Ampco Launches High-Tech Paid Parking System in Galveston

Ampco System Parking is a subsidiary of ABM Industries Incorporated, a leading provider of facility services in the United States.

Ampco installed the technologically advanced parking system featuring almost 100 solar-powered meters over the summer, and will continue to manage and enforce parking in the downtown area. The new meters communicate wirelessly with each other over an encrypted network, giving visitors to the area the convenience of remotely paying for or adding time to their parking from any downtown meter. Each new digital pay and display meter serves from 10 to 15 parking spaces and accepts coins, bills, credit card and cellular phone payments. The new meters also are fitted with an emergency removal mechanism, to prevent their loss in the event of future storms in the area.

As an additional service, the meters provide broad public Wi-Fi access throughout Galvestons downtown street grid offering residents, area businesses and visitors a convenient and free entry point for Internet access while in the downtown area. 

Parking Ambassadors Extend Added Convenience, Service

Another central feature of Galvestons new parking program is expanding beyond the traditional meter maid role by deploying Ampcos tourist-friendly parking ambassadors, who in addition to enforcing parking regulations also serve as a key source of information for visitors, providing maps and directions and details and information on the districts many shops, restaurants, theatres, events and other attractions.

A large portion of Galvestons economy is both seasonal and tourist-driven, said City of Galveston Public Information Officer, Alicia Cahill. The destruction caused by Hurricane Ike had ripple effects far beyond the initial physical damage to our city. Ampcos assistance in restoring parking and implementing this state-of-the-art, customer-focused program as well as delivering public Internet access downtown is an important part of the rebuilding of our historic downtown area.

Ampco is operating the program under the terms of a multi-year contract. The new parking program reflects a combined commitment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which bore much of the meter replacement costs, and Ampco, which also invested in the innovative parking system for Galveston. To that end, Ampco has pledged $100,000 toward the Galveston Downtown Historic Foundations Outreach Program, which will help promote the revitalized City and educate surrounding cities and communities on the areas emerging re-development.

Ampcos Regional Vice President Sam Cherkaoui said: We are delighted to continue working with Galveston to help make the Historic Downtown Strand even more dynamic and exciting than it was before Hurricane Ike. We are pleased to play a role in partnering with the City of Galveston to bring high-quality parking and other services to the many people who live, work, shop and visit Galveston and to contribute to revitalizing this vibrant downtown community. 

About ABM Industries Incorporated

ABM Industries Incorporated (NYSE:ABM), which operates through its subsidiaries (collectively "ABM"), is a leading provider of facility services in the United States. With fiscal 2009 revenues of approximately $3.5 billion and more than 90,000 employees, ABM provides janitorial, facility, engineering, parking and security services for thousands of commercial, industrial, institutional and retail facilities across the United States, Puerto Rico and British Columbia, Canada. ABM's business services include ABM Janitorial Services, ABM Facility Services, ABM Engineering Services, Ampco System Parking and ABM Security Services.