NORFOLK - The airport authority is seeking a judgment in circuit court against LPR Inc./Airport Express for unpaid rent and fees. The authority claims it owes $171,974 to the company, which provided ground transportation services at the Norfolk International Airport until it was replaced by Carey VIP Airport Connection Nov. 1.

The University uses license plate recognition (LPR) cameras and software on its vehicles to collect parking utilization data, control access to parking areas and to support parking enforcement activities. LPR captures two photos of each observed vehicle: (1) a context photo of the vehicle and its immediate surroundings; and (2) a close-up photo of the vehicle’s license plate. The software then processes the image to create an alphanumeric version of the license plate number which is recorded with the LPR observation record. This data is then compared to the parking database to determine the vehicle’s access permissions in the specific parking area or controlled access area observed, and to support issuance of a parking citation.

The LPR system is a powerful tool for Transportation & Parking Department staff to use in enforcing parking rules and regulations. It can eliminate the need for individuals to carry and display permits in their vehicles, and for them to transfer permits between vehicles. It can also be used to verify that vehicles are being driven by permitted users only. This helps to prevent the misuse of virtual permits such as sharing with others or being used by non-permitted drivers.