Parking and Security Case Study: Modernizing Parking Management for the Borough of Kane
The municipality of the Borough of Kane, nestled in the picturesque landscape of Northwestern Pennsylvania, has a rich history dating back to its establishment in 1864. This charming community of approximately 5000 residents welcomes a steady stream of visitors and local residents who need convenient parking solutions. However, the Borough of Kane encountered specific challenges and processes that required modernization to enhance their parking management system.
Challenges and Existing Processes
1. This community sees a lot of snow and wintertime brings unique challenges for snow removal and the enforcement of specific parking rules.
2. Manual Infraction Management: Parking infractions were manually issued, and notices were physically placed on vehicles. These infractions were then recorded annually at the town hall, which was a time-consuming and inefficient process.
3. In-Person Appeals: Handling appeals for parking infractions required individuals to appear in person at the town hall, creating inconvenience for both citizens and administrative staff.
4. Many Repeat Offenders and Difficulty Collecting: Despite the provided incentives for prompt payment, offering discounts to those who settled their fines within 72 hours the Borough still had issues collecting on tickets.
5. Unique Parking Process: What made the Borough of Kane’s Parking process distinctive was its absence of metered parking. Instead, they offer a community-oriented approach, providing parking free of charge. While parking is free, some areas have time limits that often cause cars to overstay their welcome. This brings up the biggest problem that Kane has (in terms of parking management.) When winter parking restrictions are enforced, vehicles blocking areas for snow-clearing operations would cause the Borough some headaches. No one wants to go from free parking to having to move for snow removal, so some people would try to park in these areas anyway.
Solution with OperationsCommander
OperationsCommander offered the Borough of Kane a platform that digitally transformed their parking management system, addressing their unique challenges and streamlining their operations.
Key Solutions and Benefits
1. Digital Infraction Management: With OperationsCommander’s ViolationAdmin and Device App, the Borough of Kane could digitize their infraction issuance and management. This significantly improved the efficiency of patrolling, reduced manual paperwork, and enhanced the accuracy of records.
2. Efficient Appeals Process: The platform introduced an online appeals system, eliminating the need for in-person appeals. This made the process more accessible and convenient for individuals, saving time for both citizens and the town hall staff.
3. Enhanced Prompt Payment Incentives: OperationsCommander provided a more efficient mechanism for managing discounts and incentives for prompt payments, further encouraging compliance with parking regulations.
Future Expansion
The Borough of Kane is particularly drawn to the License Plate Recognition (LPR) feature provided by OperationsCommander. LPR allowed for the simple identification of repeat parking offenders, enhancing enforcement in a cost-effective manner.
The Borough of Kane expressed its intention to participate in an LPR trial and to upgrade its system to incorporate LPR technology in the near future. They are also looking to use OPS-COM to manage special event parking.
Conclusion
By adopting OperationsCommander’s comprehensive parking management solution, the Borough of Kane modernized its parking operations, making them more efficient, user-friendly, and compliant with contemporary parking standards.
This case study demonstrates how embracing innovative technologies can enhance the quality of life for a community while improving administrative processes in a municipality with a rich history and a unique approach to parking.