We recently passed the first anniversary of the original 2-week shelter in place order issued in the wake of Covid 19. And, while none of us predicted this “new normal” would extend into a second year, it has. But, there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel, and the world is opening up.

As we start to venture out again one thing is clear, things are not going to be the same. So, what will be different in a post-Covid world?

Traffic is Increasing

Remember the stories about empty highways, downtown streets and parking garages from the beginning of the pandemic? Well that has changed. On March 18, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that traffic is almost as high as it was pre-Covid – up a whopping 84%. At the same time, BART ridership is still down 88%. This has some speculating that when all the restrictions are lifted more people will be on the road than ever before, and less people will be taking public transportation. Why?

More Cars on the Road

Covid forced people who normally wouldn’t buy a car to purchase one. In New York, where public transportation has been a way of life for well over 100 years, car ownership exploded – so much so it had its own news-friendly name – Carmageddon. According to a New York Times article, the New York State D.M.V. processed 73,933 original car registrations in the five boroughs over June and July, an 18 percent increase over the 62,507 registrations from the same time last year.

“The common theme,” Tom McParland, a columnist for car blogs like Jalopnik and The Drive, told the New York Times, “is: ‘I don’t trust the safety of transit, and I don’t trust the safety of ride share. I want my own transportation.’”

It’s Not Just New York

General Motors also said that while the year got off to a slow start, they saw a 14 percent year-on-year increase in new car sales for the last quarter of 2020.

According to a the 2020 EY Mobility Consumer Index, more than three-quarters (78%) of respondents said they’re going to be more likely to use their cars for travel in a post-pandemic world with millennials making more than half of that number (52%).

A December article from the BBC pointed out, Transport planners warn that this rapid shift back to the comfort of cars may be setting the stage for post-pandemic gridlock that could hamper economic recovery in cities across the globe.

More Traffic, More Parking Problems

Let’s do some math. In 2019, 284.5 million cars were registered in the U.S. alone. If everywhere experience similar growth as New York (an 18% increase), there will be an additional 51 million cars on the road in 2021.

So, when people start shopping, dining, going on date nights and so on, there will be a huge increase in required parking spots. And this can’t be any old parking. These drivers are going to want parking lots that are well organized, require limited touch points, and are clean and virus free.

Every Car on the Road Needs Somewhere to Park

At ParkHelp, we develop a digital nervous system for parking facilities. Our products measure and automate occupancy, traffic flows and guidance to ease congestion, solve mobility problems and provide a modern, sanitized facility. Ultimately, these solutions increase customer satisfaction and add more parking capacity through efficiency.

With drivers still wary of using parking valets, automated systems to help customers self-park is the best option to solve the congestion problems that are already occurring in centers and will increase as the world re-opens.

 

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