The Versatility of FybrPuck: Detecting Low Magnetic Signature Vehicles (Golf Carts) in and Island Community
Project Context
From the city: “Prior to SFpark…parking rates and fines were used to achieve turnover goals through short time limits as well as, often, to increase revenues to balance budgets. Rates were not tied to transportation policy goals, and rates at on-street meters were the same all day every day, regardless of demand. Meter rates were set lower than the rates at municipal garages, giving drivers financial incentive to circle to find on-street parking. The historical approach…has been reasonably effective, but it is not convenient for drivers, nor does it explicitly manage towards creating parking availability and thereby achieving broader goals for the city or its transportation system.”
“How cities manage parking really matters, as how we manage parking can help us be more successful as a city. When parking is difficult to find, many people double park or circle to find a space. This circling doesn’t just waste time and fuel—it’s also dangerous. Circling drivers are distracted drivers making lots of right and left turns who are more likely to hit someone crossing the street, a cyclist, or another car.”
“Parking also affects economic competitiveness—if very few spaces are available, fewer people can access our commercial districts. The reality or even just the perception that it is hard to find a parking space in a particular area can hurt its economic vitality.”
Project Goals and Strategies
The Versatility of FybrPuck: Detecting Low Magnetic Signature Vehicles (Golf Carts) in and Island Community
Project Context
The city of Avalon—located on Santa Catalina Island in California—is home to approximately 4,000 permanent residents with annual visitors in excess of one million. Due to geographical constraints and a desire to maintain the city’s character and reduce environmental impact, the city heavily restricts the use of traditional private vehicles. As a result, the primary mode of transportation is golf carts or similarly sized and powered vehicles.
Despite private vehicle restrictions, the city was still experiencing problems with transportation, noise, and parking violation enforcement in peak tourism seasons. The city wanted to adopt a smart parking solution but most traditional smart technology tools couldn’t easily be adapted to their needs because the low magnetic signature of the golf carts made them a challenge to detect.
Project Goals & Strategies
The city had the following goals:
Efficiently manage parking and curbside utilization.
Enhanced enforcement of timed parking spaces and no parking zones.
Improve visibility of vehicle charging spots.
Make it easier to find available disabled (handicap) parking spaces.
Fybr’s Role
The company’s FybrPuck is finely-tuned to be able to provide highly accurate data on vehicles with low magnetic signatures (golf carts and other similarly-sized vehicles). Fybr installed FybrPucks across the city which provided real-time parking information and availability for timed, handicapped, and charging spots to the city and parkers, as well as visibility into activity occurring in no parking zones to the city.
Avalon Outcomes & Reflections
During the deployment, Avalon learned the following
Of the total parking events detected, approximately 23% were occurring in no parking zones.
Approximately 12% of vehicles in no-parking zones were in violation for longer than five minutes.
Over 10% of parking events were exceeding the one-hour time limit.
The city was able to monitor sessions in timed, handicapped, and charging spots with much greater clarity and respond quickly with enforcement action to sessions in no parking zones. The data collected allowed them to adjust parking policies to match demand and ensure better safety on the island. Parkers were able to view availability in timed, handicapped, and charging spots and get to chosen spots with much greater efficiency.