDo, Ballpark, Five Points, Capitol Hill, and City Park West. The team of 5-6 people collected this data in six days!

In Vancouver, we partnered with AECOM to survey 107 miles of curbs across the city. In Coord’s first-ever Canadian city and large scale survey outside of the U.S., surveyors spent seven days traversing the streets of Gastown, Downtown, Coal Harbour, West End, Mt. Pleasant and Fairview. Interestingly, Vancouver has very minimalist, symbol-based signage, more so than anywhere else we’ve surveyed.

Not only are we expanding geographically; we have also added new product features to help cities better understand curb use. We recently released support for the collection and analysis of curb occupancy and turnover. We are building products to help cities better manage their curbs and help connect curb regulations to the private sector.

Interested in bringing the digital curb to your city?

We are on a mission to help cities manage their streets, starting with the curb. If you work for a city agency, transportation provider, or engineering consulting firm and want to want to learn more about Digital Curb, drop us a line at partners@coord.co to ‘get ahead of the curb.’

Genetec Unveils Next-Gen Mobile LPR

October 22, 2019

Genetec at IACP 2019

Booth # 5218

Chicago October 26-29, 2019

Genetec unveils next-generation mobile license plate recognition system with Intel® Movidius™ VPU technology for edge-based deep learning capabilities

Genetec AutoVu™ SharpZ3 goes beyond license plate identification and brings new levels of innovation in vehicle analytics, situational awareness, and accuracy

MONTRÉAL, October 22, 2019—Genetec Inc. (“Genetec”), a leading technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence will unveil its next-generation mobile ALPR (automatic license plate recognition) system at IACP (Chicago, October 26-29 2019) on booth #5218. Powered by Intel® Movidius™ Myriad™ X VPU (Vision processing unit), the new Genetec AutoVu™ SharpZ3 is among the first specialized in-vehicle ALPR systems in the world to use Intel’s latest deep learning and computer vision technology. The deep learning capabilities in the AutoVu SharpZ3 system will enable advanced levels of innovation in in-vehicle analytics, situational awareness, and accuracy.

“With the AutoVu SharpZ3, vehicle-based ALPR technology is about to enter a new phase in its evolution, made possible by Intel’s high-performance, low-power, deep learning VPU. By bringing powerful deep learning processing into the device itself, we are no longer limited by the constraints of traditional computer vision techniques or server post-processing. The new AutoVu SharpZ3 system will enable cities and law enforcement organizations to go far beyond simple license plate character recognition,” said Stephan Kaiser, General Manager of AutoVu at Genetec.

The AutoVu SharpZ3 system will not only be able to improve the accuracy of license plate reads in difficult environments (such as bad weather, heavy traffic, and fast speeds) but will also be able to instantly recognize additional analytics such as vehicle type, color, and more.

With future releases, the deep learning capabilities in the AutoVu SharpZ3 will enable cities to use their ALPR equipped vehicles to address other operational issues such as detecting unpermitted road construction, discovering abandoned e-scooters or bikes in unauthorized zones, and more.

“AI is driving a powerful digital transformation in cities around the world – enabling them to be more efficient, livable and secure for their citizens. By pushing AI-powered devices and solutions to the edge, forward-thinking companies like Genetec are fulfilling the true promise of IoT in smart cities,” said Jonathan Ballon, Intel vice president and general manager, Internet of Things Group.

The AutoVu SharpZ3 system also features three optical sensors in the camera to provide additional analytics such as the precise positioning of detected objects, and a modular chassis to allow users to easily add new functionalities in the field without the complication and costs of hardware replacement.

The new Genetec AutoVu SharpZ3 system is expected to become available by early 2020. For more information, please visit the Genetec booth #5218 at IACP or visit www.genetec.com/SharpZ3.