Remembering Donald Shoup
by Bill Boyle, Federal Parking
No child dreams of entering the parking industry. I certainly didn't. Like many of us, I stumbled into this field through a series of unexpected opportunities and practical decisions. What began as "just a job" eventually became a lifelong career. And for years, as we built our company we did so the same way. Looking at opportunities and making practical decisions. Then one day, idly skimming the stacks at Kramerbooks, The High Cost of Free Parking popped out at me. What? I pulled it out, cut it open and read:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported
“Children first learn about free parking when they play Monopoly”.
“City planners sometimes mistake Pandora’s box for a toolkit.”
“Every jab of the parking needle relieves the local symptoms but ultimately worsens the real disease”
Pungent, direct, revelatory and I was hooked. Completely hooked.
I read it in a rush finding confirmation here, challenged assumptions there. But what I found more than anything else was an intellectual foundation that understood parking wasn’t mere infrastructure but a critical component of urban planning and community economics. His research demonstrated that parking policies shape cities as powerfully as any zoning law or transportation system. What made Shoup truly exceptional was his ability to connect parking to nearly every aspect of urban life. He showed us how pricing strategies affect traffic congestion, how minimum parking requirements influence housing affordability, and how curb management impacts retail success.
These connections were more obvious to those of us who had spent decades focused on parking operations but Shoup provided the language and intellectual heft that made it clear to the larger world. As our company continues adapting to a rapidly evolving mobility landscape, Shoup's intellectual framework remains our most valuable asset. For those who found themselves in an industry few deliberately choose, his work provided direction, and a sense of purpose beyond profit margins.
He helped us understand that we aren't just selling parking spaces, we are participating in the complex choreography of urban life, with responsibilities extending far beyond our property lines and rate surveys. Though Donald Shoup has left us, his ideas continue to guide Federal Parking and countless others who found their way into this unexpected career. For that intellectual legacy, we remain profoundly grateful.
That book I picked up is now a bit dog eared, as are most of us who spend decades in this industry...but it still sits in easy reach on the shelf above my desk.
