Cell Phone Lots at Airports (2015)

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19 chapter four HIGHLIGHTS FROM AIRPORT INTERVIEWS While the online survey attempted to find common ground among cell phone lots, every airport solu- tion is somewhat different. Eighteen (18) airports with cell phone lots and four airports without par- ticipated in telephone interviews during the months between July and September, 2014, to address the differences and individual airport issues. The profiles below highlight the most interesting aspects of each airport interview. BOSTON LOGAN INTERNATIONAL (BOS) Sponsor—Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) Contact—Lourenço Dantas, Senior Transportation Planner Background Logan Airport’s close proximity to downtown Boston influences its parking and passenger pickup patterns. Greeters in private cars pick up 25% of arriving passengers, and taxis or cars for hire pick up another 27%. In 2007, Massport designated 50 spaces of an overflow parking lot toward a cell phone lot at BOS. In 2009, as part of a roadway-improvement project, Massport moved the lot to an area that accommodated 61 spaces. The new lot is lighted and open 24/7. A gas station and Dunkin’ Donuts store are close by, but not connected to the lot. This cell phone lot is particularly useful because at BOS, parking capacity is limited by state air quality regulations—that is, a parking freeze—in place since the 1970s to protect Boston’s air quality (Figure 7). BOS’s constrained parking supply is not sufficient to meet passenger demands. Parking garages reach capacity each week, typically by Monday evening or Tuesday morning, which has prompted the airport to offer a variety of ground transportation services to accommo- date its passengers. This occurs despite Logan’s charging one of the highest daily parking rates in the nation, $29 per day. Short-term rates are as low as $3 per half-hour in the terminal area garages. Future Plans Because BOS is also constrained by limited acreage, new development at the airport always requires displacement of other activities/land uses. The future of this cell phone lot could be in flux, should Massport embark on building a new international terminal or expand airside operations. Massport would like to make the lot bigger and return it to its original location because it was easier to access. If the lot were to move, no new amenities would be added. Management Massport enforces a variety of rules for its cell phone lot to ensure it runs smoothly: Drivers must stay in their cars, can only wait 30 minutes, and must wait for their passenger to be at the

20 curb before they can park in the arrival zone. These rules are posted on a large sign in the middle of the lot, and are enforced by Massport staff who have authority to ticket and tow unattended vehicles (Figure 8). Additionally, state troopers periodically patrol the lot and manage the curb at the terminals. Customer Feedback Massport monitors customer feedback, including comments on the cell phone lot, through its website. The cell phone lot has received mostly positive reviews, with negative reviews generally occurring during peak travel times such as Thanksgiving. FIGURE 7 Boston Logan Airport parking. Source: Massport.

21 Biggest Challenges Overall, Massport’s Aviation Department believes the lot has reduced curbside congestion, although there are no studies to quantify the effect of the cell phone lot on congestion. The agency’s biggest challenges moving forward are that the lot is undersized and that its location is not ideal. Lessons Learned The cell phone lot is integral to ground transportation solutions and interdependent with other airport services. As every airport is different, it is important that airport planners consider a vari- ety of factors before creating a cell phone lot. Given land constraints, Massport would prefer to encourage passengers to use concessions inside the terminal rather than those that are part of a cell phone lot. DALLAS/FORT WORTH INTERNATIONAL (DFW) Sponsor—DFW Airport Board Contact—Armin Cruz, Vice President of Parking DFW has made an explicit decision not to offer a cell phone lot for the following reasons: • Cell phone lots are a benefit when vehicular traffic can be diverted from the point of destination (airline terminal) and then measurably metered back to the terminal. • DFW is located on a highway and as such, fees are determined from the time an airport user passes the first toll gate to the moment that user exits the toll gate. • Airlines are shifting schedules to more concentrated connecting banks, which means there are simultaneous bursts of vehicular traffic activity. • With five terminals, and major airlines occupying several of those terminals, it is common for last-minute gate changes also to involve terminal changes. This results in noticeable relocation of curbside and roadside vehicular traffic during flight arrival banks. FIGURE 8 Posted rules at Boston Logan International Airport Cell Phone Waiting Lot. Source: Massachusetts Port Authority (2014).

22 DENVER INTERNATIONAL (DEN) Sponsor—City and County of Denver Contact—Harold Hensley, Parking Manager Background The original cell phone lot at DEN was opened in the summer of 2001 because airport users wanted a free place to wait for their arriving party. According to Hensley, the lot was located in the “simplest and easiest” place it would fit, approximately three miles from the terminal. The entry and exit were conveniently accessed off Pena Boulevard, the 10-mile-long highway that brings all traffic in and out of DEN (Figure 9). Although the lot was small, it served its purpose very well at first, but soon became very con- gested during peak times. The overflow caused unsafe backups onto Pena Boulevard. The lot was unstaffed except when it became so congested that parking field agents or police were dispatched to close the lot and move waiting traffic off the roadways. The idea of moving the lot and putting concessions near the already existing airport gas station had been discussed for a while. When a building that previously housed an automobile repair facility became available, a plan was developed to install a food court in the vacant building, add some amenities, expand the parking around the building, and move the cell phone lot to that facility. The project developer and DEN shared the cost to increase the parking capacity and the new cell phone lot was completed in 2013. During the 2013 Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays, parking staff frequently monitored the traffic flow and capacity of the lot and it appeared to be operating as intended. Customer Response to the New Cell Phone Lot This cell phone lot appears to be a success because it has met the customers’ needs: a secure, free waiting area and a place to grab a bite to eat, sit at the outdoor tables, or take advantage of the Wi-Fi and restrooms. There appears to be what Hensley describes as “a pretty good mix” of people who frequent this lot, not only for the free parking but for the variety of food and amenities. Judging by written and online comments, the amenities most appreciated are the Wi-Fi, restrooms, and food. Favorable comments received usually compliment DEN for turning the cell phone “park- ing” lot into something more habitable. Some customers have difficulty finding the cell phone lot FIGURE 9 Denver International’s final approach concessions and cell phone lot.

23 when using it for the first time, as it is located on the opposite side of the airport from the original lot. However, there are few other complaints. Management DEN provides snowplowing and traffic management during the holiday season. Commercial vehi- cles are welcome to use the restaurants but are prohibited from staging in the lot. DEN staff patrol the lot to enforce the restrictions placed on the commercial vehicles. The FIDS that are located in the food court of the building are operated and maintained by DEN. The restaurants are open from 5 a.m. to midnight, but the cell phone lot is open 24 hours a day. There is also a 24-hour drive-through Dunkin’ Donuts. Lessons Learned The impact of the new cell phone lot on traffic flow appears modest but positive overall. There are still many cars circling on the main airport road, but the lot appears to have decreased congestion at the terminal curbside. DEN’s other parking options still do good business, so the new lot does not appear to be competing with short-term parking. Hensley believes that, “Cell phone lot users are those who do not want to pay any fee for parking,” so these customers would have avoided paying for short-term parking even if there were no cell phone lot. His recommendation for other airports considering constructing or improving their existing cell phone lot is to place the lot where it is most convenient for the customer, then add a source of revenue in that area. EPPLEY AIRFIELD (OMA) Sponsor—Omaha Airport Authority Contact: Airport Police Office Eppley Airfield in Omaha has never had a dedicated on-airport cell phone lot because of the very limited amount of available, convenient space and the reservation of other space for future developmental needs. However, there is an area within the terminal-area parking garage known as Quick Park, which is designed for the traveler and greeters to make quick and affordable stops at the terminal and has cellular service. INDIANAPOLIS INTERNATIONAL (IND) Sponsor—Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) Contact—Kent Ebbing, Interim Director of Parking Operations Background IND did not have a cell phone lot at the old Midfield Terminal; greeters circulated the airport or waited at the curb. After 2001, this became an enforcement issue. When the new terminal was designed, the project included a cell phone lot to reduce circulation and to address customer requests. The first cell phone lot held 43 spaces. That was not nearly sufficient, so IAA cut through the fence and added an additional 159 spots in the adjacent employee parking lot. This lot is located on the in-bound approach to the terminal about one-half mile out and costs about $20,000 to maintain each year (Figure 10). This lot worked well for its first five years, but in 2013, a travel plaza opened about 500 feet away with an additional 29 cell phone parking spaces plus a 24-hour Subway restaurant, a convenience store, free public Wi-Fi, gasoline, a car wash, and restrooms. Though the airport only provides signs to its cell phone lot, greeters are increasingly using the travel plaza rather than IAA’s minimally equipped (lights, trash cans) lot. The Authority will review future use of the cell phone lot on an on-going basis.

24 Lessons Learned According to Ebbing, if the concession travel plaza had been open when the new terminal was designed, IAA probably would not have built the cell phone lot at all, because it receives a percent- age of the travel plaza’s gross receipts and would not have required the initial capital expenditure and ongoing operating costs. For a travel plaza, location is extremely important. Cell phone lot users will not support this type of facility alone. Travel plazas require high volume sales of gas, food, and convenience items. Cell phone lot users should be considered incremental revenue rather than the sole source of travel plaza revenue. JOHN F. KENNEDY (JFK), LA GUARDIA (LGA), AND NEWARK LIBERTY (EWR) Sponsor—Port Authority of NY & NJ (PANYNJ) Contact—Peter A. Carbonaro, Manager, Airport Access Programs, Aviation Department, PANYNJ One department at PANYNJ handles cell phone lots at all three airports; however, each airport has a unique approach to this service. JFK offers a very large cell phone lot of 373 spaces, though with few amenities except occasional food or ice cream trucks (Figure 11). Although originally intended solely for customers, it was eventually opened to taxis and limousines, as this cut down on airport roadway congestion. At LaGuardia, there is very little space available, establishment of a cell phone lot on airport property is currently a low priority. A cell phone lot exists at Newark Liberty, but it is not heavily advertised because it is scheduled to be demolished as part of the redevelopment of Terminal A. After this terminal project is completed, PANYNJ will focus its efforts on employee parking. If PANYNJ reestablishes a cell phone lot at Newark, it will likely be minimal and without amenities. LAMBERT–ST. LOUIS INTERNATIONAL (STL) Sponsor—St. Louis Airport Authority Contact—Ann Linhorst, Ground Transportation Officer Background The first cell phone lot at STL was built near Terminal 1 in 2009. The cell phone lot at Terminal 2 was built a short while later because the lack of short-term parking options at the Terminal 2 garage led to traffic stress on the access roads, where vehicles picking up passengers had to wait. Together, the two cell phone lots have 180 spaces (Figure 12). FIGURE 10 Indianapolis International Airport cell phone lot.

25 FIGURE 11 Parking map for JFK International Airport. http://www.panynj.gov/airports/jfk-cell-phone-lot.html. FIGURE 12 Cell phone lots at Lambert–St. Louis International Airport. http://flystl.com/AirportGuide/ CellPhoneLots.aspx.

26 Terminal 2 is very busy; the attached parking garage fills up during the day, Monday through Thursday. Originally, the garage was designed for hourly parking, but because of proximity, convenience, and competitive rates, frequent users of Terminal 2 often park overnight. Southwest Airlines is the primary airline operating out of Terminal 2, and the number of flights and passengers who use Southwest have grown since the terminal’s original construction. When the Terminal 2 garage fills up, overflow is directed to drive approximately a mile to the Terminal 1 garage and/or Lot A, and to take the shuttle back to Terminal 2. Drivers can wait in the cell phone lot until their passengers arrive. They can then proceed from the cell phone lot to passenger pick-up and continue onto their destinations. Both cell phone lots have roughly equal traffic, although the Terminal 2 cell phone lot is smaller. The size of the lots was dictated by the space available; Terminal 1’s lot was carved out of the former American Airlines parking lot. Even though the lot sizes were not determined by a demand study, they appear to be the right size. STL’s cell phone lots have lighting, trash cans, and portable toilets. There is no separate budget for the operation of the cell phone lots. Future Plans STL does not have plans to enlarge these cell phone lots or to make any improvements. Ground trans- portation staff has looked into introducing food trucks, but there was little interest from vendors. For the time being, the cell phone lots will remain minimal, non-revenue parking. Effectiveness of Cell Phone Lots The cell phone lots relieve crowded parking facilities and reduce circulating traffic. There has been no competition between the cell phone lot and the parking garage, because the cell phone lot acts as an overflow area for the garage. The lots also serve as a staging area for private church shuttle buses that pick up passengers at the airport for a donation. Cell Phone Lot Management The ground transport department manages the cell phone lots as issues arise. There is no budget set aside for the lots; maintenance is funded out of the airport’s operating budget. STL does not post many rules at the cell phone lots except to prohibit its use by commercial vehicles, and buses in particular, because of pavement strength. No soliciting is allowed. The airport is owned by the city of St. Louis, but is located in St. Louis County. Law enforcement at the airport and in the cell phone lot is the responsibility of St. Louis City police; however, any speeding, parking, loitering, or trespassing issues fall under the jurisdiction of county law. A city police officer will issue a county ticket that in turn is processed through the county court system. None of the fines collected comes back to the airport. For example, a county trespassing ticket has a $100 fine. The city officer issuing the ticket must defend the ticket in county court, and any fines and fees collected go back to the county. Lessons Learned If operating a cell phone lot, STL suggests it is important to: • Advertise the cell phone lot; • Make the route easy to from the lot back to the terminal; and • Provide good signage from the garages to the cell phone lot in case the garages are full and greeters need to find alternative parking.

27 LOUIS ARMSTRONG NEW ORLEANS INTERNATIONAL (MSY) Sponsor—City of New Orleans Contact—Harold Dede, Landside Manager (retired) Background MSY initially established its cell phone lot to decrease congestion and roadway traffic as drivers picked up arriving passengers. However, the lot is not used exclusively for private drivers. Instead, 25 spots in an existing lot have been designated as the cell phone waiting area, while the remainder of the lot is used as a staging area for taxicabs (Figure 13). Basic amenities and services are provided at the cell phone lot. MSY provides portable toilets, trash cans, and one security guard who looks over both the cell phone lot and taxi staging area. The lot does not have a time limit for waiting drivers and is available 24/7. Although many improvements to the cell phone lot have been discussed, none has materialized. The airport considered opening a concession stand in the lot, but decided against pursuing the project. Issues and Challenges MSY’s cell phone lot faces a variety of challenges. First, its small size impedes it from relieving curbside congestion in a meaningful way. Instead, drivers park right next to baggage claim when no police are present or park in nearby businesses’ parking lots. In addition, the cell phone lot has limited signage. Taxi and bus drivers park in designated cell phone spots, which may confuse cell phone lot users about whether they are in the right place. FIGURE 13 Parking facilities map of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

28 Lessons Learned Cell phone lots are valuable assets to an airport, however they have to be measured and reviewed like any other facility. Combining taxi and bus staging areas with the cell phone lot makes sense, but may require more active monitoring of the area to make sure that each area in the lot is reserved for use by the intended group. McCARRAN INTERNATIONAL (LAS) Sponsor—Clark County Contact—Scott Van Horn, Airport Concession Manager, Clark County Department of Aviation Rather than construct a cell phone lot, McCarran International has opted to put designated areas for pick-up of passengers at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. Unattended vehicles are cited or towed. Hourly parking is also available, with the first 15 minutes of parking free. OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL (OAK) Sponsor—Port of Oakland Contact—Stephen Gordon, Airport Business Manager Background The cell phone lot at Oakland is called the “Park & Call Lot.” It is a small area, with only about 30 spaces. The original cell phone lot, created to mitigate congestion at the terminal curb and construction-related traffic, opened in 2004 right in front of the terminal, but it had to be moved within the year because of construction. After terminal area construction was completed, airport officials decided to maintain the Park & Call Lot as a customer service feature, but relocated it to an area adjacent to the airport’s largest employee permit lot (Figure 14). The airport has deliberately not added amenities to the cell phone lot because it prefers that greeters use the hourly parking lot, and the cell phone lot drains revenue from public parking. The policy is to keep the lot safe, maintain it to current traffic engineering standards, and provide adequate signage. However, the airport does not actively “encourage” its use. Directional and informational signage is posted, but airport administration does not advertise the lot other than pointing out its existence and location. There is no longer a curbside congestion issue for the lot to mitigate, because the terminal complex construction program increased curbside capacity by one-third. In addition, airline passenger volume declined significantly during the Great Recession, and curbside traffic volume along with it. Management Improvements to the lot come from the operations and maintenance budget, but there are no specific line items to fund improvements. In 2013, the lot was expanded to widen the drive aisles and improve access and egress. There are no permanently assigned staff or security personnel for the lot; the lot is monitored as needed by parking operations and airport security staff. The lot has a posted 30-minute time limit, but this is not strictly enforced. Observations indicate that enforcement is not needed for that purpose because few people stay in the lot for 30 minutes. Future Plans OAK will maintain the cell phone lot. Airport staff has considered options to combine the free parking with some ways to generate additional revenue, such as the approach taken by Denver International. However, OAK is more land-constrained than Denver, with fewer appropriate, visible, and available sites. Furthermore, at Oakland, there is off-airport retail competition very close to the airport access road. Therefore, the Denver development model would be more difficult to implement in Oakland.

29 Revenue Diversion Because there is ample parking capacity at OAK, the cell phone lot likely diverts business from short-term parking. However, the airport cannot precisely estimate the extent to which this occurs. Since 9/11, only ticketed passengers may go past the terminal security checkpoints except for special circumstances; and there are relatively few retail concessions located pre-security. As a result, far fewer greeters use the short-term parking lot. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in overnight parking, concurrent with the decline in short-term parking. Greeters now represent slightly less than half of all public parking transactions, but only 7% of revenue. However, it is hard to quantify the impact of the cell phone lot on parking revenue, because even if the lot were closed, customers could find free parking in retail areas just off the airport. FIGURE 14 Parking map for Oakland International Airport.

30 Lessons Learned Airport staff remains focused on the DEN cell phone lot model because of its ability to create a rev- enue stream from the cell phone lot function. Deploying parking attendants and imposing parking fees are contrary to the nature of cell phone lots. Airport staff also believes that the lot does not have to be close to the terminal, but needs to be easy to find and located just off the main access road. PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTERNATIONAL (PHX) Sponsor—City of Phoenix Contact—Floyd Johnson, Landside Superintendent Background PHX constructed its first cell phone parking lot in 2002, the second in the country, on the west side of the airport. The lot was created initially to reduce curbside congestion, reduce recirculating traffic, reduce emissions, and improve road safety. After a successful first year, PHX constructed the east side cell phone lot in 2003. Since their construction, both lots have remained in the same locations. In addition, PHX operates a third cell phone parking lot next to the Sky Train station, which opened in 2013, which is the farthest lot away from the terminals and is used the least. All lots are free of charge and are available 24 hours a day (Figure 15). The closer lots have a combined 162 spaces, 77 on the west side and 85 on the east. A variety of amenities is included in the two lots. These two lots have FIDS, which displays flight statuses to cus- tomers on a 10-minute time delay. This practice is used to reduce curbside congestion as passengers retrieve their bags. The Sky Train lot is the largest, with 100 spots, making a total of 262. In addition, there are 626 short-term, paid parking spaces. The cell phone lots require minimal maintenance. Johnson did not know the entire construction cost of each lot, except that the FIDS in the west and east lots each cost the airport almost $275,000 and $250,000 to install, respectively. All other maintenance costs are covered in the general maintenance budget. Future Plans There are different plans for each cell phone lot. The west lot works seamlessly and will likely remain unchanged. The airport is moving the east lot farther away from the terminal. The Sky Train lot is also under transition. Of the three lots, the Sky Train lot is used the least because of a lack of public awareness, marketing, and relative newness. Many passengers are unaware that they can ride the free train to the lot. Consequently, the airport is in the process of splitting this FIGURE 15 Cell phone lots at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

31 lot into two and dedicating each side for a different purpose. The west side of the Sky Train lot will be used for additional daily paid parking, while the east side will continue to be used as a cell phone lot. PHX plans to test the division of the lot for 12 months. If the trial is deemed successful and more cell phone traffic is brought to the Sky Train lot, the change will become permanent. Management The lots are not regularly staffed. The west lot rarely experiences problems; however, landside employees must regularly manage traffic flow in the east lot. These problems are can be attributed to a variety of factors, including a concentration of passengers moving through Terminal 4 and difficul- ties with entry and egress from the lot. Southwest Airlines and US Airways/American both operate major hubs in PHX in Terminal 4, contributing about 80% of all airport passengers. A combination of local police, landside operations staff, and the contract parking provider cover security for the cell phone lots. They periodically drive through and monitor the lots. Additionally, PHX has installed Pedestrian Emergency Distress Systems in each of the lots, although these systems have rarely been used. Landside is responsible for enforcement of two basic rules at the lots: Customers are not allowed to leave their vehicles, or to park overnight. A $35 fine is assessed to unattended cars, while cars left overnight are assessed a $75 dollar fine and are towed at the owner’s expense. PHX employs an innovative system to direct Transportation Network Carrier (TNC) drivers to the Sky Train station lot. PHX has a designated staging zone for these drivers. Customer Comments Customer service comments are filed through the airport website. The majority of complaints refer to the FIDS’ perceived inaccuracy, because arrival times are delayed by 10 minutes to allow for bag- gage claim. In addition, the airport conducted a survey of cell phone lot users, who reported they would use the lots even if no FIDS were included. Only half of respondents owned smartphones, and most arriving passengers call their driver when they land. Lessons Learned Based on anecdotal reports, the cell phone lots near the terminals operate successfully. However, because of regular issues with the location and size of the east cell phone lot, this lot is too close to the terminal and does not effectively manage overflow traffic when the lot is full. PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL (PIT) Sponsor—Allegheny County Airport Authority Contact—Eric Ruprecht, Vice President of Commercial Management & Properties Background PIT established a 175-space cell phone lot in 2012 after receiving requests from its board, the county, and the public (Figure 16). The lot was established at no cost to the airport other than roadway sig- nage. All maintenance of the lot is covered under general parking lot costs. The lot is part of the extended-term parking lot and integrated into the airport’s parking system. The extended lot does not sell out. Passengers receive a card upon entering the lot, and may leave their vehicles and use the bus to go to the terminal or walk to a nearby convenience store. Initially, the airport proposed a lot that would cost $1 per hour; however, because of public resistance, PIT changed course.

32 Now it offers a free first hour, the second hour costs $2, and the third hour costs the daily rate of $8. Despite this system, drivers can enter and exit the lot as they please, leaving a loophole for those who leave before one hour expires and return for another 59 minutes. To deter long-term parking in the lot, however, parking management warns cell phone lot users that any cars left overnight may be towed. Management Because of the automated card entry and payment system, no additional staff is required. PIT is one of the few airports that can monitor how many drivers use their cell phone lot. In 2012, the first year of operation, an average of 3,000 to 4,000 customers used the cell phone lot per month. During the first seven months of 2014, numbers grew substantially, as shown in Table 14. FIGURE 16 Map of parking facilities at Pittsburgh International Airport. Month Monthly Users January 5,700 February 4,900 March 7,600 April 7,700 May 10,000 June 10,400 July 11,000 Source: Allegheny County Airport Authority (2014). TABLE 14 MONTHLY USERS OF PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL’S CELL PHONE LOT (2014)

33 The cell phone lot has access to a Sunoco gas station and convenience store, which serves a variety of food and provides restrooms to waiting drivers. Customers have reacted positively to the amenities. In addition, the cell phone lot is near a bus that will take users directly to the terminal. Overall, the airport believes the cell phone lot is a suitable solution, and is pleased with the rev- enues generated by the concession area and by parking customers who exceed the 60-minute limit. PIT does not plan to change the lot much moving forward, although FIDS would be a welcomed addition. Lessons Learned Ruprecht suggests that if space allows for it, airports could consider using part of their existing lots for a cell phone lot rather than constructing a new lot. In addition, airports should not give up a financially successful part of their airport to build a cell phone lot. PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL (PDX) Sponsor—Port of Portland Contact—Dawn Huddleston, Commercial Roadway Manager Background PDX created a trial cell phone lot during the 2005–2006 holiday season to assess its effectiveness. Primarily, the lot was created to decrease curbside and roadway congestion and minimize recirculating vehicles on the roadway. Soon thereafter, the airport constructed a free, 24-hour, 30-spot cell phone parking lot. This lot is a separate entity from the rest of the airport’s short-term parking, which include 3,200 spots with an hourly parking rate of $3. Trash cans are the only amenities provided at the cell phone parking lot (Figure 17). Although many greeters use the lot, decreases in curbside congestion are not apparent because of an increasing number of passengers at the airport and the relatively small cell phone lot. The lot stays full between the peak arrival hours of 8:30 p.m. and midnight leaving some overflow traffic. This has prompted drivers to park in cargo facilities and on the side of the road while waiting for arriving passengers. FIGURE 17 Map of parking facilities at Portland International Airport.

34 Future Plans PDX is planning an expansion of the cell phone parking lot to include a gas station and convenience store. A display monitor to track arrival status will also be included. Construction is scheduled to begin within the next year. Management The PDX parking department manages the cell phone parking lot. PDX does not staff its cell phone lot, provide extensive rules, or collect data on its cell phone lot. The local police department and airport supervisors provide security by periodically driving through the lot. The two posted rules for the lot state that cars must be turned off while drivers are waiting and that unattended vehicles will be towed. The general parking maintenance budget includes the costs for the cell phone lot, and no extensive renovation has been done except for restriping and repaving. Customer Feedback Customer satisfaction is monitored through the customer service office, where comments and com- plaints are forwarded to the parking department. Generally, there is a mix of positive and negative feedback, with the negative comments requesting better signage and more spaces. Lessons Learned Huddleston recommends that airports carefully consider the placement of their cell phone parking lots. She suggested that if the lots are too close to the terminal, drivers and passengers may use the lot as a free, short-term parking spot; so she recommends that cell phone lots be placed a short drive away. REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT (DCA) Sponsor—Metropolitan Washington Airport Administration (MWAA) Contact—Gary Myers, Manager Background The DCA cell phone waiting area opened in 2006 in response to customer requests. The lot is a lighted paved pullout area on the recirculating road. Because DCA has limited land, this 35-space area was the most efficient solution available (Figure 18). Once the cell phone lot was established, the grace period in the public parking was reduced. FIGURE 18 Cell phone lot and view of Reagan National Airport Terminal.

35 Management MWAA operates the cell phone lot as a customer service. Airport security and ground transportation patrol the cell lot when making rounds. The 60-minute parking limit is enforced. The maintenance contractor empties trash as part of its contract. Impact of the Cell Phone Lot Because the lot is so small, it has minimal impact on reducing circulating traffic and curbside park- ing (Figure 19). Issues Land constraints influence many aspects of ground transportation at DCA. The modal choices for arriving passengers at DCA heavily favor taxis (32%) and public transit (21%). One of the most press- ing issues is staging areas for commercial vehicles such as cabs and TNCs, which are not allowed to use the cell phone lot. As of 2014, approximately 1,600 taxi drivers were permitted to operate at DCA and there were about 5,700 taxi trips/day through the airport’s taxicab dispatch system. However, the taxi area has non-reserved queuing space for only about 700 taxis. TNC vehicles tend to park in public parking or just pick up at the curb. Future Plans DCA plans to address the need for additional public parking spaces and available areas for rental car companies, other commercial ground transportation services, and employee parking. Lessons Learned The main amenities that appear advantageous to cell phone lot patrons are FIDS, a food/beverage concessionaire, lighting and trash cans. MWAA tried licensing a food truck at the current TSA build- ing, but even with good food products, there just was not enough sales volume. Food trucks could be an option, but the customer base in the cell phone lot might be too limited because of the lot size. FIGURE 19 Map of cell phone lot at Reagan National Airport (Source: MWAA.)

36 SALT LAKE CITY INTERNATIONAL (SLC) Sponsor—Salt Lake City Contact—Bruce Barclay, Operations Manager, Parking and Shuttles Background SLC makes a distinction between cell phone lots and park and wait lots. According to Barclay, a cell phone lot “is just paved, may or may not have lighting, and the passenger calls [the user]” to notify them of the flight’s arrival. SLC’s 82-space Park & Wait lot has more amenities than most cell phone lots, including FIDS, so that users do not have to rely on phone calls for arrival time; and portable toilets (Figure 20). The Park & Wait lot was budgeted for in 2005 and opened in 2006. The area was paved, land- scaping was put in, and communication fiber was run for FIDS when the lot was built, and it has remained much the same since. In some respects, the lot is in a bad location because it is “too easy to get to” for a non-revenue-producing location (Figure 21). (The lot is 200 yards from the intersection nearest to the terminal.) The airport could have used that space for something more profitable. The airport may move the lot someday and turn it into something like DEN’s lot with revenue-producing concessions. FIGURE 20 Park & Wait lot at Salt Lake City International Airport. FIGURE 21 Map of Park & Wait lot at Salt Lake City International Airport. http://www.slcairport. com/pick-up-and-drop-off.asp.

37 Management There is no dedicated staff for the Park & Wait lot, only maintenance workers and police on routine patrols. The lot is open 24/7 and there is no formal time limit, but if an officer sees a vehicle after two sweeps through the lot, he/she will stop to investigate. The police building and ground transport staging area is next to the lot, so supervision is relatively easy. The maintenance department works on this lot, but other than that, not much attention is paid to it. No one breaks out the costs of the Park & Wait lot, as it is “rolled up” in other budgets. Issues Issues with the Park & Wait lot include crowding in the lot and congestion at the terminal curbside when everyone leaves the lot at once. The crowding problem is well-documented. Staffers go out and count cars every night, Thursday through Sunday. The largest number of cars has been 138 (in a lot with 82 spaces). The excess vehicles line up in the lot’s aisles or around the perimeter. When the lot was first built, SLC used statistics from other airports to gauge the capacity that was needed, but demand appears to be exceeding the estimate. Congestion at the terminal curbside is exacerbated by the FIDS showing flight arrivals early. The “pickup” notification appears on the screen right when baggage arrives at the carousel, but at that time, passengers from that particular flight have likely not even gotten to the baggage claim; so greeters then find themselves waiting longer than they should at the terminal, and taking up space that could be used by taxis or personal vehicles. Barclay suggests the pick-up message be delayed a little longer. In the future, the FIDS may be removed from the lot altogether, although this is a last resort. Future Plans A new Park & Wait Lot is scheduled to open in 2017 open with a convenience store adjacent to it. The new lot will have 125 spaces. When this concession is added, management of the Park & Wait lot area may move into the concessionaire’s purview, but the airport will still monitor it. In 2018, the airport also plans to build more hourly parking spaces (3,600) and a new terminal. Airport offi- cials have used computer modeling and simulations to estimate the capacity needed for these future improvements. Customer Feedback Customer feedback is received primarily through Twitter. The airport maintains a Twitter account to send out information such as parking capacity and delays, and customers sometimes respond with comments or complaints. There have been no complaints about the Park and Wait lot; there have been very few comments altogether. Revenue Diversion Barclay estimated that the Park & Wait lot has reduced the parking garage’s revenues by 0,5%. How- ever, this is made up for by the fact that the Park and Wait lot relieves garage capacity and reduces shuttle use by non-paying customers. Lessons Learned Barclay recommends that other airports use clear terminology when building a cell phone lot. A cell phone lot ought to refer to a simple slab of concrete with few amenities, while anything more involved should have a different name. Some customers might not understand the difference between the terms, particularly as more customers use smartphones instead of relying on FIDS. In

38 Barclay’s view, Park & Wait connotes a longer wait time. In his experience, greeters at SLC like to “hang out” with other greeters, sometimes even having tailgate parties (as mentioned on the SLC lot’s Foursquare page). SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL (SAT) Sponsor—City of San Antonio Contact—Tamera Marberry, Parking and Ground Transportation Manager Background SAT operates and manages all parking at the airport themselves, including the cell phone lot, the employee lot, and shuttles. The cell phone lot opened in 2008 with 83 parking spaces. One repurposed FIDS was located at the cell phone lot, along with trash cans, and there is Wi-Fi and lighting as well (Figure 22). At the time, the initial purpose of the cell phone lot was to relieve roadway congestion. Since then, however, the roadway has become one-way, and this has reduced congestion. The cell phone lot is heavily used, especially at night when arrivals peak. Future Plans SAT is currently designing a new commercial development project that will incorporate a gas sta- tion, a new location for the cell phone lot (with 110 spaces), an adjacent expansion of public parking FIGURE 22 San Antonio International Airport Parking Map. http://www.sanantonio. gov/SAT/Parking/Maps.aspx.

39 (500 spaces), and relocation of the taxi hold lot across the street from the gas station. The project is scheduled to be completed the summer of 2015. Management Like many airports, SAT takes a passive view on enforcement at cell phone lots. No commercial vehicles are allowed; nor is overnight parking. There is a four-hour limit on parking, but there are no security cameras on the existing lot. The new cell phone lot will have 24/7 recorded video and monitoring, and will have emergency call box stations installed in two locations. SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL (SFO) Sponsor—City and County of San Francisco Contact—Abubaker Azam, Assistant Deputy Airport Director Background SFO’s 70-space cell phone lot was built in 2006, at the same time that many other airports were building their own cell phone lots (Figure 23). The original goal was to reduce airport congestion and offer the lot as an amenity for customers who were not interested in parking in the garage while waiting to pick up passengers. It was also a response to complaints by the surrounding residents and business owners about waiting vehicles parking on their streets and in private parking lots. At the same time, the airport installed a new limousine staging lot so that these vehicles would also be kept off residential streets. The staging lots and the cell phone lot are conveniently located near the long-term parking garage (Figure 24). When the cell phone lot was built, the area was already paved and had portable restrooms left from its days as a ground transportation staging area. Only a few improvements were made, such as adding FIDS, lighting, and a vending machine. The size of the lot was determined by the space available, and while this was not a scientific approach, it has worked over the years with no overflow. There have been very few problems with commercial vehicles parking in the cell phone lot. This is the result of clear signage indicating the 60-minute time limit, and routine police patrols to check for unattended vehicles and users overstaying the time limit. The lot closes at 1 a.m. and reopens at 5 a.m., but almost no one tries to park during this time. The amenities in the cell phone lot are limited to discourage greeters from staying for an extended period. Management Because the cell phone lot is not revenue-producing, it is not under the airport’s “parking” umbrella. It is managed on an as-needed basis as an operational convenience and customer amenity. FIGURE 23 San Francisco International Airport cell phone waiting lot.

40 There are no employees specifically assigned to the cell phone lot. Security is assumed by the Aviation Security Department, which monitors all airport cameras. Police officers also routinely patrol the lot and curbside. Curbside staff across the street from the lot do routine spot checks and report suspicious activity to security or police. Not very many tickets are issued, as the “kinder, gentler approach” results in better customer opinions of the airport. There is no overcrowding in the cell phone lot. Capacity and usage are monitored with tube traffic counters placed across the entrance. The counter data are examined quarterly and these reports help airport officials determine cell phone lot usage. The cell phone lot and the limo staging area share an entrance, so if there are more limos than cell phone lot cars, or vice versa, vehicles will sometimes park on the “wrong” side of the lots. However, the staging areas are heavily monitored and drivers are requested to move their vehicles to the correct side. SFO operates on a cost-recovery model, so the staffing costs for the staging areas are paid from the trip fees of commercial vehicles and vehicles for hire. These fees are adjusted annually based on cost-recovery calculations. Future Plans SFO’s innovative policies and environmental stewardship have played a key role in decreasing the carbon footprint of the airport. In order to reduce the cell phone lot carbon footprint even further, SFO is installing a canopy structure in the cell phone lot that will shade 30 parking stalls (15 and 15, back to back) intended to make it unnecessary for drivers to idle their car engines while using their air-conditioning units. Customer Feedback There have been some complaints by customers about the lot being too far from the terminal. How- ever, there is a paid parking garage close to the terminal, and customers who want to be closer to the FIGURE 24 Map of parking facilities at San Francisco International Airport. http://www.flysfo.com/to-from/ parking/cell-phone-waiting-lot.

41 terminal are willing to pay for the privilege. Except for location complaints, customer feedback is mostly positive. Issues Traffic congestion is a big issue for SFO. According to an annual ground transportation survey, 38% of deplaning passengers are picked up in personal vehicles. To address congestion, SFO has a policy of promoting public transit, going as far as advertising on the radio during the holidays and giving employees transit benefits. Azam views the cell phone lot not only as a convenience for customers but a way to keep the airport’s roads from becoming too congested. Because the roadway is so short, the cell phone lot is essential to making sure there are no drivers on the road who do not need to be there. In this sense, the cell phone lot can be compared with a utility without cost recovery. Cell Phone Lot Impacts It is hard to tell what the impact of the cell phone lot has been on curbside traffic. The number of deplaning passengers has increased substantially over the years, but congestion has not increased accordingly, so the cell phone lot, likely with the help of public transportation (BART), may have contributed to lessened congestion. The lot only takes away a small percentage of short-term parking revenue, so in the long run it has been a good investment. Lessons Learned Azam recommends that other airports wishing to improve or build cell phone lots visit other airports and observe what works and does not work there. He routinely visits local airports when traveling to conferences, and particularly admires the DEN concession model for its cell phone lot. SEATTLE–TACOMA INTERNATIONAL (SEA) Sponsor—Port of Seattle Contact—Jeff Hoevet, Sr. Manager, Airport Operations Background SEA has moved its cell phone lot three times, and may move it a fourth time in the future (Figure 25). The first lot, which opened in 2006, was located along air cargo road in an unused parking area. There were about 80 spaces. SEA opened the lot because of public demand and safety concerns, and in a good faith effort to relieve parking in adjacent neighborhoods. It was a basic paved lot utilizing existing lights. The airport installed portable toilets. Next, the cell phone lot was moved to an abandoned paved area that was part of the old U.S. Postal Service property and on the same road There were 150 spaces. The airport put in signage to direct users to the lot and created a one-way in, one-way out traffic pattern. However, during cherry harvest season, there was a problem with the trucks hauling cherries on the same road. Two years ago, the lot was moved again to the east side of the airport expressway after the airport exit. Based on past use, SEA built a lot with 250 spaces, but in April 2014 added an auxiliary lot of 80 spaces (330 altogether). In addition, the airport installed portable toilets, curbing, landscaping, and pet relief supplies. There are quick response codes to contact airlines, plans to add Wi-Fi, and

42 a traffic signal or roundabout to ease exit congestion. Once these improvements are completed, the cell phone lot will have cost around $3.2 million. On an annual basis, it costs $120,000 per year to maintain. Future Plans The current cell phone lot is likely to move again in eight years, but the improvements are not a throwaway and will be incorporated into the replacement development. Management Airport Landside Operations operates the cell phone lot. The airport has a contract with a cleaning company for the trash and portable toilets. There is a separate contractor for snow removal. Customer Feedback SEA has received feedback about congestion at the lot exit. The move to its current location has reduced congestion on the airport expressway and avoided some difficult cross-traffic patterns near the terminal. Lessons Learned The cell phone lot does not align with a parking revenue strategy, but Hoevet believes that the cell phone lot introduces potential customers to other parking products. FIGURE 25 Cell phone waiting lot at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport.

43 TAMPA INTERNATIONAL (TPA) Sponsor—Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA) Contact—Karl Martin, Operations Manager, Parking and Ground Transportation Background The first cell phone lot at Tampa International Airport opened in 2005. It was carved out of an exist- ing overflow parking lot (Figure 26). The airport built a barrier down the middle, installed FIDS and striped 175 parking spaces. The lot’s opening coincided with a curbside enforcement program, though previously greeters were allowed to wait at that curb for passengers (Figure 27). In 2006, HCAA opened the other half of the overflow lot for hourly users. At that time, they also added another FIDS, restrooms, and vending machines. The project was planned and executed in conjunction with construction of the economy garage (Figure 28). The cell phone lot rarely fills except sometimes on holidays. HCAA has installed loop counters in the pavement at the entrance and exits, so it knows exactly how many users are in the lot. The counters are connected into the parking revenue system. Free parking is available at the cell phone lot for an unlimited amount of time. The only rule enforced is that users must stay with the vehicle. Airport police and the ground transportation staff patrol the lot. If a vehicle is unattended for more than one hour, it is likely to be impounded. FIGURE 26 Map of airport parking at Tampa International Airport. FIGURE 27 FIDS at Tampa International Airport Cell Phone Lot. Posted on Jan. 24, 2013 by Harriet Baskas StuckatTheAirport.com travel blog.

44 HCAA also offers 59 minutes free in the short-term parking garage. If a customer stays in the garage 60 minutes or longer, the first hour is charged. However, 45% to 55% of parking transactions in the short-term parking garage are free. HCAA has tried to substitute the cell phone lot for free parking in the garages, but limited free parking in the garage was put in place a long time ago and is very popular. The rules are slowly changing. The new economy garage does not offer the first hour free. The cell phone lot is in a good location, about 1½ minutes from the terminal by car. At one time, HCAA entered into an agreement with a food truck consortium that placed food trucks in the cell phone lot. However, the vendors did not make enough money and stopped coming in. Two food trucks in the taxi staging area have operated for a long time. The taxi staging area is relatively small. Some limousines and black cars park in the cell phone lot, which HCAA allows. Typically, personal cars stay in the cell phone lot between five and 25 minutes. Commercial vehicles tend to stay a little longer. Contract janitorial staff takes care of cell phone area as well as the entire airport area. HCAA used a grant to set up an electric vehicle charging station with one plug in the cell phone lot. As part of the terms of the grant, charging is free and it is well-used. The airport is installing four more stations in short-term parking and two stations in long-term parking which will not be free. Issues Congestion problems at the exit of the cell phone lot may occur when there is a lightning storm and aircraft weather delays. When planes are cleared to land, all the airlines experience arrivals at the same time. To address this issue, the police manage traffic at the exit to the cell phone lot. HCAA also has realized that curbside management and the cell phone lot go hand in hand. Over the years, the curbside management program has become stricter. Now, a no-waiting or stopping program is in place and enforced. This has increased use of the cell phone lot. Lessons Learned Martin suggests that when planning a cell phone lot, it is important to have enough spaces; 50 is usually not enough. The lot should have FIDS, easy access, restrooms, good lighting, security, pave- ment, and striped parking spaces. One of the biggest challenges for TPA is that it did not build a big enough restroom facility. There are three stalls on each side, but the airport could have put in more stalls. FIGURE 28 Cell phone lot at Tampa International Airport.

45 TORONTO PEARSON INTERNATIONAL (YYZ) Sponsor—Greater Toronto Airports Authority Contact—Carlo Cordi, Manager, Parking and Groundside Operations Background The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) began operating its first cell phone lot in 2007 in response to public demand. After a successful trial period, the lot was expanded from 83 spaces to 300 spaces. This original cell phone lot allowed drivers to enter and exit as they pleased. However, a major construction project required the space for a lay-down area, and the cell phone lot was moved approximately 500 yards away to its current location. It has only 115 spaces, but owing to its size and location, it cannot be expanded. The only amenities the airport provides in the lot are lighting and trash cans (Figure 29). The cell phone lot has always been an open concept. However, over the years the loitering in the lot increased to the point that in 2013 the GTAA installed a gate system allowing only 45 minutes’ free parking. Despite the GTAA’s best efforts in advertising and marketing, some drivers believe that the gated cell phone lot charges for occupancy and reluctantly do not enter. Hence the GTAA faces a major safety hazard, as drivers continue to park on the side of roadways. The airport is attempting to curb this trend by making directions to the cell phone lot more readily available on Google Maps and its website; and by placing flexi-posts in some areas to discourage roadside parking. Roaming commissionaires, mobile ambassadors, and closed circuit TV provide security for the lot, while commissionaires and mobile security patrol the lot for safety. All vehicles in the cell phone lot must be attended at all times. Commissionaires or groundside operations employee will report an unattended car before taking steps to ticket or tow the vehicle if the owner does not return. Management As the Manager of Parking and Groundside Operations at Toronto Pearson International Airport, Cordi is a member of the Service Delivery Team, which is ultimately responsible for the “day of” operations of the cell phone lot. VINCI Park manages all parking garages and parking lots at the airport, including the cell phone lot on behalf of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) (Figure 30). Future Plans After the current construction project is finished, the GTAA is considering moving the cell phone lot back to its original, larger location. Additionally, the GTAA is exploring a corporate advertising FIGURE 29 Toronto Pearson International Airport cell phone lot.

46 partnership to leverage the equity of all its parking facilities, including the cell phone lot. A recent study showed that 17,000 vehicles pass by the cell phone lot per day, and the GTAA is looking to partner with a telecom provider. Finally, the airport is considering installing FIDS and vending machines to contribute to the airport’s non-aeronautical revenue (Figure 30). Impacts of the Cell Phone Lot Overall, the GTAA believes that the cell phone lot has helped to decrease curbside congestion and traffic, although parking in the terminal 1 or 3 parking garages offer many amenities, including easy and covered access to the terminals. Lessons Learned Cordi recommends that cell phone lots be sizeable and clearly marked. He notes that large lots help mitigate congestion issues, and suggests that an easily recognizable, physical entrance to the cell phone lot would make it more popular, especially for those drivers who circle the airport’s roadways waiting to meet their passenger. Finally, he recommends that all cell phone lots across the United States and Canada have standard demarcation signs to make them more obvious to the public. FIGURE 30 Map of parking facilities at Toronto Pearson International Airport.