Regular Board Meeting: October 2022
Due to the public health impact and concerns of the COVID-19 and other outbreaks and in light of recommendations by public health officials, the Authority’s Regular Board Meeting scheduled for 10:00 a.m., on October 18, 2022, will be held in-person at PPA Headquarters and virtually via Microsoft Teams webinar. You may register to attend the Board meeting virtually Here.
Public comment will be accepted and considered. Anyone wishing to make comment at the Regular Board Meeting must contact Kelly Quinn at [email protected]. All such emails and requests must be received by Ms. Quinn on or before October 17, 2022, to be considered for the meeting.
PHL Impression Makers: Philadelphia Parking Authority Lot Attendant Supervisor Messan Amlon
Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) Lot Attendant Supervisor Messan Amlon recently received the “Impression Makers” award in Philadelphia International Airport’s (PHL) Employee Recognition Program. This award recognizes customer-facing employees who provide direct customer service to passengers.
As a supervisor on the 2-10:30 p.m. shift, Amlon oversees the lot attendants who are assigned to each parking garage entrance. He typically starts off his day by making a daily schedule and assigning a post to each lot attendant. He helps passengers that need assistance locating their vehicles, a battery jumpstart or are locked out of their vehicles and responds to any auto pay parking issues. He also checks ticket machines to make sure they are not running out and refills them as needed.
Amlon, who holds a customer service certificate from PPA, has spent eight of his 15-year PPA career at PHL. When he was offered a transfer from the Love Park garage to PHL, he did not hesitate to accept the offer as he wanted to advance his career and take on more responsibilities.
“I enjoy meeting new people,” he said. “I like responding to their inquiries about airport services and resolving their concerns. I like helping them navigate the airport parking routes and transportation.”
In her nomination of Amlon, PHL Director of Guest Experience Leah Douglas mentioned his assistance when she was boxed in by another vehicle on the roof of Parking Garage C.
“I wanted to recognize Messan for his exemplary performance,” said Douglas. “He is an extremely amazing individual and deserves a lot of praise for his great work. Messan went above and beyond to help me out and turned a negative experience into a positive one. It is not often that things like this happen in this world today! I believe Messan should be rewarded and recognized for his tremendous customer service and great work!”
Amlon likes working in a fast-paced environment. He also admires everything Philadelphia offers including the variety of attractions, fine dining restaurants and interesting historical sites.
“Working at PHL, I get to meet foreign and domestic travelers,” said Amlon. “I like sharing information and fun facts about Philadelphia to passengers to give them a good first impression of the city.”
Aviation is fascinating to Amlon, who has a special affinity towards pilots. “I always treat pilots I meet at PHL with the utmost respect they deserve,” he said. “Planes are a popular means of transportation.”
Amlon and his coworkers prioritize and divide tasks then complete them individually. “We always communicate over the radio to assist one another,” he said. “My coworkers are as dedicated as I am.”
He believes that customer service is a crucial skill to have in the hospitality industry. He prides himself in setting an excellent example for others by diligently committing himself to his work.
“My job is simple, yet very important as we are the first workers patrons encounter when they come to PHL,” said Amlon. “A great first experience could give them a good impression and enhance the airport’s reputation.”
Amlon is always willing to assist passengers by directing them to their destination.
“My most memorable moment is a letter of appreciation and recommendation for my excellent customer service that a patron sent to the PPA director of operations,” said Amlon. “Being recognized and praised for a job well done is very gratifying to me. Working for PPA Airport Operations has been awesome. I’m treated well and given the opportunity to improve my skills.”
Written By: PHL Newsroom
The PHL Employee Recognition Program was established by the airport’s Guest Experience (GX) Department. Honorees are nominated by their peers and selected by the GX Council Steering Committee’s Employee Conduct and Recognition Committee. For more information about the program and to nominate an employee, click here.
City, SEPTA and PPA to Carryout Enforcement Campaign in Center City Bus Lanes
PHILADELPHIA — City officials today announced that another Center City bus lane enforcement initiative is planned for this Fall. Philadelphia and The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) police departments and supervisors, and the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) will prioritize bus lane enforcement on Chestnut Street between 23rd and 6th Streets, Market Street between 20th and 6th, as well as JFK Boulevard between 15th and 19th Streets. The enhanced enforcement will begin Monday, September 26. “SEPTA’s success is Philadelphia’s success. Making buses faster and more reliable is a key goal for the Administration as more people return to center city for work or leisure, and we’re grateful to partner with SEPTA and the PPA on this enforcement initiative,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Enforcement of the existing bus lanes can significantly speed up travel for buses while also improving travel time for drivers that obey the existing regulations.”With the addition of JFK Boulevard, this effort will expand upon previous enforcements of the bus, bike, and right-turn only lanes on Market and Chestnut Streets. Enforcement officers will also continue to issue parking violations, with an enhanced effort and focus on moving violations, such as driving in the bus lane and illegal turns.“This enforcement effort will help SEPTA as it strives to provide our customers with efficient and reliable bus service,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “These are key to the success of our upcoming bus network redesign, Bus Revolution, which is an extraordinary opportunity to make transit more useful for more people.”“The PPA is a leader in on-street parking management to optimize traffic flow in our business districts. We need for everyone to understand the danger to public safety when bus lanes are blocked. Blocking bus lanes not only increases traffic congestion but also threatens the lives of pedestrians and bus passengers. During the enforcement blitz, the PPA will strictly enforce all ‘No Stopping’ and ‘No Standing’ violations” in bus lanes,” said PPA Chairperson Beth Grossman. Results from the enhanced enforcement initiative in the Fall of 2019 saw a 6.4 percent improvement in transit travel times during the midday period for the whole length of Chestnut Street, resulting in 2.5-minute reduction in travel time per bus on average on Chestnut Street (River to River). A 4 percent improvement on Market Street resulted in 0.5 minutes saved per bus on average (City Hall to 7th Street). These reductions can help limit bus bunching and keep vehicles on schedule as their trips continue throughout the city.The enhanced enforcement between September 2018 and January 2019 yielded 3,635 tickets (1,347 on Market Street and 2,288 on Chestnut Street), with 75 percent being issued by the Philadelphia Parking Authority. Tickets were also issued by Philadelphia Police, SEPTA Police, and SEPTA Supervisors.A later enhanced enforcement effort in the Summer of 2019 saw similar results with a 6.2 percent reduction in peak travel time in Chestnut Street between 11th and 21st Streets. As part of this effort, 699 tickets were issued by Philadelphia Police, SEPTA Police, and SEPTA Supervisors.This is a joint initiative of the City of Philadelphia, SEPTA and the PPA.