San FranciscoDowntown Pick-Up and Delivery

Gerald Robbins

San Francisco Department of Parking and Traffic

www.sfgov.org/dpt

San Francisco Geography

• Water on

3 Sides• 47.4 Sq.

Miles• Compact

Development

Downtown San Francisco

• Narrow Streets: 40’-50’ Wide Curb-to-Curb

• Not Many Alleys• Limited Parking• Office

Development

Downtown Parking

• Limited Supply• Expensive• Not Required

Downtown• 25 Percent Parking

Tax

Goods Movement Problems

• Many Ineffective Off-Street Docks

• Many On-Street Zones Occupied by Others

• Delivery Trucks Frequently Double-Park

Off-Street Loading Docks

• Not Required Until 1957

• Most Only 35’ Deep• Many Only 12’ High

Loading Dock Problems

Loading Dock Problems (cont.)

Street ImpactsInside the Dock Outside the Dock

On-Street Loading Zones

• Yellow Curbs in California

• Violators Can Be Towed

• 30-Minute Time-Limit

Non-Delivery Vehicles in Freight Zones

Non-Delivery Vehicles (cont.)

Results: Double-Parking, Congestion

California Vehicle Code Section 22502

• Allows commercial vehicles to park more than 18” from the curb if reasonably necess- ary to accomplish loading or unloading of merchandise or passengers

Part-Time Loading Zones

Special Truck Loading Zones

• “Trucks” Only• Yellow and Black

Curb• No Station Wagons• Doesn’t Address

Vans, SUVs

Installed Parking Meters in Loading Zones

• Intended to reinforce 30-Minute Time Limit

• Companies Don’t Want to Give Drivers Cash

• Not Actively Enforced

Raised Parking Fines

• Recently Raised From $30 to $50

• Not Always a Deterrent

Towing Violators

• Very Effective

• Lot of Gripes

Trucks With 6 Wheels Only

• Eliminates Pick-Ups, Vans and SUVs

• Some Resistance from 4-Wheeled Delivery Operators

Other Approaches

• Debit Card Payment

• Higher Fines

Conclusions

• Off-Street Docks – Better Coordination With Land Use Regulators

• On-Street Requires Vigorous Enforcement

• Need to Find Space for Contractors