Limited free parking

When parking is free to employee but in short supply, preferential or reserved parking for carpools and vanpools can be very effective:

Provide preferential parking – Reserve the most desirable parking spaces for carpools and vanpools, thus encouraging employees to share the ride. Typically preferential parking spaces are covered or are located near entrances or elevators; these spaces are marked and employees are registered to use the spaces on a first-come first-serve basis or are assigned a specific ("reserved") space. Eligible employees are issued an identifier for the vehicle such as a hang-tag or sticker. The effectiveness of preferential or reserved parking for carpools and vanpools is a result of the degree of convenience it represents to employees.

Consider charging for parking – Look at the market prices in the area, or the cost of leasing additional parking, to determine a parking charge. Offer a rideshare, transit, biking and or walking subsidy for employees. It leverages the impact and can help off-set the pain of implementing a parking charge. Consider using the revenue from your new parking charge to fund your incentives or subsidies. Click here to look at the average monthly parking costs in the Puget Sound Region.

Consider a parking cash-out program which offers employees a choice between a transit subsidy and or a cash amount instead of employer-provided parking.


	Steps to implementing a preferential HOV parking program:
	Work with employees, management and labor to determine and distribute policies that define who is eligible to use a parking space and what will happen if employees abuse the policy. Determine how many spaces you’ll need and how you will monitor parking. Determine what other program elements you will offer to support ridesharing, for example: ridematching, guaranteed ride home, carpool/vanpool incentives or a subsidy. Design a registration system to identify those who are eligible for a parking space. Communicate the new policy – and help employees form carpools and vanpools – before implementing!