Urban Freight Case Studies - Los Angeles

Tiger Teams Curbside Management Program

Like any city with a vibrant central business district, the City of Los Angeles has had problems with managing curb space. As the percentage of just-in-time deliveries and the overall amount of goods delivered has risen, the demand for curb space in urban centers also has increased, leading to congestion on downtown City streets. The City of Los Angeles could not meet the increased demand for curb space because of infrastructure constraints, regulations, and other factors, and so LADOT initiated an enhanced enforcement program called Tiger Teams.

Named for its aggressive strategies, the Tiger Teams program changed the perception of parking enforcement in downtown Los Angeles. This targeted enforcement program deploys 15 uniformed traffic control officials and 10 tow trucks during the peak hours to monitor designated corridors in search of parking violations, and this has led to a drastic decrease in the number of violators.

Before this program was introduced, curb-space management in Los Angeles consisted of loosely enforced regulations that were often ignored. Although tickets were issued to parking violators, citations failed to deter offenders. In fact, some violators received nearly 100 tickets per year. To better understand the problems facing truck drivers and couriers, LADOT set up interviews with repeat offenders. From these discussions, LADOT received input that helped identify and establish loading zones in areas where they were most needed.

After addressing the inadequate loading and unloading space issue, the City introduced the Tiger Teams to enforce curb-space regulations. Before officers were sent out, an extensive marketing campaign was launched to inform the public of the new enforcement program. Although initial results left room for improvement, drivers soon got the point that violations would not go unpunished.

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