Short-term parking is parking intended for stays of minutes to a few hours, typically priced by the hour and located closest to the destination, so that spaces turn over and serve many visitors a day.
The term is relative to the setting. At an airport, short-term or hourly parking is the lot or garage nearest the terminal, priced to discourage multi-day stays, while long-term and economy lots serve travelers. Downtown, short-term parking is the metered curb and the hourly rates of a garage. In operations, short-term parkers are usually transient parkers, although not every transient stay is short.
How it is managed
- Hourly rates that rise steeply after the first few hours, or a daily maximum set high enough to push long stays elsewhere.
- Time limits on the curb, and locations closest to entrances and terminals.
- Separate facilities or zones for employees and long-stay users. See long-term parking.
The Parkonomics view
Short-term spaces are the most productive in any system because they serve the most customers. Protect them with price, not just signs, and make sure long-stay parkers have a better place to go.
Related terms: Transient Parking, Parking Turnover, Long-Term Parking, On-Street Parking, Dwell Time