Whether you are in charge of access to a tightly controlled corporate environment, a public toll access station, or any other place where traffic has to be filtered, fully equipped parking gates are the standard for keeping vehicles controlled and moving through your area. You may have a good sturdy booth and gate set up, but some of the parts and features of parking lot gates may need to be bought separately for various reasons.

Online vendors can sell you a lot of good gear for parking control gates including safety, communications, and practical items for making sure your checkpoint is operating efficiently and safely. Buyers might look for:

1. Items like replacement parking gate arms or parts for an arm assembly.
2. Accessories for illuminating or showcasing secure parking gates and providing direction to drivers, either regularly or in special situations, such as a broken gate unit.
3. Additional security features including push to talk for communications or upgraded payment or processing features.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get parking gate arms and gear

You may have experienced an unfortunate accident at your parking gate area. Usually, it's the most vulnerable part of the setup that gets wrecked--the parking gate arm is susceptible to destruction from errant and out of control drivers. If you find yourself needing a spare, go online and order from security pros with a web presence.

I recommend: SouthWest Automated Security can manufacture gate arms and parts to fit a parking gate control system; check out what's available on the easy visual site. Order more parking gate arms at USR online.

Find safety cones, barrels and other tools for parking gates

Another aspect of buying for parking gate control systems can help stop accidents before they happen. Good bright safety barrels and cones help avoid confusion by directing drivers: place several in a row and route drivers simply toward the appropriate gate or gates. The power of these items is in providing not only a physical deterrent but a visual associative signal to drivers to slow down and pay attention.

I recommend: Find safety cones and more at AJ Wholesale Distributors online for providing driver alert features to your parking gates. Get more traffic barrels for parking gates at SC Supply Company.

Look for advanced security setups for parking gate control systems

Sure, you may have a system already, and it may be working fine, but those in charge of parking gates should think about eventually upgrading to the kinds of new technology that make security gates easier and more convenient for those who have to access them every day. Biometrics and card functions are often much quicker to use than the old paper ticket options. You can also outfit your booth with a direct communication line to roving security staff so that visitors can be cleared for entrance remotely.

I recommend: Card readers, biometrics, and other kinds of parking gate controls are available at Amtel Security System. Find more parking gate controls at Sharp Communication.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you're upgrading parking gates, one critical strategy is to have a brainstorming session addressing the situation from the driver's perspective, thinking about who is passing through, whether they pay money to access the area, and how their validation can be made more efficient to save time and provide a much better overall result for drivers and gate operators.

Whether you need to secure something as small as a private residence or as large as a downtown high-rise, whether you want to generate revenue with a paid parking system or want to restrict and monitor entry with an electronic card reader, there's a parking control gate system to fit your needs.

The options for parking gates are wide-ranging and varied. When choosing a gate control system, among the key points to consider are:

1. The size of your parking area.

2. Who will be using your parking facility gate.

3. The type of access you want to allow through your secure parking gate.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Evaluate your parking gate needs

Do you live on an estate where you need a gate control system to keep your family and possessions safe? Or are you looking to provide security for an entire residential neighborhood? Do you need parking gate equipment at your new office or sports complex? Or does that high-rise you manage need updated equipment for its 21-floor parking garage? Your situation will definitely determine your parking gate needs.

I recommend: Individual residential needs typically call for estate gates like the ones offered by Security Access and Parking Systems. Small neighborhoods and condominium complexes often choose estate gates, as well, primarily because of their aesthetics. GMG Systems offers folding parking gate arms for covered parking garages where height limitations are a factor. Gate-Opener has outdoor commercial and industrial properties covered with slide/swing gates and barrier gates designed to keep property secure.

Consider access options

Along with deciding on which type of gate fits your needs, you also need to determine access requirements--how the gate will open. The majority of parking lot gates are automated these days (rather than manned by a security guard), but the automated options are many.

I recommend: Knowing who will be using your parking gate system and how often it will be used will help determine which access option you choose. Private estates and smaller residential neighborhoods often use telephone intercom systems like the ones at DoorKing. Access Control Technologies offers card readers, which are popular for both larger residential neighborhoods and employee parking areas. Dynasys offers leading-edge radio frequency identification options, as well.

Determine payment method if parking is paid

Paid parking can be a fairly profitable venture, especially in areas where parking is at a premium. Whether your customers will be one-time or occasional secure parking gate patrons or you operate a system for daily users, payment options for your parking control gates abound.

I recommend: For occasional or one-time customers, an all-in-one coin, bill and credit collection system from Cincinnati Gate is a good choice. Parking Systems offers ticket dispensers in gate control systems where customers pay by the hour. PTC Industries has token systems designed to be used as patrons either enter or exit your parking area. A guard house from Guard Houses Online is an option where on-site security guards are necessary, whether in addition to or instead of automated parking control gates.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Parking lot gates must work efficiently and consistently in order to be effective. Take backup systems into account when shopping for secure parking gates.
• •  Parking control gate companies often offer lighted and unlighted signs that read FULL, LANE OPEN, EXIT ONLY etc. as well as traffic counting devices and other parking lot-related accessories.

If you have a secure or pay parking lot or parking garage, then you know that working parking gates are essential to the lot's operation. Parking control gates block the entrance and exit of cars and trucks in the parking area and require a gate control system to open and close the gate.

Since secure parking gates are so important, you should make sure your employees are able to quickly replace the parking gate, should it be struck by a car or break down. Proper parking gates installation education and training will help employees do this. Before you begin training your employees, decide if they need to know how to install:

1. Electronic gate control systems;

2. Parking gate equipment with built-in backup power;

3. Or specialty parking gates.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn to install basic electronic parking gates

Electronic parking lot gates are generally fairly easy to install, but they may require help from a trained electrician. Electronic gates often also require the installation of other features, such as a card access system, that allow them to open and close.

I recommend: The website for Parking Products allows you to download instructions for the installation of several types of electronic parking gates. Engineered Parking Systems also provides installation instructions. From the linked page, scroll down to the bottom and click the "instruction manual" link.

Discover how to install secure parking gates with a built-in backup power supply

Parking gate arms that have a backup power supply are great for busy garages and lots. However, they require extra knowledge on the part of the installer. As with regular electronic gates, help from a trained electrician may make installation easier.

I recommend: Take a look at the installation instructions from DoorKing. From the linked page, click on "instructions" in the gray download box on the left side. L. A. Ornamental & Rack has a parking control gate installation guide on their website as well. From the linked page, click on the "manual" link that is under the picture of the two parking gates.

Investigate how to install specialty parking gates

Specialty gates range from low- to high-tech. For example, a manual parking lot gate is the fastest and easiest type of gate to install. These parking gates often require no more than a few tools and a basic understanding of how parking facility gates work. On the other hand, high-tech gates with integrated computer systems are much more complicated to install. Often these require the installer to attend a training course.

I recommend: Check out Parking Systems Corporation for its excellent diagrams and explanations of manual parking gates. Click on the "installation instructions" for detailed directions on how to install manual gates. Federal APD offers training classes that explain the installation of its computer-based parking gate products.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you first install parking lot gates, be sure to lay extra underground wires leading to the unit. This way, if the unit is struck and the wires are damaged, then you won't have to dig up the parking surface to install new wires.