Evaluating off-street parking level of service in central business districts: a user-centric approach

The level of service (LOS) is a term that defines the service quality of any facility in operation. As a result of the burgeoning private vehicle usage, parking became one of the critical elements of transport policies and management strategies. To know how well a parking lot handles overall demand and what improvements are needed to enhance the service quality, it is necessary to evaluate the parking facility. This paper proposes a methodology to assess off-street parking performance in central business districts from the users’ perspective. A hybrid model combining Analytic Hierarchy Process and fuzzy set theory is utilised to prioritise selected parking parameters and to enhance the decision-making process involving uncertainty. Results show that ease (searching + parking) time possess the highest relative importance among the selected indicators. Lastly, a case study is described to assist authorities in implementing the methodology pragmatically. This study will help planners and policymakers while designing and evaluating the parking system based on the LOS score.