The “Parking Perplexities” article in the March 1 issue addresses only half the problem of downtown parking.
Enlightening readers about the daily hassles and frustrations of the city’s fast-food delivery drivers is one way to gain a comprehensive view of urban congestion during peak hours.
Delivery drivers need flexibility to maneuver around traffic congestion and have quick access to businesses. They have to make shrewd decisions about where to park and how long they’re going to be in one place. That flexibility is achieved through firsthand experience of trial and error, and over time the driver develops a routine that eliminates as much risk as possible from his or her route.
Risks for a delivery driver include the following: having a wreck, hitting a pedestrian, getting a parking ticket, and having your car broken into or stolen. Most delivery drivers leave their vehicles running in between deliveries because it’s easier on gas and the engine, so there is a chance that someone could steal the car while the driver is inside. All of these risks are intensified during the peak lunch rush as the driver keeps track of food, drinks and money. The last thing a driver needs to worry about is a Plan B option for parking because the LexPark enforcers are out everywhere.
LexPark, having stepped up their enforcement patrols, are indifferent to our disadvantages, which results in either more financial burden or more risk associated with the route. There ought to be a voluntary registry that delivery drivers could sign up for that would give them the necessary latitude to do their job without assuming more risk or more burdens. This would also translate into advantages for the city, assuring that registered delivery drivers are
operating legally and their vehicles are insured and safe. Additionally this could improve our commitment to quality customer service.
Relating back to the article, I think all the people who work or live downtown deserve recognition; they’re the ones having to deal with traffic congestion most of the time. That understanding relates back to our whole purpose in the first place — meeting a demand for fast food delivery because it is inconvenient for workers to leave their desk. We need to recognize all the constituents and environmental factors that make up our unique, dynamic and complex network of overlapping relationships in order to maintain a comprehensive account of parking problems during peak periods of traffic congestion.
- Cliff Meyers, delivery driver, Jimmy John’s