The parking and shuttle facilities at George Bush Intercontinental Airport are among the largest and most complex in the United States, with a shuttle fleet of over 50 buses and more than 25,000 parking spaces, encompassing five garages and two surface lots.
SP+ conducted a detailed analysis which indicated the IAH Economy Lot was not positioned to compete with growing off-airport parking options. We presented the Airport with a plan to market the Economy Lot under a new brand, with targeted advertising, promotional coupons, a frequent parker program, an online reservation system, and covered parking options. We reversed a trend of declining revenues and have had steady growth despite the 45% increase in off-Airport capacity.
SP+ created greater value for customers in the Economy Lot through the use of coupons and frequent parker programs. A GPS system was installed in Economy Lot shuttle buses, allowing shuttle dispatchers to monitor and improve scheduling and operating efficiency.
In 2011, we re-branded the Economy Lot as “Ecopark” with a fleet of CNG fueled shuttle buses. A second Ecopark lot has been added which includes fully automated credit card and cash payment at exits, monitored by SP+ Remote Management Services. The use of intercoms and cameras allow for real-time monitoring at the facility. SP+ assisted IAH in securing grants to replace their current diesel shuttle fleet with new CNG buses. The new fleet is aligned with the Airport’s initiatives to significantly reduce the airport’s carbon emissions and generate material fuel savings.
