San Diego State University faced significant challenges managing parking during its annual new student orientations, which take place across 25 dates each summer.
Traditionally, one department managed this process by incorporating parking fees into orientation charges. However, the actual parking logistics were handled by SDSU's Parking and Transportation Services. The department arranged for no-citation parking agreements, which involved reserving an entire parking garage and temporarily suspending enforcement.
The earlier process resulted in gaps in information and also limited the university’s ability to maximize its revenue potential and operational efficiency. It was difficult for Parking and Transportation Services to capture accurate estimates of the number of vehicles on campus and contributed to challenges with staffing and planning for traffic control. Also, orientation parking costs were not maximized, resulting in little to no revenue for SDSU’s Parking Services.
Revenue inefficiency: Parking Services relied on traditional systems that often led to missed opportunities for revenue generation. The reliance on paper permits and no-citation agreements meant the department often only broke even, leaving little room to reinvest in operations.
Operational burden: Managing parking for orientation events required significant staffing for on-site traffic control and distribution of permits. Additionally, physical signage had to be placed and maintained, consuming time and resources.
Data blind spots: The lack of a centralized, digital system left the Parking Services team unable to effectively track permit usage, attendee registration, and real-time revenue. This hindered their ability to make data-driven decisions to improve processes.
To address these inefficiencies, SDSU implemented Offstreet as part of its orientation parking strategy. The platform’s flexibility and digital-first approach allowed the university to modernize its operations and solve long-standing challenges.
Increased event revenue
Transitioning events like New Student Orientation and Family Weekend to Offstreet generated a significant growth in revenue—far exceeding prior revenues where SDSU barely broke even.
Improved compliance
By phasing out no-citations and requiring digital permits for all vehicles, SDSU reduced unauthorized parking and recaptured lost citation revenue.
Effortless payments
For external clients, SDSU used Offstreet’s payment links as a pseudo-invoicing system, reducing delays and ensuring timely collections.
Looking to improve your guest parking process and visitor experience? Meet with a team member to see if Offstreet is a good fit for you.
