New NYC Parking Permit Study: NYPD & NY Court Officers Are Biggest Offenders

LONG BEACH, New York — Citizens and merchants in many areas of New York City have been complaining that legal NYC parking spaces are taken by cars sporting "official business" parking permits - when they aren’t on official business. The complaints also allege that oftentimes these vehicles block crosswalks and ramps; thus restricting access to storefronts and businesses. Not surprisingly, with Manhattan street parking being among the most difficult to find, the loudest complaints have come from areas in downtown Manhattan, such as Chinatown.

New Study Shows NYPD Among Biggest Culprits

The organization Transportation Alternatives recently released a study which, using nine neighborhoods as it’s sample area, documented NYC parking permit abuse among various New York City employees. Their study yielded the following key findings:

* The NYPD is responsible for 46% of illegal parking permit abuse. This is by far the largest share of any single agency.
* Regarding NYC parking permit abuse which caused safety hazards (blocking fire hydrants, parking on sidewalks, in front of crosswalks, intersections, and bus stops) the NYPD fronts the pack with 61% of overall abuse.
* Concerning valid NYC parking permits used illegally at the curbside (illegally parking at signs with riders forbidding that particular permit's usage), the NYPD bears responsibility for 63% of the abuse.
* Court Officers are responsible for the majority of fraudulent NYC parking permits with 54% of the total. This is followed by Corrections, Court Clerks, and the FDNY.
* 77% of NYC parking permit holders use their permits illegally.

The full data is accessible through the Transportation Alternatives' website - http://www.transalt.org/campaigns/reclaiming/abovethelaw.pdf

Although Manhattan street parking is made even more difficult to obtain by City workers who abuse their NYC parking permits, it is not impossible to find. By using "The Feder Guide to Where to Park Your Car in Manhattan (and Where Not to Park It!)" - available in both standard paperback and ebook formats - Manhattan drivers have access to everything they need to park their cars in Manhattan. "The Feder Guide…" offers not only complete listings of all Manhattan street parking regulations, but also lists over 450 Manhattan parking garages including locations, contact information, hours of operation and rate specials.

Manhattan parking will always be a commodity - now there is help and every bit of information goes a long way towards alleviating the Manhattan parking problem.

As seen & heard on ABC’s Eyewitness TV-News, CBS 2 TV-News, 1010 WINS Radio, and in New York Magazine, author Erik Feder is "The Parking Expert". He has done extensive research on the Manhattan parking scene, including driving on every single street in Manhattan while compiling his books "The Feder Guide to Where to Park Your Car in Manhattan (and Where Not to Park It!)". He is available for interview, commentary or quotation.