New tech upgrades improve safety and ease of use at VCU’s parking decks

By Joan Tupponce

Virginia Commonwealth University's parking decks are brighter, safer and easier to access thanks to new upgrades and safety improvements.

One of the biggest changes employees and students will see is the addition of a License Plate Recognition system, which replaces the radio-frequency identification tag system that was installed in the parking decks in 2015 and was rapidly approaching the end of its shelf life, according to Josh Stone, executive director of Parking and Transportation.

The new LPR system uses a virtual permit that is tied to a person's license plate, eliminating the need to keep track of a physical permit.

"It aligns with VCU's sustainability goals and creates greater efficiency," Stone said. "With the LPR system, there is no permit to be mailed, and an end user can pretty much do everything themselves online, like updating their vehicles."

The LPR system has about the same read-rate percentage - up to 90% - as the previous RFID system but the new system has a larger window to read a license plate.

"It can be pointed to the ground so there is less chance to pick up anything else like another car," Stone said.

In contrast, the previous radio-frequency identification tag system read data through a narrow window.

"If you weren't in that read box, you would have to wave the permit around. It wasn't the quickest, and it wasn't always reading correctly," Stone said. "With the old system, you had to get up almost under the gate for it to read. Now, with the new system, it starts to read a plate 5 feet back."

Stone cautions that the new system is not a pass-through operation that allows drivers to go past it quickly.

"You have to learn to come to a stop," Stone said. "It needs time to read your plate."

Three key points everyone using the new system should know:

• Your license plate is your permit.
• You can manage (add/remove) vehicles online.
• Your car needs to be parked with the license plate facing the drive lane.

While only one vehicle per subscriber may be parked in a VCU parking facility at any given time, employees who drive multiple vehicles may add up to three vehicles to their parking virtual permit. Students may add two vehicles. When changing the vehicle you are driving, you do not have to bring a physical permit for that vehicle with you (as you did previously); rather, you update your permit online.

The LPR system went live on July 1, but slight tweaks are still being made. For more information, visit parking.vcu.edu/parking/lpr/.

"A parking subscriber's VCU ID card is still their backup credential. You can scan your ID with the magnetic strip facing the card reader on the access column," Stone said. "The learning process will take some time, but we are confident that customers will appreciate the convenience and efficiency that LPR offers."

In addition to the LPR system, parking decks are now outfitted with extra cameras and new LED lights.

"We hope that people feel safe when parking in our campus facilities," Stone said.

The number of cameras throughout the 13 VCU parking facilities has grown from 110 to 651.

"In all 13 parking decks, we can see every drive lane, stairwell, elevator bay, etc.," Stone said. "We can also see around the outside of the decks."

All lighting is being upgraded to LED lights.

"The LED lighting makes a big difference," Stone said. "We should have all the decks upgraded by the end of the year or sooner."

The parking team's goal is to be a reliable support arm of VCU, Stone said.

"A good day for us is a day you don't need us or think about us. That is our goal," he said. "If anybody has questions or concerns, we will certainly work with them."

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