Allocation of Student Parking Permits across a University Campus Based on Course Registration and Schedule

Abstract

Most universities manage student parking demand by grouping parking lots into zones and selling as many parking permits as possible by the zones. This paper describes this problem as the university student parking permit problem (USP3) and proposes a solution called student permit allocation methodology (SPAM). The solution approach uses historical course registration data and oncampus travel patterns, combined with the course schedule of the target semester, to predict the spatial and temporal student parking demands in the target semester. The demand distribution patterns are then used to make decisions on the number of student parking permits for sale at the different zones. The internal components of SPAM have been validated and calibrated in parts using a midsize urban commuter campus. We further apply SPAM to illustrate that spreading the class meeting times will not only flatten the student parking demand curve but also enable more permits to be sold.