We’ve been providing parking services at Gerald R. Ford International Airport for over ten years. SP+ Airport Services started the valet operation at GRR in 2000 from scratch, hiring and training cashiers and hikers to support the 200 space operation. The success of the valet service has pushed capacity to 300 spaces and a healthy profit. The strong foundation we established allowed us to valet park over 40,000 vehicles during the two-year garage construction project, providing relief to the terminal parking lot which had been reduced to make room for the new garage.
We initiated Economy Lot services in 2002, hiring and training drivers for the 14 passenger shuttles and dispatchers to ensure convenient and efficient shuttle service for GRR’s economy parking patrons. We helped develop bus specifications and provide maintenance through a local provider.
In early 2011, we were chosen by the Authority to manage the airport’s terminal parking facilities, along with its valet and economy parking operations. The transition, which included bringing long-time Authority parking employees onto SP+ payroll and benefits plan, went seamlessly. The entire hand-off was transparent to customers with not a moment’s disruption.
Through our expertise, we have effectively supported a number of high-profile projects at GRR. We are extremely proud of these operations and the outstanding service provided, particularly the resourcefulness and flexibility we demonstrated during garage construction, utilizing several makeshift valet hold lots and successfully handling a 200% increase in Economy Lot traffic. We’ve added Customer Service Representatives to assist passengers and additional vehicles to transport hikers to and from remote valet parking areas. We developed smart loading techniques and provided bumper-to-bumper service for over 10,000 vehicles per month at the Economy Lot, mitigating any inconvenience to the traveling public from the loss of close-in parking during construction.
