Birmingham Parking Authority

What Birmingham Parking Authority does

The Birmingham Parking Authority (BPA) is a municipal government entity established by an act of the Alabama State Legislature in 1972 as a separate entity of the City of Birmingham for the purpose of developing and managing off-street parking. BPA operates a network of seven parking decks and three surface lots — including the Morris Avenue Lots A1/A2 and the Avondale Village lot — providing 8,116 parking spaces across downtown Birmingham and the Avondale district. Its core product is monthly and daily parking access, supplemented by special event parking for venues such as BJCC, Boutwell Auditorium, and Avondale Brewing; a business validation program that allows merchants to validate customer parking through the TVS Web Application portal; and a parking facility management service line offered to private lot and garage owners. Technology consists of the Cardtrol electronic access control system for monthly permit holders, ParkMobile integration for smartphone-based payment, an online billing platform (ParkerBill / bill.com) with auto-pay, and a Level 2 EV charging station capable of servicing four vehicles simultaneously at the Avondale lot. Revenue is generated through usage-based hourly/daily rates ($2–$3 first hour, $8–$14 daily max), subscription monthly permits ranging from $25 at the Avondale lot to $135 for executive parking, transaction-based business validations, and managed-services fees for third-party facility management. Under CEO André R. Davis (appointed March 2022), BPA adopted its first comprehensive Parking System Strategic Plan in December 2024 (developed with Kimley-Horn and Wood Solutions Group), launched a refreshed brand identity, and announced its first rate increase in more than 15 years effective July 1 to fund $10M+ in infrastructure, technology, and customer experience improvements, alongside a planned transition to cashless payments from May 2026.

Name

Birmingham Parking Authority

Legal name

Birmingham Parking Authority

Website

https://bhamparking.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Birmingham Parking Authority is a municipal entity of the City of Birmingham operating 7 parking decks and 3 surface lots (8,116 spaces) that provides hourly/daily parking, monthly permits, business validations, special event parking, and third-party parking management services to downtown commuters, visitors, merchants, and private property owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Parking Services

NAICS

Parking Lots and Garages (812930), Administrative and Support Services (561)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Off-Street Parking Facilities Operations (Garages, Lots, Park-and-Ride) (TLAJAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parking Facility Operations (Garages, Lots, On-/Off-Street) (BPABAKAA), Parking & Curbside Management Authorities (Municipal Parking, Permits, Loading Zones) (BPAIALAL), Parking Facilities Property Management (BPAJAGAN)

Keywords

• Public parking services
• Parking facility management
• Monthly parking permits
• Business parking validations
• Special event parking

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Hourly and Daily Parking: Revenue from transient parkers paying hourly rates at parking decks and lots. Rates effective July 1: $3 first hour at decks ($1.50 each additional hour, $14 daily max), $2 first hour at Morris Avenue ($1 each additional hour, $8 daily max), $2 first hour at Avondale ($1 each additional hour, $10 daily max).
2. Monthly Parking Permits: Monthly recurring revenue from permit holders. Rates range from $25 (Avondale lot) to $135 (Executive parking at Decks 3, 5, 6), with standard deck rates $80-$105 depending on location. Monthly invoice billing with auto-pay option available.
3. Business Validations: BPA provides validation accounts allowing businesses to validate patron parking tickets for free or reduced-rate exit. Businesses receive monthly invoices for validations. Includes pre-printed validation ticket ordering.
4. Parking Facility Management Services: BPA offers management, staffing, and related services to private owners for their parking facilities, ranging from small lots to multi-level garages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Birmingham Parking Authority operates municipal parking facilities across Birmingham, Alabama, providing hourly and monthly parking access at seven decks and three surface lots with more than 8,000 spaces. Beyond core parking services, BPA offers business validation programs for downtown merchants, special event parking coordination, and third-party parking facility management services for private property owners. The authority also provides supporting infrastructure including EV charging stations, electronic access control, and online billing and payment systems.

Product overview

The Birmingham Parking Authority (BPA) operates as a municipal parking management organization offering core monthly and daily parking services across seven parking decks and three surface lots in downtown Birmingham with more than 8,000 total spaces. The product portfolio includes the foundational Monthly & Daily Parking service, supplemented by Parking Facility Management for private owners, Business Validations for merchant partners, and Special Event Parking for downtown venues. Technology-enabled services include a Parking Locator map tool, Online Invoice Payment via ParkerBill, and a Validation Account merchant portal for business partners. Additional offerings include EV charging infrastructure, a Report Issue system, and permit replacement services. BPA's strategic direction is guided by the 2024 Parking System Strategic Plan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Monthly & Daily Parking Core parking service offering hourly, daily, and monthly access to more than 8,000 spaces across seven downtown decks and three surface lots. Hourly rates range from $2-$3 first hour with $8-$14 daily maximums; monthly permits range from $25 (Avondale) to $135 (executive) with standard decks at $80-$105.
• Parking Facility Management Services Full-service management, staffing, and operational services offered to private owners of parking lots and garages, ranging from small surface lots to multi-level structures. Targeted at private property owners who need professional parking operations without in-house expertise.
• Business Validations Program Validation program allowing downtown businesses (restaurants, retailers, offices) to validate customer parking tickets for free or reduced-rate exit. Businesses receive monthly invoices and can order pre-printed validation tickets via the TVS merchant portal.
• Special Event Parking Designated parking services for events at BJCC, Boutwell Auditorium, Avondale Brewing Co., and other downtown entertainment and civic venues, providing pre-planned event parking with clear signage and venue proximity.

Quantifiable outcome

• First comprehensive deep cleaning of parking decks in BPA history completed since strategic plan adoption
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alabama Clean Fuels CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to install and operate Level 2 EV charging station at Avondale Village parking lot. ACFC provided grant funding through Alabama Partners for Clean Air program. This is BPA's first EV charging station and first ACFC-funded station in Birmingham.
• Alabama PowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssisted with EV charging station project at Avondale location. Provided Ford F-150 Lightning for ribbon-cutting demonstration.
• Regional Planning Commission of Greater BirminghamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on EV charging station development at Avondale Village parking lot.
• Kimley-HorncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNational planning, design and engineering firm selected to guide development of Parking System Strategic Plan. Conducted in-depth analysis of BPA operations and peer city comparisons.
• Wood Solutions GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNational planning, design and engineering firm selected to guide development of Parking System Strategic Plan alongside Kimley-Horn.
• Williams Blackstock ArchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm assisting BPA with Morris Avenue Forward survey to gauge public preferences for future use of Morris Avenue parking lots.
• Tessa Commercial Real EstateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommercial real estate firm assisting BPA with Morris Avenue Forward survey for future development planning.
• REV BirminghamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDowntown advocacy organization partnering with BPA on Morris Avenue Forward survey and strategic planning initiatives.
• Drive Electric AlabamaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide electric vehicle education platform assisting with EV charging station planning and promotion at Avondale location.
• City of BirminghamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBPA is a separate entity of the City of Birmingham. Mayor Randall Woodfin and city leadership have been supportive of BPA's strategic plan. Partnership includes Office of Innovation and Economic Opportunity collaboration.
• BJCTA/MAX TransitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority public transit connection referenced on BPA website as transportation partner for parking customers.
• City Action Partnership (CAP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDowntown Birmingham partnership organization. BPA refers lost and found inquiries to CAP for items left in parking facilities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Passport Labs: Mobile payment and parking management platform serving municipalities and parking operators. Comparable to BPA's mobile-payment tech stack via ParkMobile but offers broader permit, enforcement, and analytics modules relevant to BPA's digital transformation roadmap.
• Metropolis Technologies: Tech-forward parking platform using computer vision and AI for checkout-free parking. Represents the next-generation technology layer BPA's strategic plan aims to adopt; partial overlap because Metropolis operates as both technology vendor and operator at select sites.

Others

• T2 Systems: Parking management software platform serving universities, municipalities, and private operators. Comparable as the back-office technology stack that enables parking operations like BPA's validation, billing, and permit management; serves as an enabler to BPA rather than direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Premium Parking: New Orleans-based parking operator (Parker Cos. affiliate) managing parking garages and surface lots across the southern US. Comparable operating model to BPA in terms of off-street facility operations, monthly and transient segments, and contract management.
• ACE Parking: San Diego-headquartered parking management company operating garages, surface lots, event parking, and valet services across the western US. Closely mirrors BPA's combined deck/lot operations, monthly permits, validation, and special-event offerings.
• Impark: Imperial Parking (Impark) is a North American parking operator managing thousands of parking facilities across the US and Canada. Directly comparable to BPA as an off-street parking facility operator with monthly permit programs, hourly transient, and event services.
• LAZ Parking: One of the largest privately held parking operators in the US, managing thousands of facilities across multiple states. Directly comparable business model to BPA (off-street garage/lot operations, monthly permits, hourly transient parking, validation programs) at materially larger scale.
• Towne Park: Hospitality and parking management company operating parking facilities across multiple US markets. Highly comparable to BPA's facility-management services line and mixed-use commercial parking approach.

Broad incumbents

• ParkMobile: Mobile parking payment app (owned by EasyPark Group) used by BPA's own customers via the existing ParkMobile integration. Larger scale, multi-city footprint, and pure technology/saaS model make it a broad incumbent ecosystem player rather than a direct competitor.
• SP+ (ABM Industries): SP+ was acquired by ABM Industries in 2024, creating the largest parking and mobility services platform in North America. Operates parking facilities, provides shuttle/transport, and broader facilities services — same core parking operation as BPA within a much larger diversified portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bhamparkingauth
• Facebookfacebook.com/BhamParkingAuth

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Birmingham Parking Authority