IPMI Organization of the Year – 2020
The award, recognized during the 2020 IPMI Parking & Mobility Virtual Conference & Expo and featured in Parking & Mobility magazine, recognizes public or private parking, transportation and mobility organizations, departments, consultants, suppliers, and commercial operators that exceed expectations and meet extremely high industry standards.
The Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) in Pennsylvania serves the parking needs of the sixth-most populous U.S. city, with more than 1.5 million residents. The PPA—which has achieved an Accredited Parking Organization with Distinction designation—recently developed a three-year strategic plan, with the goal to advance economic development and improve quality of life while reducing the environmental effects of single-occupant vehicle use.
The organization is dedicated to implementing the latest parking, transportation, and mobility technologies to enhance user experience and improve efficiency for employees. Innovations include a new mobile parking payment app, meterUP; a complete automation of the towing process through handheld devices; and numerous sustainability initiatives, including energy efficiency and waste reduction programs, parking guidance systems, electric vehicle charging stations, and off-street bike racks. Working with Philadelphia’s regional transit agency, SEPTA, PPA continues to address congestion along bus routes through targeted enforcement to reduce traffic delays, congestion, and resulting emissions.
Communication with patrons is paramount; programs allow the public to see officers from a different perspective, providing education with the goal of improving public safety. Creative communication and social media also distinguish the organization. The PPA has created a podcast aimed at informing the community of the PPA’s efforts, featuring interviews with employees and experts about PPA initiatives so the public can better understand projects, programs, and technology.
In addition, the organization manages programs that are not typically the responsibility of municipal parking authorities, including community safety and the Vision Zero Network, an international initiative aimed at reducing the number of injuries and deaths from traffic collisions each year.