Calgary parking authority plans to boost batteries and its image

[Markham]

Hey guys

Something to think about when your battery dies downtown...

http://www.calgarybeacon.com/2011/09/calgary-parking-authority-plans-to-boost-batteries-and-its-image/

Markham

[Team_Mclaren]

Long maligned by angry motorists, the Calgary Parking Authority will now be offering free, round-the-clock battery boosts and tire inflations as a complimentary service to their customers who park on downtown streets, parkades or surface lots.




And the parking authority says the new service will come at no extra expense to drivers.

Acting general manager Troy McLeod says the service will be provided by the authority’s security team which currently has two vehicles available for tire inflation and battery boosting.

“Our expectation is it’ll be a reassignment of duties,” McLeod said. “If there is a call, that would be the priority at that time and then they would return to their normal duties of security.”

The service has already been available for customers who park in the authority’s 5,000 or so parkade and surface lot stalls. McLeod says while there hasn’t been overwhelming demand for the service to be extended to the remaining 5,000 street parking stalls, it was something the authority felt was the right thing to do.

“It wasn’t so much that we received requests for it, it’s that we looked at the service we’re providing and said, how can we expand it to all our service areas?” he said. “We have existing staff and equipment, why would we not make this available to all our customers?”

McLeod added he doesn’t believe doubling the size of the service area will necessarily result in double the calls for assistance. Only 30 calls for assistance have been made in three years of offering the service.

In cases where the authority’s security and tire teams are over-extended, City-wide Towing will be called in to assist motorists with the new service. McLeod said that would fall under the current service agreement with the towing company.

“That would be our backup. If our staff are on other critical assignments, we’d dispatch that other service,” he said. “We don’t anticipate having an issue delivering reasonable service for this.”

But a number of Calgarians still have old wounds that haven’t healed with the parking authority and accuse them of conspiring to commit some horrible act.

“Is this another way they can justify raising parking rates?” said Calgary motorist Mike Coulas. “Watch; nothing is free from the city of Calgary.”

Julie Carole says the authority could do more to impress their customers.

“[This is just] optics,” she said. “A real benefit would be reasonable parking fees.”

The parking authority says they are not competing with service providers like AMA by offering the new service to their customers.

“If you’re stuck, at least you have another option,” McLeod said, adding that not everyone has a service like AMA. “You can always call us at least for those two issues if you have a flat tire or a dead battery.

“It’s to provide customer care.”

McLeod says the authority is not the bad guy and reminds customers that if they have a dispute with a ticket that was issued, to come and discuss the matter.

“We’re always open to reviewing that,” he said.

The new customer care, tire and battery service, called ParkAid, will cover all ParkPlus zones at curbside and in surface lots and parkades located in the downtown, Kensington, 17 Avenue, Inglewood, Bridgeland, 4 Street S.W., the Beltline, Centre Street North and Research Park.

Information about the new program will be posted on ParkPlus pay machines. Anyone in need of the service can call (403) 537-7006.

[Kennyredline]

Hmmmm.....so if YOUR car won't start as YOU'RE trying to leave a paid parking spot....you call them for a boost...will they take their time, wait for YOUR parking to expire THEN come to help, and give you a parking ticket at the same time?

[hurrdurr]

Markham, how do you plan to boost your image?

[94boosted]

Originally posted by Kennyredline
Hmmmm.....so if YOUR car won't start as YOU'RE trying to leave a paid parking spot....you call them for a boost...will they take their time, wait for YOUR parking to expire THEN come to help, and give you a parking ticket at the same time?

Sounds about right.

[btimbit]

They wanna boost their image, they can stop ticketing me for parking in my own damn spot

[arian_ma]

We should all carry nails around, and every time we see a CPA car throw nails around all their tires. IMO that's the best way to boost their image, on their knees mending 4 flat tires.

[AllGoNoShow]

Originally posted by hurrdurr
Markham, how do you plan to boost your image?

:rofl:

[VetteRacin]

why cant this markham dude ever quote the article instead if just posting a link, that is annoying!

[G-ZUS]

Originally posted by hurrdurr
Markham, how do you plan to boost your image?

he can start by attaching booster cables to his nipples

[AndyL]

Originally posted by G-ZUS


he can start by attaching booster cables to his nipples
I'm having visions of a coors commercial... FFS... :rofl: