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ICTD 2025

Transportation Economics & Finance

POSTER RECEPTION (View list of posters here)

Financial and Behavioral Impact of Physical vs. Digital Parking Tickets

Tuesday, June 10, 2025
4:45 PM – 6:00 PM MT
Abstract: Parking fines can be a significant but often overlooked component of the financial burdens faced by university students. While existing research has examined the efficacy of digital and physical ticketing systems, their specific impacts within the context of university campuses remain underexplored. This study addresses this gap by conducting a comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of digital versus physical ticketing methods in reducing parking violations and their associated costs for students. A Chi-square test was conducted on five years of parking violation data, categorizing tickets into two groups: those issued to individuals with one or two violations (Group 1) and those with more than two violations (Group 2). The analysis revealed that the likelihood of receiving more than two tickets was 3% higher during the digital ticketing phase than during the physical phase, indicating a notable difference in the distribution of violations between the two methods. Further analysis showed that the digital ticketing phase led to a 6.7% increase in the number of unique plates for individuals with up to two tickets, resulting in a 7.1% rise in associated costs. In cases of more than two tickets, digital ticketing was linked to a 27.8% increase in unique plates and a 40.8% rise in total costs, with an average of $25 higher per violator. Conversely, physical tickets resulted in quicker compliance, fewer repeat offenses, and lower long-term costs due to their immediate and visible nature. These findings highlight that while digital systems are administratively efficient, physical ticketing methods serve as a stronger deterrent, offering valuable insights for university administrators aiming to optimize parking enforcement strategies.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees can expect to learn the following from this session:
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of digital versus physical ticketing methods in reducing parking violations on university campuses, focusing on their impact on compliance behaviors.
  • Analyze the financial implications of transitioning from digital to physical ticketing, including how it influences the average cost per violator and overall financial burden on students.
  • Identify key factors that make physical tickets a more effective deterrent against repeat violations compared to digital tickets, providing actionable insights for university administrators and policymakers in optimizing parking strategies.