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Parking news from around the world. If it has to do with parking or the parking industry we'll post it. Send your press releases and news stories to timivers@parkinglinks.com

Payless Parking Expands the Payless Brand of Services		April 29, 2003
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)----Payless Parking, sister company to Payless Car Rental System, Inc., has introduced a national parking solution for airport, city, urban and special events. Currently, the company offers this new branded service in Tampa and Orlando, Florida and St. Louis, Missouri. "Payless Parking is a natural extension of the Payless brand and offers a more affordable and convenient alternative," said Michael Harley, president, Avalon Global Group, Inc., parent company to Payless Parking and Payless Car Rental System, Inc. "Car rental with parking is the perfect combination of services." The Payless Parking concept extends beyond the traditional airport parking operation. Later in the year, the company will implement an Agent Parking Program where the brand will be utilized by individuals or companies to temporarily convert property or parking facilities to public parking to accommodate sporting or seasonal events. "Through the Payless Parking brand, owners can turn unutilized space into income producing property," added Harley. "Wouldn't you rather park your vehicle at a location using a familiar brand name versus a lot with hand written cardboard signs?" Payless Parking also features convenient and inexpensive parking geared toward the traveler seeking parking with easy airport access. Benefits to using Payless Parking servicing airports include: -- Brand - A recognized name you can trust -- Convenience - Locations near major airports -- Value - Less expensive than airport parking -- Security - Clean, fully fenced premises -- Airport Shuttle Service - From your car to the airport terminal Payless Parking joins the family of Payless brands including Payless Car Rental, Payless Car Sales, Payless Lodging/Inns & Suites, and Payless Getaways, all wholly-owned subsidiaries of Avalon Global Group, Inc. Payless Car Rental System, Inc. has been franchising auto rental locations since 1971 and currently serves more than 20 countries with over 130 franchised locations.
New York City eyes boost from more Sunday Meters		Sat Nov, 9 2002
Source: New York Post By DAVID SEIFMAN Now's a good time to stock up on quarters because more neighborhoods could soon get Sunday parking meters. Sources said the city Department of Transportation wants to expand the program launched earlier this year that placed 3,600 meters on the East Side and 1,000 on the West Side as a revenue-raising measure. Like most agencies, the Transportation Department is under orders from City Hall to slice 9.5 percent of its budget to help close an estimated $6 billion budget deficit next year. Likely targets for the new meter initiative include Madison Avenue and commercial strips in all five boroughs, from Fordham Road in The Bronx to Tottenville on Staten Island. The city scooped up $83 million from 71,500 meters last year. The 4,600 Sunday meters already in place are expected to add $1.1 million. Mayor Bloomberg will have to reveal which revenue-enhancers and service cuts he's considering next week, when he presents a mid-year budget modification to the City Council. Yesterday, on his weekly radio show, the mayor didn't refute reports that he's looking to raise the property tax by as much as 25 percent to generate more than $2 billion. The average single-family homeowner would get socked for an extra $475 a year. That spells trouble in the council, where all 51 members are up for re-election next year. Councilwoman Helen Sears (D-Queens) said she's already getting calls from worried constituents, especially seniors on fixed incomes. "For them to have that kind of increase is ludicrous," she said. But insiders said the administration is prepared to offer unidentified "sweeteners" to make the massive hike more palatable.
Boston Parking Tickets Will Rise	Thu Oct 24, 2002
It will soon cost more for people parking illegally in Boston. NewsCenter 5's Rhondella Richardson reported that fines are going up for parking in a handicapped or residential spot without a permit, in an effort to deter illegal parking in neighborhoods. As of Friday, those who park illegally in a handicapped space will be fined $120, up from $75. Those who park in a residential space will get a ticket for $40, up from $30. "If we get the compliance, we don't need to increase it much more," said Boston Transportation Commissioner Andrea d'Amato said. "If we don't, we'll look at increasing them further." Violators who let tickets pile up and pay late can also expect increased late penalties, d'Amato said.
Man Hates Parking Tickets, Throws Pie	Tue Oct 22, 2002
A demonstration against parking tickets left the city of Houston's parking administrator with pie in his face Monday, News2 Houston reported. Timothy Campbell, 61, said he was fired up over what he claimed is a city racket -- parking tickets. He made protest signs with tickets that were taken off cars in the Texas Medical Center, he said. Campbell then confronted Joel Albright, Houston's parking administrator. He poured whip cream into a pie pan and then shoved it in Albright's face. Since Campbell invited the media to the demonstration, cameras were rolling. Campbell then grabbed his signs and told the media to follow him as he moved his protest to municipal court. But Houston police were waiting and arrested him before he could reach the presiding judge's office. Campbell was then charged with a misdemeanor count of assault. Dozens of Houston drivers may soon be receiving late notices from the city because they did not know that someone took parking tickets off their cars without their knowledge. Police said Campbell collected 35 parking tickets over a few days last week. Albright was not injured in the incident.
Parking Problems Prompt Plenty Of Tickets At Local Campus			Thu Oct 17, 2002
Parking is a common problem on almost any college campus. Too many students, and too few spots. But are some student cadets taking it too far by writing too many tickets at one area school? Northern Kentucky University students have been getting parking tickets in record numbers this fall, WLWT Eyewitness News 5's Leigh Searcy reported Thursday. As students drive around and around, looking for spots, others are walking around and around, looking for violators, Searcy reported. "Students have to have the yellow decals or they're not supposed to park (in a specified lot)," NKU campus cadet Jake Ross said. "They do it to be close to class." The spots may be close, but in many cases, they end up being expensive, Searcy reported. Each parking ticket costs $20, and just in the last month or so, Ross and nine other cadets have written more than 4,000 tickets. "You have to park two miles away in gravel lots," NKU student Nicci Smith said. "People are getting tickets all the time." Added fellow student Becki Blevins: "It's not like we're hurting anybody or causing problems. They should be more lenient." But NKU campus police spokesman Lt. Col. Jeff Martin said that walking shouldn't be too much of a problem for the students. "You can walk anywhere on campus in 10 minutes," Martin said. A special board listens to complaints and appeals, but few tickets are excused, Searcy reported.
ZIPCAR = SEX AID			Tue Oct 15, 2002
Signing up with Zipcar will allow you to spend more time having sex and less time parking your car. That's the idea expressed in a new outdoor execution from Boston's eFlicks Media. It reads: "350 hours/year having sex. 420 looking for parking. What's wrong with this picture?" Another ad begins, "The car for people who don't want one." The effort closes with the "Wheels when you want them" tagline. Since breaking a few weeks ago, the ads have "already created a real buzz. We're a small company without a lot of resources, so something that gets people talking is what we want to do," said Nancy Rosensweig, director of marketing at Cambridge, Mass.-based Zipcar. Although Rosensweig has gotten a few calls from parents who don't want their children to read the work, the feedback has been mostly positive. "People love it--they try to do the math and it's been posted all over the Web," said Rosensweig. Ads are running on bus shelters, subway stations and urban panels in Boston, Washington, D.C., and New York, the markets currently served by Zipcar. The client has about 2,000 customers. Members pay a $75 annual fee, then rent cars on a daily or hourly basis.