The time saved by the automated License Plate Recognition (LPR) parking enforcement system that UB implemented this semester will be used for motorist assistance rather than increased parking enforcement, the director of UB Parking and Transportation says.
“Ideally the time yielded from the efficiencies will free up more time for staff to help members of the community with wayfinding, answering questions and assisting those who call our Motorist Assist Program,” Parking and Transportation director Christopher Austin said in an emailed statement.
He said that drivers will not see increased parking fees, and that the system will save the agency money in the long term.
The new LPR system uses vehicle-mounted cameras to scan license plates while parking enforcement agents drive through parking lots. Previously, agents manually checked for physical hang tags attached to parked cars’ rear-view mirrors.
The LPR system will be used in all UB parking lots except the Center for Tomorrow lot on North Campus and the Squire and NFTA Park & Ride lots on South Campus.
The system will eliminate waste from the production of more than 25,000 hang tags each year, according to the Parking and Transportation website.
Sol Hauser is a news editor and can be reached at sol.hauser@ubspectrum.com
