Digital Parking can save 12 gallons of gas per parker every year!

Parking may seem like a small part of your daily drive, but it adds up—especially when it comes to fuel consumption. Every time you inch forward in a gate queue or circle a lot looking for a spot, you’re burning gas. Now imagine doing that several times a week.

Here’s the eye-opener: by eliminating idle time and inefficiency, the average driver can save up to 12 gallons of fuel per year, just by using a smart, digital parking system.

That’s not just a personal win—it’s a step toward turning urban areas into Green Parking Zones, where every parker contributes to cleaner air and more sustainable mobility.

The Hidden Fuel Cost of Parking

It’s easy to overlook just how much fuel we waste trying to park. Between low-speed cruising to find a spot and waiting at gate queues, the average driver in the U.S. can waste up to 0.5 gallons of fuel per week just looking for parking or waiting to exit. That adds up to about 18 gallons per year, or $60–$70 in fuel costs, all without even going anywhere.

Add in the stress of long queues, especially during peak hours at high-traffic locations like shopping centers or office hubs, and it’s clear: our parking systems aren’t just inefficient. They’re exhausting.

How Going Digital Changes Everything

Digitizing your parking facility doesn’t just streamline operations for the operator—it transforms the experience for every parker, especially at the gates.

Instead of queuing up and idling while each vehicle fumbles through a ticket-based entry or exit, License Plate Recognition (LPR)-based systems automate access. With smart LPR, vehicles are identified the moment they approach the gate, and the barrier lifts automatically. No tickets, no buttons, no delays.

The result? Less idling, less queuing, and significantly less fuel burned at entry and exit points. That’s not just a win for individual drivers but for cities grappling with congestion and pollution.

AI-Powered Parking in Action

We’ve seen this transformation firsthand in locations where the ExpressLane system is deployed. This AI-powered parking solution utilizes LPR enhanced with intelligent license plate recognition to identify and verify vehicles in real-time, dramatically reducing entry and exit times. Even when there are misreads or mismatched sessions, GMP’s AI engine automatically detects and resolves them, keeping traffic flowing smoothly.

ExpressLane has been shown to reduce exit times by up to 50% and make parking up to 3× faster overall, achieving 99% session accuracy. 

At River Landing Shops and Residences, a bustling multi-level facility in Miami, the difference was night and day. Where queues used to back up as far as six floors, drivers now enjoy a seamless entry and exit without the dreaded wait.

Read the full story about how River Landing revolutionized parking with AI.

The Environmental Impact

Making parking faster isn’t just about convenience; it’s about sustainability. If every driver saved even 12 gallons of fuel per year by cutting idle time and gate delays, that translates to a substantial drop in carbon emissions across a city. And unlike many green initiatives that require major infrastructure overhauls, digitizing parking can be achieved by retrofitting existing hardware.

This retrofitting approach used by solutions like GMP avoids the resource-intensive process of replacing parking equipment. That means up to 90% savings in capital expenditure and far less environmental impact compared to manufacturing and installing new systems.

More Efficient for Everyone

Digital parking systems also help reduce urban congestion. With up to 30% of city traffic caused by drivers circling for parking, smarter systems can help get cars off the road faster. It’s a quiet revolution—but one that touches every driver, every operator, and every city planner trying to build cleaner, smarter communities.

Want to see how AI-powered parking can save fuel, reduce emissions, and streamline operations—all while improving the parker’s experience?

👉 Explore ExpressLane — the most fuel-efficient parking solution, powered by fast, smart, and accurate technology.