Parking vendor finds space for improvement at Bob Hope Airport
Bob Hope Airport is headed for a parking shake-up with the new year when it will close one lot and increase the price at another.
On Jan. 1, the airport will close Lot B — located on the east side of Hollywood Way, south of Winona Avenue — and increase the cost to park in Lot C, located on Thornton Avenue, to $13, up from $12.
The changes, which were approved unanimously by the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority on Monday, were based on recommendations from the airport’s parking vendor, Standard Parking.
Also included in the approved changes are plans to reopen the uncovered portion of the former Lot D, which was closed for construction of the airport’s new regional transportation center.
Once the center is complete, Lot D will be converted to a fully automated lot charging $18 a day.
Standard Parking won the airport’s parking services contract in December 2011 by promising to reduce costs from the previous vendor, Central Parking.
Clint Joy, vice president for airports at Standard, said Monday that his company is achieving that goal so far, with $439,569 in savings for the airport in fiscal year 2012-13. The savings were achieved through reduced staff, cuts in overtime and improved efficiencies, he added.
The airport also increased parking fees in certain lots around the start of this year, which has generated slightly more revenue even though passenger numbers have declined.
However, with more fee hikes, parking could generate even more revenue for the airport, Joy said.
Standard’s report found that Lot B utilized only 30% of its capacity on average, compared to 35% and 52% for Lots A and C, respectively.
“You can tell by using this [that] Lot B is clearly underutilized,” Joy said.
Closing Lot B would save the airport roughly $456,000 annually in labor and fuel costs, according to Standard’s report.
Meanwhile, increasing the day rate in Lot C to $13 a day would generate roughly $98,000 a year in additional revenue.
Dan Feger, the airport’s executive director, said increasing Lot C’s parking fee will bring it on par with neighboring private parking lots.
“The competing lots are charging $13 and $14 next to it, so we’re actually kind of giving away parking,” he said.
Parking revenue is the largest non-airline funding source for the airport, totaling $18.1 million ending June 2013.
Also approved was a “premium valet” program for $23 a day. It would offer an express pick-up and drop-off lane, guaranteed covered parking and an online reservation system for an additional $5.
Another parking option will incorporate 115 spaces in the new transportation center where drivers can park for 15 hours for only $3 to attract commuters, while charging $31 overnight to discourage overnight parking.
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