Navigating the University of Michigan campus may become more manageable with the launch of MGoPark, an app designed to simplify parking for the campus community.
Created using the framework of the Parking Space Availability Tool, MGoPark offers access to real-time parking data, navigation assistance and additional parking resources for the Ann Arbor campus.
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This new app allows faculty, staff and students to spend less time searching for parking and more time focusing on their academic and professional pursuits. It is available for download on iOS and Android devices through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
MGoPark includes the following features to help people plan their commute:
- Real-Time Availability — Check the availability of parking spaces across gated campus structures and lots.
- Detailed Lot Information — Access comprehensive details about each parking location, including parking enforcement hours, vehicle clearance and more.
- Interactive Campus Map — Utilize a detailed map of campus showing all parking locations and the type of permit required to use each location.
- Wayfinding — Tap on the parking location from the map to see the details, then tap the “Get Directions” button to use a phone’s map app to get turn-by-turn directions.
- Permit Purchases — Use the app to purchase an annual faculty, staff or student parking permit, or add more “parks” to a faculty or staff daily parking permit account.
- Favorites — Save frequently used parking locations to see their availability at a glance.
- Resources — Find free parking, electric-vehicle charging stations, or check a daily parking permit balance easily through the resources section of MGoPark.
MGoPark grew out of a straightforward concept: using data to make better parking and commuting decisions.
“Historically, our team would have to generate systematic reports to review parking permit entrance data at parking structure gates to estimate parking fill times and provide recommendations to faculty, staff and students,” said Steve Dolen, executive director of Logistics, Transportation & Parking.
“As part of a continuous improvement process, the team explored ways to automate this process and provide real-time feedback through a customer friendly app with higher levels of functionality.”
LTP and Facilities and Operations Information Services collaborated to transform the manual process into an automated, real-time system, which was first implemented on the LTP website as the Parking Space Availability Tool.
The tool’s success, evidenced by more than 94,000 web page views in its first month, laid the groundwork for MGoPark. The mobile app extends the functionality of the original tool, integrating additional features to create a more comprehensive campus resource. The Parking Space Availability Tool will continue to be maintained on the LTP website.
“Based on the feedback we received, turning it into a mobile app was the natural next step,” said Jonas Daunoravicius, applications programming manager for FOIS. “The aim was to offer U-M parkers a more integrated and user-friendly experience.”
Future updates to the app may include personalized notifications for commuting updates, system notifications for events affecting parking, and real-time availability for patient and visitor parking areas.
Laura Burger
What would be really nice is if you could compile the data and have it graph at what point(s) a particular garage hits capacity, say over the last week or two. This would be especially helpful with all of the on going construction. Thanks.