Oakland, CA is one of the top 45 places to go in 2012!

With a booming nightlife and diverse restaurants, Oakland, CA is one of the top places to visit in 2012, in fact it's listed right between London and Tokyo!  The reopening of the Fox Theater has helped increase the entertainment offering in the Bay Area. Since then, it has been a huge venue for great musicians, comedy acts and more.  On top of that Oakland's food scene is growing due to world-class chefs such as James Syhabout, the chef who earned Oakland its first Michelin star.

Read more about what you can find in Oakland, CA and the other 44 places to visit in 2012 here: http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/travel/45-places-to-go-in-2012.html

A man's car steal's itself!

In Australia, a car that was not properly placed in gear rolled through a parking facility and perfectly into a covered space stayed missing for 17 days.  It was finally recovered with some slight damage!

Quite a unusual and funny story... read the full article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16443089

The Evil Parking Maid

Here is a recent story about a man who was involved in stealing revenue from parking meters.  In 2009, he has pleaded guilty to stealing an excess of 1.1 million dollars from meters!  A coin here and there sure adds up...

Read the full story here: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/20/4135490/former-hoboken-parking-head-pleads.html

San Francisco will send text alerts to parkers

Ever pay a huge parking ticket only because you simply lost track of time?  Well the City of San Francisco's parking division will now send parkers a text alert letting them know their time is about to expire!  Nice little feature eh? 

However, this friendly little reminder will cost you... A 45-cent "convenience" fee will be charged for each pay-by-phone transaction. The service is voluntary.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/28/BA4S1M5AKA.DTL#ixzz1fJywcC8M

Man pays off a 57 year old parking ticket!

Read the funny article here: http://www.katu.com/news/weird/133368343.html!

Shreveort's Parking Expansion

By making parking more accessible and available, it lowers the chances of accidents at busy areas.  Not only that, it also:

• Lowers air pollution (less cars circling around in search of parking)
• Decreases traffic and congestion on the street and inside the parking lot
• Makes the street safer for pedestrians (more parked cars, less moving cars)
• Saves time for people
• Decreases the risk of possible road rage
• If paid parking, revenue for the city for improved roads and facility maintenance
• Stimulates the economy and businesses (if it is known that parking is easily accessible, consumers may be more willing to visit shopping centers more often)

Shreveport, LA kept all of these points in mind while expanding the parking lot.  Read all about it here: http://www.ksla.com/story/15956316/parking-lot-expansion-adds-to-holiday-economy

Parking in the Digital Age

As mobile technology becomes more commonly used for everyday purposes, the parking industry swiftly adapts to the needs of the consumer making parking payment much easier.  Quick Pass, QP for short is considered the industry's first mover when it comes to mobile parking technology. 

A parking app designed for Android and iPhones (others a long the way) makes paying for parking a breeze!  Check out the article here!