Transforming department parking: Virtual permits replace hangtags at the U of M

San Jose State University’s Tower Foundation, the president's office on campus, chooses to administer all guest parking permits through Offstreet. Offstreet's streamlined, easy-to-use solution offers an impeccable experience for guests coming to campus.

Like many schools, Old Dominion University set on its digital transformation journey with the adoption of LPR enforcement, virtual permits for staff and students, and mobile pay for visitors. ​Recognizing department guests as pivotal stakeholders, the inconvenience of requiring their guests to input promo codes through a mobile app was evident.​

Previously, SJSU used an existing vendor's event module; it did not offer a seamless parking experience during the multi-day commencement event. Primary challenges included: Poor guest experience, administrative burden and a lack of traffic management features.

UCR's previous system involved guests obtaining parking permits through their mobile payment vendor. Despite these permits being complimentary to guests, the university incurred a transaction fee of approximately $1.35 for each of the 5,500+ permits issued every semester.

Physical hangtags were costly, inefficient, and prone to fraud—burdening staff with manual oversight while creating a frustrating, outdated experience for campus guests.