Parking Attendants
Overview
Parking attendants help customers by parking and retrieving their vehicles in lots, garages, and car dealerships. They use numbered tag systems to track cars, collect parking fees using modern payment systems, and patrol areas to keep vehicles safe. This job requires strong customer service skills, physical coordination for maneuvering different types of vehicles, and the ability to multitask while managing busy parking areas. Many attendants work in teams and develop excellent organizational skills that transfer to other careers.
Did you know?
Parking attendants work outdoors in all weather conditions, requiring physical stamina and tolerance for extreme temperatures common across various American climates.
At a Glance
Median Wage
$32,329.40 Avg/yr
Growth
Stable
Top Skill
Repairing
Key Responsibilities
- Keep parking areas clean and orderly to ensure that space usage is maximized.
- Call emergency responders or the proper authorities and provide motorist assistance, such as giving directions or helping jump start a stalled vehicle.
- Perform maintenance on cars in storage to protect tires, batteries, or exteriors from deterioration.
- Patrol parking areas to prevent vehicle damage and vehicle or property thefts.
- Park and retrieve automobiles for customers in parking lots, storage garages, or new car lots.
- Direct motorists to parking areas or parking spaces, using hand signals or flashlights as necessary.
- Explain and calculate parking charges, collect fees from customers, and respond to customer complaints.
- Inspect vehicles to detect any damage.
- Provide customer assistance and information, such as giving directions or handling wheelchairs.
- Escort customers to their vehicles to ensure their safety.
- Take numbered tags from customers, locate vehicles, and deliver vehicles, or provide customers with instructions for locating vehicles.
- Greet customers and open their car doors.
- Perform cash handling tasks, such as making change, balancing and recording cash drawer, or distributing tips.
- Lift, position, and remove barricades to open or close parking areas.
- Issue ticket stubs or place numbered tags on windshields, log tags or attach tag to customers' keys, and give customers matching tags for locating parked vehicles.
Career Considerations
Physical Working Conditions
Parking attendants work outdoors in all weather conditions, requiring physical stamina and tolerance for extreme temperatures common across various American climates.
Customer Service Challenges
The role involves frequent interactions with frustrated or angry drivers, requiring strong conflict resolution skills and emotional resilience.
Limited Career Advancement
Most parking attendant positions offer minimal upward mobility within the field, making it primarily suitable as entry-level or temporary employment.