Influencing Behaviour Change Through Priority

Parking Policies

Adam Arnold, URBANTRANS December 2, 2014

A Confession

My name is Adam…

….and I am a carpool parking nerd

What we talk about when we talk about carpool parking

Why?

Problems

• Carpool parking available to employees

• 20 spaces at 2 sites• Out of date tracking

records• Minimal activity on

Smart Commute Carpool Zone site

The year was 2012…

• Call Me Maybe

Can we fix it?

Yes we can!

With just a little bit of…

POLICY!

• Clear Requirements• Clear Instructions• Enforceable• Simple and clear to

communicate• Creates an embedded program• Legitimacy

What did it look like?

Must be an employee of HHS

Must carpool 2 or more times per week

Must carpool with another HHS employee

Must display a carpool parking hangtag

Must have a valid Carpool Number

Must be a registered carpooler on Carpool Zone (Carpool matching website)

March 2013

•All existing carpoolers asked to re-register or lose existing privileges

•Notification posted to wider hospital community

•Use of formal, ‘permitting’ type language

Success!

Since March 2013, CPZ users increased from 26 to 160 users today

Currently 81 carpooling users, increased from 18 in March 2013

Currently 44 carpools, up from 10 in March 2013

Spaces assigned as program grows

Keys to success

Clear policy language

Management and parking operations buy-in

Ability to skip waiting lists

Equity with other policies

Formalizing, legitimizing

Use of more official language and communication style

A slight challenge

New tool, new process

New = different = scary

But…

•Reconnect with users•Audit behaviour•Attract new users

New tool, new process

Review policy

Adapt and upgrade

Rules are the same, verification process is different

Maintain or improve experience for employee and workplace coordinator

Let’s review

People LOVE parking: Infrastructure can drive behaviour change

People LOVE rules: rules can drive behaviour change

A carpool parking policy should stitch this together

Policy should be clear, enforceable and meet your needs

Be prepared to change, adapt and learn

Congratulations….

…..You’re all carpool parking nerds now!