This article was originally published in the November 2026 California Mobility & Parking Association newsletter.
From payment transactions and permit records to occupancy counts, cities have more parking data at their disposal than ever before. These records can show how many people park, when they arrive, and how long they stay, but turning that information into practical decisions is not always so straightforward. The examples below, drawn from projects my team and I have worked on as parking consultants, show how taking a closer look at existing parking data can help cities better understand parking activity and make informed decisions.
How often does the peak occur?
The important question is not just how busy parking gets, but how often those conditions occur. In Carpinteria, we collected data during busy summer days to inform the downtown parking management plan, accounting for the possibility of higher demand during holidays and major events. The management plan distinguished typical demand from occasional peaks, which may require targeted measures such as event shuttles and shared parking agreements with private owners. Understanding how often these peaks occur helps cities determine whether parking challenges require ongoing management or strategies tailored to particularly busy days. This distinction can also help cities avoid investing in additional parking infrastructure that may sit underutilized for much of the year.
When do parking demands overlap?
We often see parking spaces empty when they’re reserved for just one use. In Mill Valley, we collected data on a major commercial corridor, where we found that employee parking spaces were rarely used, even during the weekday peak, while other areas of the corridor were highly utilized. Examining occupancy by parking restriction, rather than relying solely on overall occupancy, revealed opportunities to better manage the supply, improving access to existing parking spaces. The study recommended considering time-limited spaces that permit holders and visitors could share, rather than reserving spaces exclusively for employees.
What are we missing when we only focus on transactions?
Transaction counts provide insight into parking activity and revenue but only capture recorded payments. As a result, vehicles parked without payment may go uncounted, leading to an underestimation of actual parking occupancy. In Culver City, we examined transaction records alongside length of stay, occupancy, and revenue data to understand how parking activity varied across the system. Frequent short visits created a different usage pattern than longer stays, and visits during the free parking period did not generate parking revenue. Looking beyond transaction totals helped inform discussions about rates and validations.
Conclusion
For cities, the value of parking data lies in how it informs decisions about access, public resources, and downtown needs. Rather than relying solely on peak counts or transaction total costs, staff can examine broader parking patterns to distinguish everyday challenges from occasional surges, identify opportunities for shared parking, and evaluate rates and validations. It is helpful to have a clear question about what a city needs its parking system to do—not simply what data it has available.
This article was written by Tania Schleck, a parking consultant with Walker Consultants in its Los Angeles office. Tania specializes in parking and transportation policy and planning, working on projects across a range of geographic areas and scales. Her work examines how parking decisions intersect with land use, real estate, economic development, placemaking, and transportation alternatives.
