Like Uber, a new parking policy in San Francisco permits the transportation planners of the city to adjust their pricing as per the demand for parking spaces. And it clearly shows that parking meters may feature a constant change in the pricing till the end of the year. According to the officials, this plan can help parking lots churn by cars more quickly. The chairperson of the SF Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors, Cheryl Brinkman said, “This is how we make sure there is enough parking in The City when everyone claims there’s not. We can work to make sure people can park their cars.
This surge parking meters pricing proposal is following the 2011 pilot program known as SFPark funded by the US Department of Transportation. The goal of this program is to make it easier for people to find parking spaces. As per the SFMTA report, the pilot covered 7,000 parking meters in SF like Fisherman’s Wharf, Marina, Civic Center neighborhoods, downtown, and Fillmore.
SFMTA parking policy manager Hank Wilson said this surge parking meters plan could happen as early as late October. He also told, “People will go to that Uber surge-pricing comparison. The “point of correction” to make to that analogy: Uber surge pricing only goes up. With demand responsive pricing, the price can get lower [than normal], and often does. When the SFMTA’s planners saw metered parking spaces sitting unused, they lowered the prices to as low as 50 cents per hour, which attracted more parkers.”
Wilson simply added, “After the pilot, this board approved the continuation of the pilot and that the maximum price is $8 an hour.” The board members who appreciated this program were taken by a great surprise by a sudden increase in price.