ParkMobile, the most used parking app in the U.S. and part of the EasyPark Group, conducted a survey to understand the parking experiences of U.S. drivers. The study highlights the frustration that drivers experience because of poor parking infrastructure, with 88% of drivers seeking to avoid paying for parking. With search times taking around 10 minutes on average, the difficulty of finding and paying for parking deters 75% of drivers from traveling or attending social experiences.

Study respondents also highlighted removing uncertainty from the parking journey would be a positive draw for consumers. Among drivers that avoid paying for parking, 67% would be willing to pay if a parking space was able to be reserved in advance. When asked about coordinating these reservations, 84% of respondents who have used more than one mobile parking app in the past year would prefer one app to handle all their parking needs, including reserving mass transit and event parking. ParkMobile's offerings have already catered to this consumer demand by providing parking reservation for street parking, garages, and stadium events. 

"American cities are filled with both overtaxed city-center parking in high demand and sprawling underused garages and surface lots that are often constructed without information about the parking experiences of modern consumers," said Chris Camp, Chief Commercial Officer of EasyPark Group. "These choices negatively impact traffic, the environment and urban vibrancy, and should be considered as part of a holistic approach to building sustainable city cores. At ParkMobile, we are dedicated to making cities more livable and we feel data insights are one way to make more informed consumer decisions and better planned infrastructure."

Inconsistent rules and parking payment systems increase difficulty for drivers and disincentivize engaging with parking infrastructure. While 88% of respondents state they rarely pay for parking, sentiment towards paid parking changes if additional context can be provided. If paid parking ensured improved transportation, including improved bike lanes, 70% of respondents would be willing to pay. Additionally, the survey highlights that almost half of respondents (46%) are unaware that free parking is funded through local resident taxes and 64% of respondents would be more willing to pay for parking if it meant lower taxes.

"ParkMobile, as a part of EasyPark Group, has seen the need to advance parking infrastructure through technology and insights. As part of this advancement there is the opportunity to educate drivers and municipalities about the realities of their existing parking ecosystems and what is possible for the future. Implementing models of open market parking and offering Parking Data as a Service provides streamlined engagement with parking technology and is a step toward improving cities' relationships with parking," said Camp.

Since being founded in 2008, ParkMobile has processed over 120 billion minutes of parking in North America. ParkMobile works with cities to provide real-time parking data and trends to better plan their urban design. This includes some of the two million parking spaces across the country, in over 600 cities and municipalities and 140 colleges and universities. 

The study was conducted by ParkMobile with over 2,000 respondents located across the U.S. Respondents included drivers of various ages that drive at least two days per week on average to represent those most aware of their parking experiences. For more information on the study visit: The ParkMobile State of Parking Report.