Parking management system Essay

Globalization of the worlds industrial economies greatly enhances the value breeding to the rm and offers last word opportunities to businesses. Today, organizement strategys provide the communication and analytic mogul that rms select for conducting trade and managing businesses on a global scale. gibe to Kenneth and Jane (1998) 11, sensitive kinds of knowledge and knowledge-intense organizations have emerged that atomic estimate 18 devoted accurately to the production, affect,and distribution of information. In knowledge-and information- base economy,information engine room and systems take on great importance. Knowledge-based products and services of great economic value such as credit pesters,overnight package tar,worldwide package deli precise and worldwide reservation systems ar based on cutting information technologies. information technology constitutes more than than 70 percent of the invested capital in service industries such as nance,insurance,and re al estate.Across all industries,information and the technology that delivers it have bring forth critical and strategic assets for the business rms and their deal outrs. breeding systems argon needed to optimize the ow of information and knowledge within the organization and to succor forethought maximizethe rms knowledge resources.Because the productivity of employees testament account on the quality of the systems help them, centering decisions slightly information technology are critically important to the prosperity and survival of a rm.Public utilities need a pose infrastructure that put forward function efciently and be coordinated with the separate urban city utilities. Economic development sees lay as a tool to support current economic activity and as incentive to attract new businesses. Safety and gage departments see ordain and its prerequisite enforcement as, just that, a rush, albeit it is a first gear priority requirement that empennage divert that department from its higher priority function.M either set facilities in Uganda are non effectively managed,take an example of the lay at Mulago Hospital were set spaces are sufcient to cater for the motorists that visit the hospital at a submitn m,but because of haphazard method of place choose by motorists that set according to convenience rather than utilizing bays systematically. This has ca utilize jams at busy spot of the hospital leaving other position spaces free.This calls for a lay vigilance System that idler be utilise assign bays to the motorists in a systematic and populateent manner so as to avoid trafc jams at busy spots.The in business leader of motorists to identify pose bays at a specic instalment in the shortest cartridge holder realistic would, signicantly, contribute to grind in operating the vehicle. Moreover, round motorists that fail to nd put space tend to park vehicles illegally on shoulders or pavements which would credibly issuan ce in unsafe conditions to highway trafc, such as Limiting the ability of set vehicles to accelerate safely into trafc steam. Conicts between exiting and parked vehicles. Restriction of sign distance. Obstacles in clear recovery zone for fallible vehicles.According to Trombly, (2003) 12, in that location is an existing phenomenon that truck drivers tend to use specic truck stops or rest areas along a specic route. It was found in Maryland that some drivers would give up pursuance put availability further and park on ramps and shoulders even when in that respect are place spaces easy secureby . Thus,some prison terms full occupancy exists at some locations, while position spaces at other locations may not be fully utilized due to the unawareness of lay availabilities. entropy technologies have been introduced into vehicles place management system for decades. Providing real- measure or near real-time position instruction information to drivers is one important side and has emerged for more than twenty grades. The general concept of this kind of system consists of in general these components. Firstly, parking management centers collect parking arrival data by using sensors or detectors.Secondly, parking data collected is processed into parking availability information, and thirdly, this information is disseminated via all kinds of information media, such as radio, pith signs, telephone and so on. Under the steering of this information, drivers are supposed to press on-road searching time for parking spaces, which can consequently rel remainder the trafc over-crowding during peak hours. Nowadays, parking information and guidance systems have been install into suffice in tens of cities or wrinkleports in atomic chip 63, America, and Japan. However, very limited practice on parking information systems specically for trucks on interstate highways have been put so far. In some states in US, consultative parking information 3has been provid ed to truck drivers on signs along interstate highways, but presently there are few systematic descriptions on the implementation of this system. garden city is one of the biggest shop centre of attentions in Kampala City, situated along Yusuf Lule Road. It has become a popular shopping anchor in Uganda with numerous number of shops dealing in a variety of ingenuouss. These range from home-use products to recreation facilities easy at the mall.The Shopping complex was designed in such a way that it can accommodate parking for the clienteles motor-vehicles.There are deuce levels of parking. Level I parking is on oor one of the shopping mall with a capacity of 110 motor vehicles whereas Level II parking is at the basement stretching to thecomplexs universal gravitational constant has a capacity 240 motor-vehicles. The parking bays are clearly marked and can accommodate up to 350 motor-vehicles on a busy working day.The entire complex is secured with a wall fence and access to th e shopping mall is through one entrance for motor-vehicles coming in and at the alike(p) time acts as an exit for motorists that are leaving the premises. At the moment,no charges are levied to the motorists that occupy the parking zones,this was identied by the writer as good source of gross for the owners of the shopping mall by charging a hire for all the motorists that utilize the parking bays.The kinds of systems built today are very important for the overall performance of the organization, peculiarly in todays exceedingly globalized economy. training systems are driveway some(prenominal)(prenominal) daily trading operations and organizational strategy. unchewable computers,software,and networks have helped organizations become more exible,eliminate layers of management,separate work from location,and restructure work ows,giving new powers both to line workers and management. The Internet and other networks have redened organization boundaries,opening new opportunities for electronic markets and electronic commerce. To maximize the advantages of information technology,there is a much greater need to plan for the overall information architecture of the organization.1.2 Statement of the businessThere is no systematic method for the allocation of parking bays and management lacks coordinated and centralized information for the effective management and control of the parking facility.1.3 Objectives1.3.1General ObjectiveThe goal of this research is to develop a park Management System for tend City Complex which will manage the parking facility more efciently.The management system will choose the development and application of a variety of progress technology and alter control strategies to achieve signicant parking improvements resulting in maximum physical exertion of the operable parking areas.1.3.2The specic objectives include1. Optimizing use of limited parking spaces to ensure that the motorists are assigned bays in the shortest time possi ble.2. Revenue multiplication and accountability, management will be in position to de enclosureine revenue realized from motorists utilizing the parking bays by querying the system. 3. Customer satisfaction Motorists will be alloted parking bays systematically by the parking management system, this will ease on the congestion brought just about by motorists scrambling for specic parking bays for convenience.1.4 background knowledgeThe project will realize its achievements based on the parking management of garden city complex. The scope of this study is a short term project level,therefore it weights towards getting a system fully implemented.1.5 JusticationFindings of the study will be useful in the efcient practice session of limited available place space supply at Garden City Complex and other institutions within the city . The ndings will also help Kampala City Council (KCC)in formulating policies with deal to parking control and management for shopping malls,for example pay it obligatory for all those intending to put up structures in the city to demonstrate provisions for parking in the basements. This proposal suggests a parking information system that will serve the customer and the management of parking at the Shopping mall. put services will enable the customer to locate available parking,get directions,and machinate payment.CHAPTER TWO2 LITERATURE REVIEWAn spacious review of the literature related to parking systems was conducted by the researcher. The review seeks to examine available parking management systems and to chthonicstand their potential. The types of technologies include in th review are pose steering study (PGI), track based information, insolent payment systems, and e-parking. This section documents the major nding of the literature review.2.1 The need for a position Management SystemAccording to Caroline,Rodier and Amanda (2004)5,Early examples of smart parking management were Parking Guidance Information (PGI) sys tems that attempt to belittle parking search trafc in large parking facilities and central cities by dynamically supervise available parking,and directing motorists with Changeable nub Signs (CMS).The rst Parking Guidance Information (PGI) systems were installed in Achen,Ger umteen,in the early 1970s. It is now estimated that more than 100 parking guidance information systems have been installed in cities throughout the world with the greatest density in Europe and Japan. In the United States,city center Parking Guidance Information (PGI) systems exist in St. Paul,Minnesota,and Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania. Large airport parking garage PGI systems have been installed in Baltimore,Maryland Houston,Texas Orlando,Florida and Minneapolis/St. Paul,Minnesota.Empirical and example studies of selected systems indicate that awareness and appreciation of PGI signs can be relatively high,but in order to be effective,messages must display accurate information that meets travelers needs . Int erestingly,visitors are more likely than resident commuters to use city center Parking Guidance Information (PGI) systems. Parking Guidance Information (PGI) systems were found to trim back parking facility queue lengths however,system-wide reductions in travel time and vehicle travel,and economic benets may be relatively small.Uganda as a developing country has not yet embraced such systems in its capitals Central task District (CBD),however the need for such systems is change magnitudely becoming inevitable because the demand for parking bays has tremendously shot up surpassing the supply especially at busy shopping malls. The only way the limited parking bays can be put to effective use is by employing a parking management system.According to Chopper (2005) 6,Parking in the San Diego Gaslamp withdraw is a very stressful activity for visitors. Visitors must circulate through the Gaslamp Quarter searching for parking on the street curb,in at practically and parking structures. The circulating trafc is a signicant nuisance to foot trafc,contributes air and noise pollution and adds to already congested trafc ow. Fundamentally,studies have shown that there is a sufcient number of parking spaces,but the drivers spend a considerable heart of time searching for an empty spot. Existing parking control is share the enforcement function,but provides little service to the customer.According to Axhausen and Polak (1995)2,Building upon the objectives of Parking Guidance Information (PGI) systems,transit-based smart parking systems seek to enlarge transit use and revenues, restrict vehicle travel,lower enkindle use,and lessen air pollution. These systems provide motorists with information via Changeable Message Signs (CMS) about spaces in park and ride lots,transit schedules and downstream trafc conditions.The literature suggests that parking shortages at suburban rail stations may signicantly constrain transit ridership,thus more effective use of station parkin g may increase transit use and revenues . In addition, motorists may respond to pre-trip and en-route information on parking availability at transit stations by increasing their use of transit . Finally,regular commuters are more responsive to information about parking in conjunction with transit than more prefatorial Parking Guidance Information (PGI) systems,because this information may be essential to detection a train during peak hours . Transit-based systems are concentrated in Europe and Japan however,at least two have been initiated in the United States in conjunction with Chicagos Metra System and San Joses Valley Transit Authority.Trafc congestion is a problem that appears to be increasing in a worldwide context. In late years considerable effort has been paid to the investigation of methods to reduce such congestion and the accidents and hazards that are usually associated with it. Collectively these efforts come under the aegis of trenchant Transportation Systems (ITS ).A critical part of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are the Advanced traveller Information Systems (ATIS). Essentially these consist of in-vehicle information and guidance systems which help the driver to select routes which will reduce congestion,to nd parking in areas where it is sparse,and to facilitate rescheduling of activities when congestion makes this a practicable alternative. It is argued that such assistive information will benet individual drivers in terms of helping to achieve their scheduled behaviors and activities as well as beneting the system by improving trafc ow.Axhausen (1994) 2 cable carried out tierce waves of surveys (one before wave and two after waves) to compare the reduction in parking search time after implementation of the parking information system in Frankfurt am Main,Germany. A non-linear puzzle was substantial to relate the parking 10search time to the estimated occupancy of off-street parking facilities before and after installation of parking guidance and information system. able parking systems can also take advantage of modern technologies to improve the ease and convenience of paying for parking. Smart cards can minimize transaction time by allowing a user to hardly wave their card in front of a reader,and contact little cards with radiocommunication communication capabilities can further reduce delays. meandering(a) communication devices can also be use in smart payment transactions. Smart parking payment systems are now organism developed and implemented worldwide by cell phone developers,credit card companies,and other technology and service providers. Smart payment systems were found to reduce operation,maintenance and enforcement cost as well as improve collection pass judgment . When transit agencies attempt to induce drivers off of highways to take transit into a city center,time saving.Hester(2002) 9 designed two experiments in a visualized driving simulator to test alternative models of driv ers parking decision with the parking availability and guidance information displayed on versatile Message Signs (VMS). In Experiment 1,three varied versions of the expected utility theory were tested. In these three hypotheses,one might turn in that drivers attempt to- minimize the expected travel time, minimize the walking distance,and minimize the time spent on waiting for a lot for a parking space or, equivalently,maximize the parking availability.The results in Experiment 1 showed that participants responses were more often consistent withthe decision to minimize the expected travel time than they were either with the decision to minimize the walking distance or to maximize the parking availability. However,a further study in Experiment 2 suggested that the strategies that nigh test drivers utilize is a lexicographic decision strategy,in which drivers decided to park in a lot if the number of open spaces was greater than or equal to some criteria number. Such a strategy i s more aboveboard cognitively than the previous one,and thereby greatly reduces the cognitive load on the drivers.Asakura (1994) 3 developed a computer simulation model to evaluate the set up of parking information. The simulation model consists of three sub-models a demand model based on multinomial logic model,a performance model to recognise the car parking status,and an information service model. The messages shown on signs in the simulation were in three types of legends waiting time,FULL/ situationS,and number of vacancies.Simulation results were for divers(prenominal) scenarios with regard to different ratios of system users among all drivers and different congestion levels. It was found that the bonnie waiting time decreases with the increasing harmonize of informed drivers, especially when the proportion changes from 0 to 10 percent. The FULL/SPACES type is the almost effective in reducing average waiting time at higher congestion levels the waiting time information is the most effective at low congestion level,and the number of vacancies information is the least one in both cases.Polak (1995)3 stresses that in recent years,however,there has been an increasing effort to focus on the driver as a recipient of advanced traveler information by developing a series of simulators,which allow manipulation of environments and ceremony of different driver behaviors . The use of such simulators is most helpful when attempting to decide the likeliness that drivers will accept information dispensed through their in vehicle guidance system. The development 12of driver simulators and the consequent modeling of driver behavior has been an attempt to enrich the potential of Advanced Traveler Information System(ATIS) methodology. Of signicant importance,however,is the increased acknowledgment that these simulations work best if the environment is designed to have as many important real-world features as possible (e.g.,trafc lanes preferably of undifferentiat ed network arcs signalized or otherwise controlled intersections instead of unconstrained nodes in a graph theoretic representation of a system indicators of trafc speed and driving headway etc.).According to Havinoviski,(2000) 8In Chicago,real-time parking management systems for parkingand-ride facilities along transit corridors were proposed . The systems will display or impart overall and specic parking lot information,next train arrival information,expressway or tollway incident and travel time information. Infrared detection,inductive loop detection,video image processing were considered the most practical techniques for measurement of parking availability. Four technologies,namely Internet,telephone, variable quantity message signs,highway advisory radio,were considered for information dissemination.Allen (1993) 1 studied the impacts of a parking guidance and information system on drivers behaviors at a disaggregated level in Kingston-up-Thames,London,United Kingdom. An attit ude questionnaire and a Stated Preference (SP) experiment were employed in the study. The results of the attitude questionnaire showed a low level of system usage. 4 percent of all respondents were in all unaware of the system 47 percent were aware of,but had never apply it 49 percent had use the system. In the Stated Preference experiment,parking price,walking time,and limit of Variable Message Signs (VMS) were include. As the results suggested,the occupancy information of parking lots shown on Variable Message Signs (VMS) has a signicant effect on car-park choice 13probability. When contents of Variable Message Signs (VMS) change from SPACE to FULL,a dramatic instantaneous impact on driver behavior resulted.Polak (1990) 2 summarized the basic technologies of Parking Guidance and Information (PGI) systems in the European and Japanese cities and the approaches adopted to system design and operation before 1990s. In reviewing the effectiveness of these systems,it was noted that V ariable Message Signs (VMS) was a relatively mature technology for PGI systems,and two main technologies rotating prisms and ber-optics were of proven reliability Basically,all those studies were based on the naive comparisons of before-and-after car parks usage patterns,arrival proles at the facilities,and trafc volumes,where before-and-after drivers surveys were mostly conducted. Those studies showed that parking guidance systems could have an impact on trafc and parking patterns by redistributing parking demand between car parks,and by alleviating queues at the most popular car parks. Little evidence showed that those systems had given rise to any substantial changes in trafc volumes,arrival patterns and congestion.Edwards and Kelcey,(1997) 7 assert that,Variable Message Signs (VMS) and atmospheric static signs were used in the operation to present parking availability information to drivers in the urban area. Loop detectors were used as the counting equipment at off-street park ing facilities. Controller interface units then automatically calculates the number of available spaces in real time using pulse from the detectors each time a vehicle arrived or left the parking facility. The data were genetical to central computers via dedicated phone line and T1 line,and were processed by parking management software. The central computers then sent the parking information to Variable message signs via Radio Frequency (RF) cellular communications.An Advanced Parking Information (API) system was designed and put into test operations in idol Paul,Minnesota in late 1995 and early 1996 (Edwards and Kelcey Inc.,1997 HNTB,(1997). Variable Message Signs (VMS) and static signs were used in the operation to present parking availability information to drivers in the urban area. Loop detectors were used as the counting equipment at off-street parking facilities. Controller interface units then automatically calculates the number of available spaces in real time using pulse from the detectors each time a vehicle arrived or left the parking facility. The data were patrimonial to central computers via dedicated phone line and T1 line,and were processed by parking management software. The central computers then sent the parking information to Variable message signs via radio frequency (RF) cellular communications.According to Road way Ministry of Land,(2002) 9,parking guidance systems already had been implemented in 40 cities by the year of 1995in Japan (Toyama,1995). Most of them were based on Variable Message Signs (VMS) and static signs for display parking information at that time. The effects of these systems include leveled exercising factor,less parking search time,and reduced on-road parking and smoother trafc. In recent years,new technologies were introduced to parking systems. Since 1999,Internet web sites have been served for providing parking information in many Japanese cities. Other services such as cellular phone,Community advance Televi sion (CATV),information service terminals at airports and bus terminals have also been included as parts of parking guidance systems in Japan to make more efcient use of parking facilities and making parking facilities more convenient.Burdette (1999 2001) 4 investigated advanced parking information systems at airports. In the research,a variety of Intelligent Traveler Systems (ITS) technologies applicable to Advanced Parking Information (API) at airports were investigated. A nine-step road map was developed for implementing an advanced parking information system at airports. According to a small sample survey conducted in the study,Variable Message Signs (VMS),static signs,radio,in-vehicle gliding system,and Internet are the most users preferred Intelligence Traveler Systems (ITS) technologies for this system.Parking information systems have been in practice for nearly 30 years,mainly serving for urban off-street,airport,and transit/bus parking facilities. In this information age,a number of new technologies are used in this kind of system. Variable Message Signs (VMS),static signs, Internet web site,telephone,and Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) are the most commonly used and acceptable technologies for disseminating parking information. The most commonly used data collection technologies include loop detector,infrared detector, radar or sonic detector,video image processing,and so on.2.2 Chapter SummaryIn an increasingly digital and wireless age,parking managers can take advantage of available technology to reduce operation,maintenance,and enforcement costs as well as to improve ease and convenience for motorists. Smart parking can make efcient use of existing parking spaces and to make reserving and paying for parking,fast, convenient,and reliable.CHAPTER THREE3 METHODOLOGY3.1 Data CollectionThis chapter presents the data collection methods that were used by the researcher in exercising the study,tools that were used in the analysis and design of the system a nd also the tools used to develop and implement the system.The various data or requirements gathering techniques that were used included the following1. Interviews An interview is a conversation in which the researcher tries to get information from the interviewer. The method assumes that the respondents to be interviewed have the information required they can understand questions,which are put to them and will be willing to give answers while they are face-to-face. The researcher was able to interview some of the Garden City complex staff members and parking users who were utilizing the parking facility at that particular time and this helped the researcher to get rst-hand information on the operations of the parking facility. .2. Questionnaires Questionnaires were used by the researcher to gather factsabout the parking behaviour of motorists and payment methods,questionnaires were aimed at getting information about the time spent in parking , and the mode of payment motorists woul d prefer for the utilization of parking bays.(Questionnaires appear in the appendix part of this report. It was open from the questionnaires and interviews conducted that some motoristsprefered to pay in advance for use the parking facility for a given period to on-spot payment. The argument raised was that they at times accomplish out of cash after shopping. On the other hand, it was also established that other motorists do rarely visit the shopping mall and as such they were willing to pay on spot for use of the parking facility. From the two arguments raised,it was concluded that the system to be built would accommodate both parties by making provisions for advance payments and on-spot payments. 3. Observation The purpose of observation was to determine the measurements, types, numbers,objectives and so on. The process of observation is not conned to eyesight only. We can observe by hearing,smelling,teaching,and tasting. The method was mainly used in viewing the set up of avai lable parking bays,viewing for example the security cards given to the entrance as evidence that they are utilizing parking bays.It was observed that each saloon car is slated to occupy one parking bay at a given time. This method was also used to get information about the structure of the organization and any applicable background information about the organization that proved relevant to the study. I went further to look through some of transactions and this later helped in determining the data stored per entity involved in the designed system.