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March 14, 2007

Dr. Shoup: Parking Guru!

by Clarence Eckerson, Jr.

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Shoup, here he is!

World-regarded as an expert on parking policy, UCLA Urban Planning Professor Dr. Donald Shoup is the author of The High Cost of Free Parking, a publication so popular among scholars and devotees that he attracts groupies known as Shoupistas at book signings!

High Cost of Free Parking book jacket

According to Dr. Shoup, free parking is the root problem of many of the ills that face our biggest cities. He posits that reforming parking policy will lead to a better pedestrian environment, cleaner streets and air, safer downtown shopping districts, and - yes - even less headaches for drivers trying to find that ever elusive curb space.

In March 2007, Dr. Shoup paid a visit to NYC to enlighten city leaders with his research. Here's part of a taped chat with The Open Planning Project's Mark Gorton.

19 Comments

Last comment by Patrick Boillat
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    Lars

    I wanna be a Shoup-ista!

    March 14, 2007 at 4:55 am Link # 1
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    viewer

    I think the streetsfilm team chose great topics and i enjoy your films. however, i think you don't need to cut to a picture of a parking spot after every sentence.

    in this film - during the discussion of Pasadena - you show images of a random muni meter. is this in Pasadena? does it matter? if you want to cut to images - show before/after images of Pasadena.

    March 14, 2007 at 8:08 am Link # 2
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    Streetsblog » The Power of Parking Policy

    [...] the somewhat arbitrary minimum levels they are required to meet now. UCLA urban planning professor Donald Shoup, author of The High Cost of Free Parking, adds that the city should allow parking prices to rise to [...]

    March 14, 2007 at 11:31 pm Link # 3
  4. Post Thumbnail  

    Clarence

    Viewer (#2):

    Those meters are MuniMeters from NYC in the 34th to 42nd street area. Since we had edits to cover up we had to cut to something and since we had no access to Pasadena images (that were free) and a deadline to meet we put those in there. As you probably realize, we are working with a very small budget and short turnaround times.

    Thanks for the feedback and kudos!

    March 18, 2007 at 5:02 pm Link # 4
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    Streetsblog » StreetFilm: Interview with Parking Guru Donald Shoup

    [...] Donald Shoup Speaks with Mark Gorton [...]

    March 20, 2007 at 10:23 am Link # 5
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    David Wise

    This is an excellent piece of work and very informative. I've passed it around widely around my transportation department and local business community. Work like this is so valuable at really creating awareness - great job!

    March 21, 2007 at 1:19 pm Link # 6
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    ecm

    Nice work again, folks. You're always interviewing people with interesting points of view.

    I'm a bit confused, though. So, 25% of traffic (in the SoHo example) is cars looking for parking. If it cost people money to park, they wouldn't want to drive because they wouldn't want to pay to park....so then they wouldn't drive and then there would be more places for other people to park, and therefore 25% less traffic? Plus we'd have monies to pay for pedestrian improvements? Is this right?

    I wonder if people would really drive less and just grudgingly pony up the money to park. At least, I guess we'd have money to pay for much-need ped improvements, and maybe those ped improvements would then encourage people to walk/bike/etc.

    March 26, 2007 at 3:54 pm Link # 7
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    Clarence

    UPDATE:

    Dr. Shoup was able to send us a few Pasadena slides from his presentation. We put 'em in so you can get a small taste of what the experience is like.

    Toodle-loo!

    March 26, 2007 at 9:57 pm Link # 8
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    Scofflaw

    What a pompous posterior this guy is. L.A,is based on the car and we don't need some clown trying to figure out how to fleece us while making the situation worse. If you want a good laugh, Google 'Guru' can't convince the critics at meeting'. He got laughed out of a town meeting in San Diego. Or check out 'A Pile of Shoup' on the http://westwoodparking.blogspot.com/...

    July 18, 2007 at 9:06 pm Link # 9
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    StreetFilms » UWS Streets Renaissance: Double Parking

    [...] policy is one of the biggest challenges that faces New York City and the rest of the U.S.  In this related StreetFilm, Donald Shoup explains how responsible pricing can solve the woes of double [...]

    November 1, 2007 at 10:32 am Link # 10
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    bluehoo

    "I’m a bit confused .. If it cost people money to park, they wouldn’t want to drive because they wouldn’t want to pay to park….so then they wouldn’t drive and then there would be more places for other people to park, and therefore 25% less traffic?"

    I believe the theory is not so much that a significant amount people would not drive because of the increased cost, but that there would be less congestion because they don't have to spend extra time hunting for an open space, because the price is set high enough that an open space is always available.

    November 1, 2007 at 12:20 pm Link # 11
  12. Post Thumbnail  

    Streetsblog » Upper West Siders: It’s Your Neighborhood. What Would You Fix?

    [...] policy is one of the biggest challenges that faces New York City and the rest of the U.S. In this related StreetFilm, Donald Shoup explains how responsible pricing can solve the woes of double [...]

    November 1, 2007 at 12:51 pm Link # 12
  13. Post Thumbnail  

    Streetsblog » Push for Congestion Pricing Spurs Parking Reform

    [...] is made up entirely of motorists cruising for parking space. T.A. also brought UCLA parking guru Don Shoup to New York City to meet with business leaders, police and DOT officials. Shoup's message that [...]

    November 2, 2007 at 12:58 pm Link # 13
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    John D

    I am using this on my blog, provided plenty to think about for any major city.

    December 5, 2007 at 12:39 pm Link # 14
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    StreetFilms » Illustrating Parking Reform with Dr. Shoup

    [...] Related StreetFilm: Dr. Shoup: Parking Guru [...]

    December 20, 2007 at 12:15 pm Link # 15
  16. Post Thumbnail  

    Streetsblog » Donald Shoup Plays With Parking Fees and Matchbox Cars

    [...] StreetFilm: Dr. Shoup: Parking Guru Filed by Aaron Naparstek under Parking, Street Films Link Digg This Email [...]

    December 21, 2007 at 1:31 pm Link # 16
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    Dotti

    What about the huge wasted space taken by illegally parked Tractor Trailers and Box Trucks throughout
    the Boroughs????
    What about the pollution produced by their motors and generators running all night.
    There is no booting or towing because there is no impound area large enough for all these illegal vehicles.

    January 11, 2008 at 8:23 pm Link # 17
  18. Post Thumbnail  

    The High Cost of Free Parking « Xing Columbus

    [...] http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/dr-shoup-parking-guru/ [...]

    January 15, 2008 at 9:00 pm Link # 18
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    Patrick Boillat

    I just discovered your website and I think it is a great platform. I work in transportation planning in Geneva Switzerland and I'm convinced it is essential to promote livable streets and a vibrant city life for urban communities. People like Donald Shoup, or like the brilliant Jane Jacobs was, are fantastic promoters of these ideas.

    April 27, 2008 at 7:31 am Link # 19