Car stackers are a popular way for businesses to multiply their available parking spaces.
On the one hand, when used correctly, they can transform a car park and can be a viable solution to issues around vehicle storage.
That being said, if you are looking to solve problems around your organisation’s supply and demand for parking spaces, then it may be worth weighing up other options first.
For instance, an efficient parking management system is an alternative that creates more free spaces without the need to install large pieces of infrastructure and increase your capital expenditure.
However, before we go any further into a discussion about parking management systems (we can get a little carried away!), here are more details about car stackers…
What Are Car Stackers?
For the uninitiated among you, car stackers are exactly what they sound like: a form of parking where vehicles are stacked upon each other.
The most common type of car stacker allows a vehicle to move onto a lift type system, which raises it high enough for a second car to be parked underneath it.
These stackers are often made from a self-supporting steel construction, having individual holding units for each car.
Issues With Car Stackers
Expertise Required
Car stackers are designed to hold heavy vehicles. Obviously, this is a complex feat and one which requires expert consultations. Getting the correct people can cause delays, which further complicates the process.
Not only that, but technology such as this requires testing and maintenance and if there is an issue, then the repair also has to be done by someone with the right training.
Installation Time
Unfortunately, like any new piece of infrastructure, the installation of car stackers take time. This can be inconvenient, especially as the existing car spaces they are being fitted into are usually out of action during the process.
If you are changing your parking facilities because demand outweighs supply, then the last thing you need is for spaces to be temporarily not available.
An alternative to installing a car stacker may be to focus more on your company’s parking software, where you can use existing spaces more efficiently.
Doesn’t Fix Communication Issues
Installing a car stacker won’t fix all of the problems your office has with its parking facilities. For instance, spaces that are reserved and not used, spaces where there is a car violating protocol and cars that are parked over a specified time limit, will be unaffected by the installation of a stacker.
They are one possible solution to a very particular problem and don’t help the overall management of a car park.
Cost
This is an issue that is so obvious, it is easy to forget it.
However, installing a car stacker costs money and it’s a capital expense that may not even be necessary.
The main reason businesses install these devices is to eradicate demand issues around parking spaces. What many of these organisations are ignoring, is that when a car park is managed well, the supply of available spaces often increases.
Doesn’t Suit All Vehicles
Unfortunately for those who choose this option, car stackers won’t solve all your parking problems.
For instance, there are often height, length, and weight limitations.
Even the distance of the wheels on a car can impact whether or not a vehicle can use these facilities. These aren’t issues you have with traditional parking places.
Space Still Needed
When push comes to shove, car stackers may increase the number of cars that can fit into a given space.
However, space is still required. Thus, the infrastructure in place that allows vehicles to get in and out of the car park will still only be able to handle the same number of vehicles.
Stackers also don’t affect the amount of car commuters who are using your facility, whereas an efficient parking management system will.
Learn how 7 of the worlds biggest employers manage their parking
Ease of Use
Even the most foolproof car stacker is more time consuming for a driver to use than a regular parking space.
There can also be delays in removing cars from the higher positions, which isn’t an issue in its more traditional equivalent.
Parking Management Systems
The main reason organisations consider installing car stackers is because demand for parking spaces is too high.
However, as stated earlier in the article, a parking management system may be a more efficient solution to your organisation’s needs.
When demand for spaces exceeds supply, recognising the changing nature of the workplace can be the first step to finding a solution that doesn’t require you to literally stack vehicles.
The reason we say this is because most companies have reserved parking spaces that aren’t used every single day. Remote working has become commonplace, and more and more employees are embracing these flexible conditions.
By setting up a booking system, you can free up many of these plots. Wayleadr.com is the world’s leading employee parking management software. It allows companies to increase parking availability by up to 40%. How?
Wayleadr simply allows employees to pre-book their parking needs and then allocates spaces depending on availability and company priorities. This frees up a massive amount of empty spaces to be utilised which had previously lay empty.
However, if you do decide a car stacker is the solution for you, then we would suggest combining it with a quality parking management system. Afterall, if your company is expanding, it is a matter of time before the spaces on top of the spaces become full…
Join industry leaders from companies like Sanofi, Indeed.com & CBRE, schedule a demo with Wayleadr.com today and solve your parking problems in the click of a button.
