Visitor Parking Upgrade - FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions - Emory Healthcare

1. If a Healthcare department has visitors/patients who use Lowergate or 1525 parking, do we purchase tokens or validations?

If your patients/visitors are parking in Lowergate or 1525 and the department wishes to pay for the visitor parking, then continue to order tokens. When the rates are set for Lowergate and 1525, there will be a transition period where the tokens will be phased out and validations will be phased into operation. If your visitor parks in Peavine, Michael, or Fishburne, tokens are not accepted so validations would need to be purchased.

2. Will Parking Services provide credit for tokens?

Parking Services will provide credit to those departments whose visitors park in Lowergate and 1525 once these decks are operational.

3. When will Lowergate and 1525 Clifton be operational?

The rates for Lowergate and 1525 are currently under review. When the revised rates are finalized, communication will be posted on this website and at the decks.  Departments currently validating visitor/patient parking for Lowergate and 1525 Clifton should continue to use tokens. Validations are for use in the Peavine, Michael, and Fishburne visitor areas.  Token refunds for departments with guests/visitors using Lowergate and 1525 Clifton road will be extended until project completion.

Token refund form here. Validation Request form here.

Frequently Asked Questions - General

1. What is happening in the visitor parking areas on campus?

The access and revenue control equipment is being upgraded in the visitor parking areas on campus. New  entrance ticket dispensers, gates, and automated pay in lane equipment are being installed and the software will be upgraded. The following areas will be upgraded:

• Lowergate Visitor
• 1525 Deck
• Michael Street Visitor
• Fishburne Visitor
• Peavine Visitor

2. Why is the system being upgraded?

This enhanced system will make parking for guests, patients, and camp visitors as simple and convenient as possible. The new system will provide visitors the option of paying with cash, credit or debit card.
Additionally, departments or events hosting visitors will have more flexibility should they choose to subsidize the fees associated with their visitor’s parking.

3. When will the system be upgraded?

• The equipment will be upgraded beginning July 6. This process will take approximately 2 weeks. Users will not experience any changes during this upgrade period.
• The software will be upgraded July 25. Users will not experience any changes during this upgrade period.
• Each location is scheduled to be operational according to the following schedule:

Once a location is operational, the following key changes will be in effect:

• Revised rate structure (See question #4)
• Revised payment options (See question #5)
• Validation system in place and tokens will no longer be accepted (See question #6)
• Revised business hours (See question #8)
• New entrance/exit gate procedure outside business hours (See question #9)

4. When a location is operational, will the visitor parking rates change?

For most locations, the rate for a full day of parking will remain the same. However, the break points will be adjusted slightly. The rates for  Lowergate and 1525 decks are still under review and will be posted soon.

5. When will Lowergate and 1525 Clifton be operational?

The rates for Lowergate and 1525 are currently under review. When the revised rates are finalized, communication will be posted on this website and at the decks.  Departments currently validating visitor/patient parking for Lowergate and 1525 Clifton should continue to use tokens. Validations are for use in the Peavine, Michael, and Fishburne visitor areas.  Token refunds for departments with guests/visitors using Lowergate and 1525 Clifton road will be extended beyond August 31st, if necessary. Token refund form here. Validation Request form here.

6. When a location is operational, what method of payment will be accepted for visitor parking?

• Cash
• Credit cards (Visa / MasterCard / Discover / American Express)
• Debit cards
• Department Validation (in place of current token system)

7. Can departments still use the token coin to pay for visitor parking once the location is operational?

No, once the system has been fully implemented (See question #3), Parking Services will be unable to accept the token coins. Instead, a validation system will be offered (See question #10).

8. What should departments do with our unused parking tokens?

Parking Services will be offering departments a credit for unused parking tokens through August 31, 2009. (Parking Token Return form).

9. What are the hours that visitors are charged for parking?

The hours for which charges apply depends on the visitor parking location. Parking Services will post the Business Hours for each visitor area. These hours simply define the period Parking Services is charging for visitors to use the space. Charges don’t apply to visitor parking that occurs outside these hours.

10. Will the entrance/exit gates be raised after the business day?

No, once the upgraded system is live at a location, the entrance/exit gates on the visitor parking areas must remain closed at all times for the system to operate effectively. Parking Services will only be charging for parking that occurs within defined business hours. For example, if the business day at a particular deck is defined as 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., charges for parking will apply only between those hours. The gates will remain in the down position after 5:00 p.m., but a visitor who enters at 5:30 p.m. and exits at 7:30 p.m., as an example, will not be charged for parking. A visitor who enters at 4:00 p.m. and exits at 6:00 p.m. will be charged for 1 hour. Parking Services will continue to open gates to certain permit parking areas during the evening and on the weekends. This procedure will remain in place and unchanged so groups with events occurring after hours that currently use permit parking for their visitors should not notice a change.

11. How will the new validation system work for a department?

All current methods of validation will become invalid once a location is operational. Some examples of current validation methods are tokens, stamps, and other less official methods such as handwritten authorizations. Parking Services will have validation tickets available for departments that choose to subsidize their visitors’ parking. Departments can request a validation account by submitting a Validation Request Form to Parking Services. These tickets are encoded with the requesting department account information and can be distributed by that department to visitors as needed per that department's internal policy regarding visitor parking. A department can determine if they wish to offer a full validation for their visitors’ parking (See question #4) or a partial validation. The validation ticket can be programmed according to the department's guidelines and operational needs.

12. How will departments pay for parking validations?

Validation tickets have no cash value and charges do not apply until a visitor has redeemed the validation ticket. The validation system will charge back the exact amount of parking used by the visitor (according to the guidelines set up by each department). This is different from the current token system which charges the "flat fee" of $5.00 regardless of how much parking was actually used), Each month, Parking Services will calculate the parking charges that were validated for each account during the previous month. That information will be submitted to the department contact and the charges will be placed against the account.

13. How will the new validation system work for a visitor using the Pay in Lane machine?

• A visitor will exit the facility and submit an ENTRANCE TICKET (1) to the Pay in Lane machine.
• The machine will calculate the amount due for that parking event.
• The visitor will then submit the VALIDATION TICKET (2) issued by the department.
• If the validation was programmed to pay all parking charges, the gate will raise and the visitor will exit.
• If the validation was programmed to pay partial parking charges, the machine will indicate a remaining amount due.
• The visitor will then pay the remaining amount with cash or credit card.
• The gate will raise and the visitor will exit.

14. How will the new validation system work for a visitor who goes to the attendant?

• A visitor will exit the facility and submit an ENTRANCE TICKET (1) to the attendant
• The attendant will calculate the amount due for that parking event.
• The visitor will then submit the VALIDATION TICKET (2) issued by the department.
• If the validation was programmed to pay all parking charges, the gate will raise and the visitor will exit.
• If the validation was programmed to pay partial parking charges, the attendant will indicate a remaining amount due.
• The visitor will then pay the remaining amount with cash or credit card.
• The gate will raise and the visitor will exit.

15. How will the new pay in lane equipment work for a visitor who self pays?

• A visitor will exit the facility and submit an ENTRANCE TICKET (1) to the Pay in Lane machine.
• The machine will calculate the amount due for that parking event.
• The visitor will insert cash or credit/debit card
• The gate will raise and the visitor will exit.

16. Will visitor areas continue to be staffed after a location is operational?

Staff will remain at some locations and may be scaled back at other locations. Because the new system is fully automated, when locations are unstaffed visitors can still interact with the pay in lane machines to exit the visitor parking location.

17. How will a visitor know what to do when interacting with the system?

Very clear signage will be posted at each location providing visitors with the following information:

• Business hours for that location
• Rate structure for visitor parking
• Detailed instructions for using automated pay in lane machine
• Call button for immediate assistance
• Contact information for Parking Services

18. More information needed?

If you have questions or concerns that were not addressed here, please do not hesitate to contact Brenda Wilson at (404) 712-8740 or at parking@emory.edu.

Parking Services remains committed to providing visitors to Emory with exceptional service and we will continue to work closely with our campus partners to minimize the impact of these changes where possible. We appreciate your patience as we make this very important transition. Your questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome!