Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 5
CHAPTER 2
Documenting the Goals of
Airport Management
This chapter provides an overview of how to document the relevant goals of airport management
and the metrics that can be used to evaluate the performance of potential parking strategies.
Evaluation of a Parking Strategy Begins
with Management Goals
When identifying and evaluating potential parking strategies, it is beneficial to confirm and define
the relevant goals of airport management prior to implementation. The goals for each airport are
unique and reflect management's vision for the airport, its mission statement, and its specific values.
To achieve these goals, management may have a strategy or long-term plan of action consisting of
new parking products, services, or supporting technologies (see Figure 2.1).
The following three parking-related goals are frequently cited by airport managers:
· Provide a high level of customer service for the traveling public and employees.
· Improve operational efficiency by reducing the costs of parking operations while maintaining
or improving customer service and safety, and enhancing revenues.
· Enhance net parking revenues, consistent with achieving airport management's other goals.
Each airport operator places different emphasis on these three goals (and subsets of these goals),
reflecting the unique characteristics of the airport, the degree of competition (or partnership) with
off-airport (private) parking operators, the adequacy of available parking facilities, the interval
before the next required parking facility expansion, and other factors. Few operators seek an equal
balance among these three goals (i.e., a point in the exact center of the triangle in Figure 2.2), with
most operators leaning toward one goal or another. For example, some airport operators prefer to
forego potential revenues to provide improved customer service (e.g., provide a high proportion
of close-in, covered parking spaces), while other operators choose to enhance net revenues by
avoiding or postponing capital costs (e.g., deferring construction of structured parking and,
instead, expanding surface lots that are distant but within walking distance of the terminal), and
some seek to improve efficiency at the expense of both customer service and revenues.
Confirming and Documenting Relevant
Management Goals and Objectives
The airport operator should have a clear idea of its short- and long-term goals and objectives
for the parking program to guide its selection of parking strategies. Furthermore, it is impera-
tive that these goals and objectives are consistent with the overall goals and objectives of the
organization. With an established foundation of goals and objectives, the airport operator can
5
OCR for page 6
6 Guidebook for Evaluating Airport Parking Strategies and Supporting Technologies
Figure 2.1. Typical management process.
then determine the technologies and level of investment necessary to implement strategies that
support these goals and objectives, and the types of data that must be collected to measure
progress.
Numerous departments or divisions within an airport organization are affected by, or influ-
ence, parking operations. Included are airport operations, finance, properties and concessions,
facility maintenance, planning and engineering, information technology (IT), environmental,
construction, accounting/audit, public relations, and security/police. These relationships should
be considered when identifying and evaluating parking strategies to assure that they support the
overall goals and objectives of airport management.
It is recommended that representatives from all departments that are affected by, or influence,
the parking program be involved in the development and prioritization of goals and objectives. By
considering the range of needs and constraints, tradeoffs that achieve the best possible outcome
can be developed.
Parking strategies reviewed in this research project were grouped according to the three goals
important to airport operators. Many of the strategies will add value in achieving one or more air-
port operator goals to (1) improve customer service, (2) reduce operating costs, and (3) enhance
parking revenue.
If the operator has not already defined and documented its goals and objectives for the parking
program, these three goals can serve as a starting point for the development of potential goals and
objectives. Providing customers with a safe and secure environment is another overarching goal
that, although addressed separately, influences parking operations and customer service. Strategies
selected in support of the goals and objectives will depend on the relative level of importance placed
on each goal identified by the airport operator, as well as any constraints.
Figure 2.2. Parking-related goals.
