Outsourced Enforcement Proves Effective, Doubles Atlanta Parking Revenue in 2011

August 16, 2012

Stricter parking enforcement protects resident parking and ensures parking efficiency (via MyParkingSign).

August 16, 2011 — Atlanta, Georgia, is seeing the benefit of privatizing parking — over 8 million dollars in benefit. Three years ago, Atlanta’s parking system was losing the city respect and money as lax enforcement and lack of parking personnel affected the city’s ability to keep parking in control. Both residents and visitors were taking advantage of the low enforcement to run — or rather, park — wild.

In 2009, change was in the air, with the state turning to ParkAtlanta for enforcement and meter collection. Since then the entire system has been overhauled, and the city has collected over 8.5 million in fines, meter payments, and parking permits. In 2008, the year before ParkAtlanta took over, Atlanta only collected 2.39 million.

Parking meters can be lucrative when they are used — and enforced — properly (via LAWeekly).

Atlanta is not the first city to outsource parking. Chicago did so in 2008, to rising parking prices. New York has also considered privatization of parking meters. Privatization allows cities to cut down on employees and still provide efficient and effective enforcement that can often be lucrative for the city.

While drivers may not be thrilled over the enforcement that leaves them crawling the streets for legal parking, the financial benefit for the government seems to outweigh the burden for the carless parker – in the city’s eyes, at least.

– K. Howitt