One of the UK’s leading parking technology companies, APT Skidata, has launched a new cloud-based reporting and management information system, as well as a range of new parking barrier systems.
A joint-venture with the Austrian Swarco group, APT Skidata has launched INS Reports, a new cloud-based reporting and management information system that will enable car park operators using the company’s technology to see real-time ‘Inside Intelligence’ of their entire portfolio. Skidata’s professional services team has developed the web-based interface to mirror data from the parking systems installed. Users can log in anywhere and at any time via a dedicated online interface/portal to see information on all their car parks, from takings and payment types, to dwell time and occupancy levels. The accuracy and timeliness of the information is such that operators can even monitor the volume and value of visitors within a car park who have not yet paid. Since all of the data is stored in the cloud, it can also be retrieved at a later date to compare performance across sites and monitor trends.
While real-reporting is in itself not new, Pete Brown, APT Skidata’s managing director, believes this is the first time that car park operators have been able to view the status of all their sites from a single dashboard. “With INS Reports we are giving them the inside intelligence they need to make management easier, and further improve the parking experience for the customer,” Brown explained.
“The system has been designed to give operators the information they need at their fingertips, so that they can take immediate decisions based on real-time data, or review information subsequently to set longer-term strategies to optimize their parking portfolio.”
APT Skidata has also launched three new barrier systems to provide UK parking operators with further enhanced ways of managing and controlling their car parks.
The new Power.Gate system incorporates high-resolution displays, creating an opportunity to communicate and market to the customer, and can support both static advertising and live video streaming.
In terms of ticketing, Power.Gate uses the company’s Coder Unlimited and Coder Basic technology, which both have thermal print heads for flexible ticket processing. An RFID module is also provided, and a Print@Home scanner with an optical reader for paper and paperless tickets that can be displayed on smartphones.
Designed to make ticketing easy for touchless RFID transactions and reliable barcode reading, Lite.Gate is a slimmed down version of Power.Gate with an option to add further modules as required, including a PIN pad or credit card reader.
The third system, Barrier.Gate, offers a distinctive boundary gate with a barrier boom that can be up to 15 feet (4.5m) long, and can be internally illuminated, either with a yellow contour strip or cycling through red, amber and green as the barrier moves from closed to open. Its opening times are up to 15% faster than other systems.
