It’s Good To Be King

Estimates show that eliminating parking privileges for government employees would generate $46 million in revenue for the city:

Eliminating government employees’ parking perks would generate an estimated $46 million in revenue for the city while helping to reduce traffic congestion, a new study says.

The study, commissioned by Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group, found government workers are twice as likely to drive to work in Manhattan’s central business district as workers in the private sector.

According to the study, 19,200 fewer vehicles would enter Manhattan each day if government workers were stripped of their free-parking perks and commuted at the same rate as their private-sector counterparts.

The parking spaces freed up by these vehicles could generate $46 million annually in parking meter fees, the study says.

“You might think it’s the stockbroker from Greenwich who drives to work,” said Bruce Schaller, a transportation consultant who authored the study. “In fact, they’re among the least likely people to drive to work. It’s the government employee with free parking in Manhattan who is most likely to drive.”

The study found that 47,000 government employees, or 26% of the 177,300 government employees working in Manhattan south of 59th St., drive to work. Two-thirds of these government workers are employees of the City of New York.