Many cities struggle with inefficient parking enforcement scheduling, leading to inconsistent enforcement and missed opportunities to deter violations. Without data-driven insights, cities often rely on outdated, assumption-based models for assigning enforcement officers (PEOs). This results in officers being overstaffed during slow periods or understaffed when violations peak, undermining enforcement efforts and contributing to rising traffic congestion and unsafe conditions.

The Solution: A More Predictable, Effective Enforcement Strategy

When drivers are aware that violations will consistently be detected and enforced, the perceived risk of getting caught rises. With a higher likelihood of receiving a citation, drivers are more likely to rethink their decision to park illegally. This increased awareness of risk leads to better compliance with parking regulations.

The key to internalizing risk is predictability in enforcement. By analyzing patterns of where and when violations are most likely and aligning officer schedules accordingly, cities can strengthen the effectiveness of their enforcement strategies.

At Trellint, we leverage advanced, data-driven insights to help cities optimize enforcement and curbside staffing. By analyzing citation likelihoods, traffic patterns, and historical data, we ensure that PEOs are deployed where and when they’re most needed.

The Power of Predictive Scheduling

It’s not just about knowing where enforcement is needed—it’s also about understanding when. Trellint’s data scientists provide a deeper look into the timing of violations. By predicting high-violation periods and suggesting improvements to shift schedules, we’ve helped cities significantly boost citation productivity (defined as citations issued per PEO per shift). For example, we modeled a 9% improvement in citations issued per PEO in Boston, a 6% in Oxfordshire, UK, and most recently a 4% improvement in Indianapolis.

Ultimately, this strategic approach of aligning enforcement efforts with data and trends makes enforcement both more impactful and effective in driving parking compliance.

Optimizing Enforcement Schedules: The Process

A common issue cities face is the mismatch between available parking spaces and demand—especially during peak hours. In busy downtown areas, for instance, limited parking spaces lead to more violations. If enforcement is understaffed during these crucial times, violations may go unchecked. Parking managers need to focus enforcement on periods with the highest demand and violation likelihood.

To enhance the accuracy of predictions, Trellint integrates a broader set of data sources rather than just historical enforcement, including:

By integrating predictive factors in addition to historical citation issuance, we create more comprehensive and dynamic models while avoiding the creation of a self-fulfilling prophecy where enforcement is predicated solely on past performance.

In Indianapolis, we collected meter data (payment transactions at meters and across payment apps, spaces per block, and meter policies), as well as accident data, and historical issuance to model the likelihood of infractions. We identified likelihoods (blue line, below) by time of day per day of the week. We then compared the current parking enforcement shifts and staffing levels (gold line, below) to those citation likelihoods (blue line). This study revealed periods when enforcement was overstaffed (when the gold line exceeds the blue line) and times when staffing fell short (when the blue line is higher than the gold line).

Trellint data scientists identified the optimal enforcement shifts (red line, below) to best achieve projected citation issuance.

We modeled a significant improvement in enforcement (the gold line, below) compared to historical issuance (the blue line), especially during the morning and between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM. We projected improved productivity of approximately 4.9%, and our model has proven fairly accurate with PEO performance improving by more than 4% since implementation.

Strategic Shift Planning: Staffing for Impact

Effective parking enforcement goes beyond simply filling shifts; it’s about strategically prioritizing shifts based on when violations are most likely to occur. Peak hours, special events, and high-traffic areas demand extra attention, as violations during these times can disrupt traffic flow and create unsafe conditions.

Scheduling these shifts effectively is particularly important in high-turnover positions like parking enforcement. The job can be stressful and confrontational, often leading to negative interactions with the public, dissatisfaction, and burnout. Therefore, ensuring the right people are scheduled at the right times is crucial.

However, without reliable data, it becomes difficult to prioritize shifts properly. As a result, critical shifts may remain unstaffed due to turnover, or less experienced staff may be assigned to high-priority shifts. Parking managers often find that, as turnover occurs, the most important shifts are neglected, or new hires are placed in critical roles, reducing the overall effectiveness of enforcement.

Once Trellint redesigned Indianapolis’ enforcement shifts, data scientists set out to prioritize each shift, the goal being to provide supervisors with the tools necessary to reallocate staff due to absences and vacancies. An example prioritization based on 10 PEOs follows with the top three shifts highlighted 1, 2, 3. When filling vacancies or managing absences, supervisors would focus on filling these high priority shifts first, ensuring that experienced staff members are assigned to the most impactful hours. This helps to reduce disruptions and ensures that enforcement remains effective, even during times of turnover.

The Future of Curbside Management and Parking Enforcement

Municipalities that embrace data-driven solutions will not only improve compliance but also build trust with their stakeholders. When enforcement is predictable, efficient, and aligned with the community’s needs, everyone benefits. Drivers find it easier to park, enforcement personnel are more effective, and cities gain better control over valuable curbside resources.

The future of parking enforcement isn’t about issuing more citations; it’s about creating smarter, more efficient systems that serve the public and foster sustainable urban environments. With Trellint’s solutions, cities are transforming how they manage curbside resources—leading to safer, more livable urban spaces.

When was the Last Time You Reviewed Your Parking Enforcement Schedules?

If it’s been a while, now is the perfect time to assess your current system and see how data-driven insights could better align enforcement efforts with your city’s needs. Reach out to us today to learn how Trellint can optimize your enforcement scheduling and curbside management to improve compliance, safety, and efficiency.