San Antonio’s HEB Headquarters Garage Featured in Parking & Mobility

Next spring, parking, transportation, and mobility professionals from all over the world will arrive in San Antonio to take part in the largest annual gathering of industry experts. The International Parking & Mobility Institute (IPMI) Conference and Expo is the must-attend event for industry professionals and will take place May 30 – June 3, 2019.

Of course, this event will be a great opportunity to showcase some of the amazing recent projects and programs implemented here in Texas. One of those projects is the new HEB headquarters parking facility, recently featured in an article in IPMI’s Parking & Mobility magazine – “Campus Expansion Demands Parking Innovation”.

Authors Bill Smith and Craig Smith highlight the project developed by Walker Consultants, Ford, Powell, and & Carson, and Whiting-Turner. The project is part of a significant expansion of the company’s downtown campus, which will also include the addition of 1600 employees by 2030.

The new parking facility includes a number of unique elements designed to create a pleasant experience for patrons, while complementing the surrounding buildings. Specifically, the HEB headquarters located in San Antonio’s historic building, The Arsenal, which was originally established as an arsenal, and has been restored for commercial use. Some of these elements include:Parking – TPTA always has, and will continue, to be a leader in providing the latest updates, solutions, and education on the parking industry throughout Texas and beyond. The parking industry is changing rapidly, but will play a critical role in the future of transportation, development, technology, and more.

• Architectural elements combining steel, concrete, metal screening, metal fencing, D’Hanis brick, and other masonry elements.

• Rows of rooftop-shading trellises.

• LED lighting to enhance visibility and improve safety.

• Extensive landscaping elements to enhance aesthetics while reducing the facility’s carbon footprint.

• A pedestrian skybride connecting patrons from the garage to the Arsenal Building.

We look forward to featuring more projects and programs from throughout Texas in the buildup to the IPMI Conference! Our state is a leader in advancing the latest trends, technologies, and resources in the parking, transportation, and mobility industry, and this event will be a fantastic opportunity to highlight them. Stay tuned for more!

In the meantime, check out the full Parking & Mobility article on the HEB project here -

Member Profile - Gerald Taylor, City of Fort Worth

Our next TPTA Member Profile blog features Gerald Taylor, Ground Transportation Coordinator for the City of Fort Worth! Check out Gerald’s experience as a TPTA member below!

How long has your organization been a member of TPTA?

The City of Fort Worth has been members of TPTA for 12 years.

How did you learn about TPTA?

I learned about TPTA from my supervisor and through similar organizations.

What value has your TPTA membership provided you for your career?

It’s been a great experience to develop relationships and communicate ideals with my peers, as well as see cities implement parking programs similar to our operation and provide feedback.

What value has your TPTA membership provided your institution?

TPTA offers us unbelievable networking with vendors and other cities.

What would be your advice to those organizations who are not yet a TPTA member?

Stand up and join! The organization is growing with knowledgeable stakeholders with the ability to enhance your organization.

#TPTA2020 Registration is now open!

Hey Parking Professionals!

Join TPTA at the Dallas/Plano Hilton Granite Park from April 13-16, 2020 for #TPTA2020.

Registration is now open! Membership has privileges - including reduced conference rates! If you haven’t renewed your membership - do so now!

Can’t wait to see you in 2020!

Sponsorship opportunities
Expo Booth
General Conference Information

TPTA Board Member Nicole Chinea, CAPP Recognized in NPA’s 40 Under 40

Congratulations to our Board Member and Treasurer Nicole Chinea, CAPP on being recognized by the National Parking Association in their 2019 class of the 40 Under 40. Each year, the NPA recognizes the parking industry’s best and brightest young professionals with this notable list. The winners are honored as young professionals in the industry who are making an impact in both their workplace, as well as the industry.

Nicole Chinea has been a valuable leader for the TPTA for many years. She serves as Senior Project Manager with WGI, and has over 15 years of experience in parking operations across many sectors. Nicole is a Certified Administrator of Public Parking (CAPP) and a Certified Green Garage Assessor. She has been the recipient of numerous professional accolades including the International Parking & Mobility Institute (IPMI) Institute Parking Program of the Year Award for a City of Houston parking meter project. She is also on the Education Development and Awards Recognition Committees for IPMI. Nicole is also a mentor for Women in Parking.

Nicole is truly deserving of recognition of this notable list of young professionals, and TPTA is honored to have her as a leader of our organization. Congratulations to Nicole, and the entire 2019 40 Under 40 Class!

Join TPTA for 2020 Member Benefits win a Registration to the IPMI Conference & Expo

Now is the time to renew your TPTA membership to take advantage of exclusive member benefits in 2020. If you aren’t already a member, sign up now to get access to the latest industry trends, resources, and information.

TPTA membership is one of the most valuable experiences for parking, transportation and mobility professionals throughout Texas and beyond. The tools and information you will receive are essential to helping enhance your organization’s daily operations, as well as advance your career.

Members receive discounts on all TPTA events, so sign up by December 31 to take full advantage of these opportunities throughout 2020. Also, you will be entered for a chance to win a full scholarship to the 2020 IPMI Conference and Expo, this year being held right in our back yard in San Antonio, TX, May 30 – June 3.*

TPTA membership offers a number of benefits designed to provide education, networking, and professionals development opportunities. These include:

• Resource for all your parking, transportation, and mobility needs.

• Networking with other industry experts.

• Preferred pricing on annual conference and trade show, and roundtables.

• Numerous professional development opportunities.

• The latest parking and transportation industry news, products, and services.

Be sure to save the date for the upcoming TPTA Conference & Tradeshow taking place in Dallas, April 13-16, 2020. This conference is the best opportunity for Texas parking, transportation, and mobility professionals to learn and network with other professionals throughout the state. 

Join today. And stay tuned for more information on 2020 programs!

Member Profile - Paul Stresow, City of El Paso

Our next TPTA Member Profile blog features Paul Stresow from the City of El Paso! Check out Paul’s experience as a TPTA member below!

How long has your organization been a member of TPTA?

More than 5 years.

How did you learn about TPTA?

We learned about TPTA through a regional event from the International Parking & Mobility Institute.

What value has your TPTA membership provided you for your career?

TPTA has provided me with invaluable resources from fellow members on a variety of topics and situations, as well as contacts throughout the industry, and life-long friendships.

What value has your TPTA membership provided your institution?

TPTA membership has kept our organization up to date on the latest trends in parking and transportation, as well as provided municipal contacts throughout the state that face the same problems and issues and legislative mandates.

What would be your advice to those organizations who are not yet a TPTA member?

TPTA membership is vital to the educational of the organizations staff and provides invaluable resources that isn’t available anywhere else for the price.

Introducing the New Look of TPTA!

We’re excited to announce the creation of a new look for TPTA, highlighting the extension of our brand. Check out the new TPTA logo, developed with the goal of representing the TPTA as we continue to be a leader in the parking, transportation, and mobility industry into the future.

In addition to offering an updated, modern look, our new logo highlights our association’s focus moving forward with the tagline: “parking. mobility. connected”. This simple line, outlines our extensive mission:

• Parking – TPTA always has, and will continue, to be a leader in providing the latest updates, solutions, and education on the parking industry throughout Texas and beyond. The parking industry is changing rapidly, but will play a critical role in the future of transportation, development, technology, and more.

• Mobility – As the parking and transportation industry transforms, it is growing to encompass a wide range of mobility technologies, solutions, and approaches. The TPTA recognizes the importance that mobility will continue to play in our industry. We also understand our responsibility to bring our members the latest updates on this important extension of our industry, so that they can effectively implement these concepts into their operations.

• Connected – Staying “connected” has a number of meanings, each of which are vital to the success of our industry and the TPTA. First, our industry must provide the resources to keep people connected as they move from place to place through the numerous combinations of parking, transportation, and mobility solutions. Further, TPTA understands our role in keeping industry professionals from throughout Texas and beyond connected, serving as a platform for thought leadership, as well as the exchanging of ideas, best practices, and lessons learned. Staying “connected” is vital.

Be on the lookout for the new TPTA logo! We are thrilled for the opportunity to continue to be a resource for the industry, and to continue to provide our members and industry professionals with news, events, and educational and professional development opportunities to enhance your organizations, as well as expand your careers.

Fall Roundtable - Register Now!

FALL 2019 ROUNDTABLE - ARLINGTON, TX 
Free event for Parking & Transportation Professionals!
WHO:      All parking & transportation professionals
WHAT:    Join TPTA for a free networking mixer on November 4, 2019 at Texas Live - Choctow VIP Lounge, 6:30 pm and then join us the following day for a free informative Roundtable where Campus Mobility will be the topic of the day.
WHY:      Meet colleagues, share knowledge and get plugged into the parking/transportation community!
WHEN:  November 4-5, 2019
WHERE:  University of Texas - Arlington, The Commons - Nueces Room
HOW:       Easy! Register NOW!
Hotel details and agenda are available online.

Limited Capacity - Register today!

Networking event will feature free drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Roundtable event will feature a continental breakfast and lunch.

Member Profile - Maria Irshad, CAPP, ParkHouston

Our next TPTA Member Profile blog belongs to Maria Irshad, CAPP! Not only is Maria TPTA’s President, but she also serves as Assistant Director for ParkHouston. Learn more about Maria’s experience as a TPTA member below!

How long has your organization been a member of TPTA?

ParkHouston has been involved with TPTA going back to the late 90’s. I have colleagues who were involved with the organization at that time – they even organized a conference one year.

How did you learn about TPTA?

I attended my first TPTA conference here in in Houston in 2006 when it was held at the Westin Hotel in the Galleria. I was still relatively new to parking and I was honestly a bit surprised at the size of the group and the expo hall. For some reason, I was not expecting that at all. It really opened my eyes to the industry.

What value has your TPTA membership provided you for your career?

TPTA has brought value not only to my career, but some of my closest friends are people I met through TPTA. I have learned so much from my colleagues and of course, I’ve also stolen some of their project ideas to implement here at home.

What value has your TPTA membership provided your institution?

 Not only does TPTA provide opportunities for networking, but through the TPTA Roundtable program, we are able to provide education to front line staff who may not be able to attend conferences. The Roundtables are one day sessions held in a different location. Our organization has 75 full time employees – when they are able to attend a roundtable and bring back something to our operation – it benefits both the organization and the team member.

What would be your advice to those organizations who are not yet a TPTA member?

Joining TPTA means having a network of colleagues who can offer advice and solutions for a myriad of challenges you might be facing. Our line of work is unique in that we generally don’t compete with each other – which means we are that much more generous in sharing ideas with absolute honesty in regard to hurdles and pitfalls.  Also, I like to think that we are a fun bunch!

Member Profile - Mary Mabry, CAPP, Cardinal Tracking

Our next TPTA Member Profile blog belongs to Mary Mabry, CAPP! Mary serves as Product Manager-Parking Solutions for Cardinal Tracking. She is also Vice President of TPTA! Learn more about Mary’s experience as a TPTA member below!

How long has your organization been a member of TPTA?

Cardinal Tracking, Inc. as a vendor has been a member of TPTA since 1990 (TPA) and I have been a member since 1991 when I worked for UT Arlington.

 How did you learn about TPTA?

In 1990, I had just been appointed to a new position as Manager of Parking Services at UT Arlington when we were installing a University software program that UT Austin had initiated. I had gone with my Lt. to visit the Director at that time, Dave Kalpalko. He was an active member and on the board so he enticed both of us to attend. Our first conference was 1991 and I have attended every one of the conferences and been a member since that time. From that point, I made it part of my contract to allow my attendance and membership at each University I have worked for over the following years. The company I work for now, Cardinal Tracking, Inc. has been members since 1990. They are extremely supportive of my membership and role as a Board member.

What value has your TPTA membership provided you for your career?

From day one, TPTA provided educational and networking value that made each day of my assigned responsibilities in parking and transportation a little easier to navigate. Through the TPTA association membership, I was able to reach out to other Universities in Texas on their policies, procedures and best practices. Through the vast amount of networking within our association, it allowed me to meet the needs of my peers, campus community and administration. An example of this is while preparing information for a presentation for the UT Systems Board of Regents, I was able to obtain solid information for garage operations for my Vice President at the time. The amazing connections through TPTA, the quick responses from the members contacted and their reliable sources gave me an edge to go above the expectations of my peers and administration. These resources added to my knowledge which later translated to additional opportunities in my industry field.

What value has your TPTA membership provided your institution?

The value that TPTA has provided my institutions are the resources plus gained knowledge through education, networking and industry opportunities. In being a part of TPTA, this association has allowed me as a member to network with more industry related professionals that have been in the field, having best practices plus lessons learned knowledge. In many cases, I did not have to reinvent a policy or procedure but reach out to others in my position to inquire what theirs were. Many times, we would make a few tweaks and have a new policy or steps in a procedure that might have taken weeks if trying to reach out to Universities or individuals who I did not have direct contacts for or who would not take the call if they did not know me. Meeting people in the same industry is a big part of doing business whether you are on the user side or the vendor side. Now as a Product Manager/Client Advocate on the vendor side TPTA holds a greater value in expanding my knowledge and skills so I can provide a better service to our clients.

What would be your advice to those organizations who are not yet a TPTA member?

Since I have been a member for almost three decades (28 years), I do not want to imagine how difficult my positions would have been without the support and benefits of TPTA. If you are not a member, you are not only missing out on the networking opportunities but the chance to advance your knowledge and skills. It is so much easier to make calls to people you know than it is when you are just another voice or email received within a busy hectic day. To be honest, some of my best and dearest friends are professionals I met through my membership and association of TPTA. I just can’t imagine my career or life without these friends as many of them have assisted me with job opportunities, development options and management assistance. Without this valuable resource that I have enjoyed over the last 28 years, I would not have stayed in the Parking and Transportation industry after my state retirement and I would not have the dream job I have today on the vendor side.

TPTA Hosts Successful Summer Roundtable and Awards Inaugural Mark Denson Scholarship

On July 30, 2019, TPTA held the latest in our series of parking and networking roundtables in Austin, TX. The program included sessions on event parking and smart cities integration, as well as opportunities for networking with other Texas parking and transportation professionals. The event also included the and the award of our first Marc Denson Memorial Scholarship.

TPTA roundtable programs are a valuable opportunity for our members throughout the state and the region. These free events serve as a complement to our Annual Conference, providing numerous benefits including:

• Continuing education and training for TPTA members

• Exposure to current parking, transportation, and mobility industry trends and innovations

• Professional growth and the opportunity to learn from the experiences of industry experts

• A network of colleagues that can be an invaluable resource in addressing future operation challenges

• Access to parking industry professionals with valuable information on products, services and solutions

• Research assistance in identifying specifications and available vendors for request for proposals

At this event, we were thrilled to also recognize our first Marc Denson Scholarship winner – Dakota Lopez. A recent graduate of the University of North Texas, Dakota serves as a Graduate Research Assistant within the University’s Transportation Services Department. In this role, he has led the Department’s efforts in data analysis, trend comparisons, customer surveys and behavior studies, while implementing strategic goals of the department. Dakota also leads the campus volunteer campus bicycle group, I Bike UNT.

Dakota exemplifies leadership across numerous transportation and mobility initiatives. We are so thrilled to award him with the first TPTA Marc Denson Scholarship, and look forward to seeing the difference he will continue to make on his campus and throughout the UNT community!

Stay tuned for news on our next TPTA Roundtable, as well as the 2020 TPTA Conference! In addition, for more information on the Marc Denson Scholarship, click here.

Brand Recognition - But Do They Trust You?

As a City government and a provider of public parking, we have a love-hate relationship with our target audience. Seeing the City Logo gives people a level of confidence. On the other hand, when that customer receives a parking citation…. You know the story. This same scenario applies to all brands offering public parking. If the public feels safe that you consistently provide a convenient and reliable parking experience, you will gain their trust. If they return and find their car booted or towed…

 Maximizing the trust of your target audience and building their confidence in using your product is critical to your long-term success. Before you begin an extensive marketing campaign, you must first establish a strong foundation. That foundation is comprised of the systems, staff and service.  

 The rapid change in parking management systems continues to gain momentum. Adopting the correct system for your operations is a challenging process that includes many key players. Do you have the resources to maintain the system? Can the manufacturer provide adequate training and support? Is it the right scale for your operations? Don’t forget about your customers. Does this technology improve their parking experience? Is the new system easy to use? Do they feel confident that their privacy is protected?

 The next level of the foundation is your staff. Are they prepared for the change? Have they been adequately trained? Do they have confidence in the new system? If not, why? Have you thoroughly tested the system before going live? Your staff must have confidence in using the system and confidence in that the system is reliable. They will then be prepared to service the needs of your customers.

 How does your service differentiate you from your competitors? How would your customers describe your service? Does your service make your brand unique? Why should they trust your brand? Is your staff trained to provide customer service or to get the job done? Consistently providing a positive customer experience builds trust and leads to growth in your customer base.

 Our industry deals with many different types of customers. From those that use our services and products daily and to those who may only use it once a year when they attend a concert or travel. It is our challenge that each customer segment has a parking experience that is convenient, easy and ultimately builds their trust in our brand.

Melonie Curry joined ParkHouston in 2006, She oversees customer engagement, marketing, social media, and neighborhood outreach. She is a member of the City of Houston’s Social Media Advisory and Research Taskforce (SMART). Curry also serves on the TPTA’s Host Committee and the IPMI Membership Committee. Melonie was selected as the 2019 IPMI Staff Person of the Year.