FIVE- M IN U T E A N A LYST
this parking lot would involve simulation,
which would go beyond our intent.
parking, and I really don’t like the risky
behaviors aggressive parkers participate
in. On the upside, there’s time to write 12
THE WORLD’S WORST PARKING LOT? articles in a single push of the button!
Because of the behavior of the drivI’d be interested in hearing real
ers while trolling for a parking spot, it contenders for the “World’s Worst
might be considered the world’s worst Parking” lot.
parking lot. Enforcement of the parkUpdate: Between the original draft of
ing policy might help because it would this article and its publication, the parkdecrease the sojourn times of the cars ing lot in question began installing an
parked in the lot, but there is no guar- electronic system to help customers deantee, and – more importantly – no di- termine how many spots were available
rect incentive for the parking lot owners before entering the parking “queue.” It
to do so. This is because the number of has yet to be determined if it will change
“free” parking spots is fixed, and once the behaviors of the parking lot. Look
they are filled, they are filled, regard- forward to an update in a future column!
less of by whom. From the lot manHarrison Schramm (harrison.schramm@gmail.
ager’s point of view, it doesn’t matter
com) is an operations research professional in the
if they are “long” or “short” parkers.
Washington, D.C., area. He is a member of INFORMS
and a Certified Analytics Professional (CAP).
In fact, the rate structure is such that
short parkers are slightly more lucrative
for the parking lot owner than parking
NOTES & REFERENCES
above ground.
1. Fabusuyi, Hampshire, Hill and Sasauma, 2014,
“Decision Analytics for Parking Availability in
In conclusion, it’s probably a bit of litDowntown Pittsburgh,” Interfaces, INFORMS,
Hanover, Md.
erary hyperbole to imply that this is the
2. This is just an estimate. More delicate techniques
world’s worst parking; I’m sure there are
may be applied.
others that are much worse. This is be3. Using the M/M/1 queuing model to find the “lower”
or optimistic estimates, and the M/G/1 queuing model
cause I like to make short trips to this area
to find the upper estimate.
and visit the locations that don’t validate
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