International Parking Institute Partners with Association for Commuter Transportation to Tackle Broad Transportation Issues

The International Parking Institute (IPI) and the Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) announced today they will expand a partnership that began two years ago with the Summit on Parking: The Missing Link in Effective Transportation Demand Management (TDM). 

This Chicago event brought together nearly 100 professionals from the parking and transportation industries to discuss joint strategies for transportation demand management.  Successful joint conferences held in New England and the Northwest since then will serve as a blueprint for additional events in 2013.

"Though we have long shared many of the same goals and challenges-sustainability, increasing transportation efficiency, and reducing traffic congestion, to name a few-a partnership between IPI and ACT will provide a forum for exchanging ideas on issues of mutual concern, effectively closing a gap that has traditionally existed between parking and commuter transportation," said Shawn Conrad, CAE, executive director of IPI.

Regional co-sponsored conferences in 2013 will focus on how to apply parking management techniques and technologies to TDM, including optimizing on-street parking performance, control strategies for emissions mitigation, increasing use of park-and-ride facilities, and developing policies to support ride-sharing, car-sharing, and other commuter options.

Josh Kavanagh, CAPP, president of ACT, an active member of IPI's Advisory Council, and director of transportation services at University of Washington, Seattle, Wash., explains the value of the partnership this way:  "Parking management and TDM are two of the most effective approaches for empowering the individual mobility that spurs economic growth and supports vibrant communities. Working together, ACT and IPI are championing a holistic approach to mobility management that draws on the best of what these two disciplines have to offer."

Conrad adds, "Our members will benefit, but more importantly, cities and citizens across the U.S. will reap the rewards of this collaboration."

IPI members can look for upcoming IPI-ACT conferences at www.parking.org; and those who would like to host state or regional conferences should contact IPI Deputy Director Henry Wallmeyer at 540.371.7535, or wallmeyer@parking.org, or ACT Executive Director Caryn Souza at 202.719.5331, or souza@actweb.org.

The Association of Commuter Transportation (ACT) is an international trade association that supports individual mobility management professionals and organizational members in their efforts to reduce traffic congestion, conserve energy, and improve air quality. www.actweb.org

The International Parking Institute (IPI) is the world's largest association of parking professionals and the parking industry. www.parking.org.