Toronto drivers are frustrated – but not the most frustrated – when it comes to the hunt for an elusive parking spot.
According to IBM's first-ever Global Parking Index, the Big Smoke fared well at third place out of 20 countries when it comes to finding a parking spot.
Toronto ranked behind Los Angeles, in second place, and slightly better than Buenos Aires, in fourth place. Chicago, meanwhile, ranked the best.
The worst city for parking? According to the survey, it was New Delhi.
More than half of Torontonians reported they've spent 10 minutes or less looking for a spot in the last year.
IBM Smarter Cities industry leader Jean-Francois Barsoum said the study suggests that many spots are available, prompting city officials to evaluate pricing.
"So then, it could be a discussion about how much is being charged. If there's lots of parking available, it might mean rates are relatively high and you can lower the rates," he said in a telephone interview with CTVNews.ca.
It could also result in some flexibility for the city when addressing the conversion of existing parking lots into housing or commercial developments.
But despite this apparent surplus of spots, 45 per cent of Toronto drivers have had to give up their search altogether at least once in the last year. Barsoum said this could be a result of peak periods – for example, the holiday season – when lots and street parking are busier than usual.
"So then (a city) can ask, do we need to target those specific periods? Should we offer incentives during these peak times to use other modes of transportation?" Barsoum said.
With a population of 2.5 million residents, Toronto has more than 37,000 off-street parking spaces in 213 facilities. The city also has more than 18,000 on-street metered parking spaces.
Globally, drivers have spent an average of nearly 20 minutes in pursuit of a spot, though 13 per cent of Nairobi drivers reported circling for over an hour in the last year.
In Chicago, Montreal and Stockholm - 25 per cent of drivers reported being able to find a spot in less than five minutes.
Out of all the respondents, nearly six out of 10 drivers have abandoned their search for a space at least once, and more than a quarter have got into an argument with a fellow motorist over a parking space in the past year.
Chicago is the least-painful city to cruise around in, followed by Los Angeles and Toronto respectively. On the other end of the scale, 58 per cent of New Delhi drivers reported getting in an argument with fellow drivers over a coveted spot.
Using the results of its Commuter Pain Survey of 8,042 drivers across the globe, IBM's Parking Index measures the emotional and economic toll of parking across the world.
The Index looked at the following: longest amount of time looking for a parking space, the inability to find a space at all, disagreement over parking spots, tickets received for illegal parking and number of parking tickets received.
Barsoum said the study not compare the specific types of parking available in each city. Barsoum said he did notice interesting ways some cities optimize parking.
In Singapore, for example, Barsoum said the same smart card is used to pay for parking, taxis, tolls and subway fares.
"The advantage is not just the convenience of using one card, but the city then has a much better understanding of how and when you move around the city…and can start playing around with the rates and availability to make sure roads, parking, transportation use is optimized."
The current debate in Toronto is the proposed privatization of municipal lots. Currently, the Toronto Parking Authority generates annual gross revenues of over $113 million
