Parking Palooza: Avoiding Campus Car-tastropies
Shaikh Ismid Jobayer Kibria, SUNY Buffalo State University
Abstract: The consistent challenge of finding an on-campus parking spot around large university campuses has resulted in multiple ways to solve the problem with the aid of technology that facilitates user experience and enhances parking efficiency. This paper explores developing and demonstrating a mobile application that helps the students, faculty, staff and visitors optimize all of the available parking spots at Buffalo State University. The parking app utilizes the user’s coordinates and a customizable timer to provide information on all the available parking spots around the campus. The development of the parking app showcases the effort of combining academic knowledge and practical problem-solving to produce a more efficient campus environment. Moreover, the paper reviews similar applications of such technologies around other campus environments highlighting their benefits.
    Introduction
The problems related to parking spaces have been a significant issue for university authorities around the globe, resulting in frustration and time loss for students, faculty, and visitors (Mercer, 2020). The optimization of technology on such concerns can address the issue much more effectively (Santillana, 2022). At Buffalo State University, one of the most frequent and recurring questions at the welcome desk was concerns regarding parking availability, which resulted in the development of a mobile application aimed at streamlining the parking experience for everyone. This paper demonstrates the application’s concept, development and potential impact on the campus community of Buffalo State along with comparing its functions with similar available technologies.
Several universities and cities across the world have addressed the growing issue of limited parking availability. For instance, at Otterbein University in Ohio, students have difficulty finding a convenient parking spot causing them to park far from their classes and often leads them to being ticketed and facing parking violations (Mishler, 2023). However, the implementation of parking solutions through technology has greatly reduced such problems. For example, Colorado State University has introduced a parking guidance system that uses sensors to monitor parking occupancy on campus and sends real-time data to users (Cortez, 2017). Similarly, T2 systems, a parking management software used among different universities, utilizes mobile app technology to issue parking permits and streamline payments, allowing users to pay their parking fees through their mobile devices and provide real-time navigation to available parking spaces (Verra Mobility). The University of Arizona also uses a mobile application, the Passport Parking app, which allows their students to pay parking fees through their phone and receive notification when their parking session is about to expire (The University of Arizona). Additionally, cities like Buffalo have adopted smart parking solutions such as Buffalo Roam that use technology to find empty parking zones, pay for parking spots and even extend the parking session in need (Passport INC) thus showcasing the scalability of smart parking technologies.
Methodology
The development of the on-campus parking app for Buffalo State included three key stages:
Users need evaluation: Identifying the challenges related to locating a convenient on-campus parking spot through in-person self-observation and surveys at the Campbell student union’s welcome desk.
Design and Development: The primary programming language used to create the parking assistance project was JavaScript (JXS) coupled with React Native framework to ensure cross-platform compatibility for both Android (Android 14) and IOS (version 17.4). Visual Studio Code was used as the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for the development of the application.
The integration of Google Maps API facilitated seamless mapping functionalities within the app. The API ensured accurate geolocation services, enabling the app to locate the closest parking spaces based on the user’s coordinates and pre-set time limits on each parking lot.
Amazon Document DB was employed for the cloud-based storage of user data and parking coordinates due to its scalable and effective data management features critical for handling the dynamic data requirements of the application.
A virtual private server (VPS) from Contabo acted as a REST API to organize all the data we receive and send these to our database at Amazon.
Figma has been used to create a simple user-friendly interface for the app combined with just two colors, black and white, for easy navigation and accessibility for people suffering from color blindness.
3. Testing:Â Beta testing included a small group of commuter students selected according to various majors who must park their cars in different parking lots according to their convenience. Figures 1-7 show what the app looks like on a smartphone. The feedback resulted in identifying and resolving various bugs which ensured a flawless user experience after deployment.
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Demonstration
Results
The application aimed to find the closest parking lot around the campus according to the pre-defined parking time limit and coordinate of the user.
Primary feedback from the beta testers indicates reduced time required searching for a parking lot while visiting different campus buildings and corresponded to a decrease of parking related frustration. However, the beta testers also acknowledged the limited functionality of the application and were interested in features which would allow them to see real-time parking spot vacancies all over the campus. This feedback illustrates the demand of technology to utilize and increase the efficiency of parking spaces around the campus.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the parking assistance app developed for Buffalo State University offers a seamless solution to the perpetual challenge of parking on campus. By leveraging real-time location data and notifications, the parking app enables users to effortlessly locate nearby parking spots and receive timely reminders before the expiration of their allotted time. This innovative tool not only enhances convenience and efficiency for students, staff, visitors, and faculty members but also contributes to a smoother and more harmonious campus experience overall. With its user-friendly interface and practical functionality, the app serves as an invaluable resource for navigating the bustling campus environment at Buffalo State University.
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References
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Cortez, M. B. (2017, June 9). Smart Parking on College Campuses Boosts Security and Environmental Efficiency. Ed Tech Magazine. https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2017/06/smart-parking-college-campuses-boosts-security-and-environmental-efficiency
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Mercer, A., Heilicher , O., Schamel, E., & Hanch, R. (2020, February 5). Campus parking causes student frustration. Truman Media Network. https://tmn.truman.edu/blog/news/campus/campus-parking-causes-student-frustration/
Mishler , K. (2023, March 3). Students are still struggling to find parking on campus. T&C Media. https://www.tandcmedia.org/article/2023/03/parking-availability
Passport INC (n.d.). Park. Pay. Be on Your Way. Buffalo Roam. https://www.buffaloroamapp.com/
React Native. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://reactnative.dev/
Santillana, J., Requena , A. O., & Mendez , H. M. (2022, May 14). Parking on university campuses presents real challenges. Caplin News. https://caplinnews.fiu.edu/parking-on-university-campuses-presents-real-challenges/
The University of Arizona (n.d.). Hourly Pay Parking Provider: Passport Parking App. Parking and Transportation Services. https://parking.arizona.edu/parking/passport-parking-app/
Verra Mobility (n.d.). Parking Management system. T2 Systems. https://www.t2systems.com/
Visual Studio Code. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://code.visualstudio.com/
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