- Dan H.
Enforcing Your Parking Lot During the Pandemic
With so much continued uncertainty during the pandemic, how can lot owners continue to operate and enforce their lots?

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
Depending on where you're located in the country you may or may not be operating. Some counties have strict guidelines while others with low infection rates may be running like normal. If you're lucky enough to have steady traffic flowing into your lot, how can you enforce it with limited staff?
Hardware
Gate Systems
The easiest way to prevent unwanted access is with a parking gate system. A driver can pull up and be granted access by taking a ticket, scanning a barcode if they've pre-paid, or having the gate auto-open for monthly drivers with RFID enabled sensors on their vehicle.
LPR Camera System
An LPR (License Plate Recognition) camera system can work with or without a gate to keep tabs on what vehicles are entering your lot. These cameras must be placed at the right angle with the right lighting to capture plate numbers. Once captured, an operator can see if the driver has pre-paid, owes money, is a VIP, or has been flagged in the past for suspicious reasons.
Software
While hardware can be a great solution, if your lot isn't equipped for it, there can be a high up-front cost. Depending on your lot size, a software solution might be a better fit for your budget.
Companies like Pavemint and Flash Parking offer solutions that don't necessarily require hardware to give you peace of mind.
Self Parking with Enforcement Tools
Don't have an expensive gate system? No problem! Let your patrons park and pay without requiring an attendant to always be on-site. Drivers can park, scan a QR code (or text a number) to receive a link to enter their license plate, and pay right on their phone. The parking records are sent right to your digital dashboard. You can even send an attendant to the lot throughout the day to scan plates from their smartphone to verify if drivers have paid or not.
Regardless of whether you go with a hardware or software solution be sure to stay tuned to parkinglaunch.com for all the latest insights on the future of parking and mobility.