Parking Zone Rewards

Parking zone rewards incentivize customers to park vehicles in designated areas by awarding loyalty points. This helps improve fleet distribution, reduce rebalancing costs, and create a better experience for the next rider.

Overview

When customers end their ride in a preferred parking zone, they automatically receive loyalty points as a reward. The system checks the vehicle's GPS location at ride end and awards points if it falls within a configured parking zone.

Key Features

• Automatic point awards - Points given automatically at ride end
• Configurable base points - Set how many points each zone awards
• Rebalancing multiplier - Boost rewards during high-demand times
• Custom messages - Display zone-specific messages to customers
• Multiple zone support - Create many reward zones per location
• Real-time GPS check - Accurate location verification at ride end

How It Works

Ride Ends
    ↓
System checks GPS location
    ↓
Is vehicle in a preferred parking zone?
    ├── Yes → Award points (base × multiplier)
    │         Update ride record
    │         Customer sees reward in app
    └── No  → No parking reward
             Normal ride completion

Creating a Reward Zone

Zone Configuration

Preferred Parking Toggle

Marks the zone as a reward zone.

Reward Points

The base number of loyalty points to award.

Tips:

• Consider your loyalty tier thresholds when setting points
• Higher points = stronger incentive
• Balance against time/distance points earned during rides

Rebalancing Multiplier

Dynamically boost rewards for specific zones.

The multiplier allows real-time adjustment of incentives based on fleet distribution needs.

Reward Message

Optional message displayed to customers when they park in the zone.

Examples:

• "Thanks for parking at Central Station!"
• "You earned bonus points for parking in a high-demand area!"
• "Great choice! This location helps other riders."

If not set, a default message with the zone name is shown.

Zone Types for Rewards

Parking rewards work with these zone types:

How Points Are Calculated

Points Awarded = Base Points × Rebalancing Multiplier

Example:
- Base Points: 50
- Multiplier: 2.0
- Points Awarded: 50 × 2.0 = 100 points

The calculation happens automatically when:

1. Ride status changes to "completed"
2. Vehicle GPS falls within a reward zone boundary
3. Zone has is_preferred_parking = true
4. Zone has parking_reward_points > 0

Database Schema

Zones Table (Reward Fields)

Rides Table (Tracking)

Mobile App Display

During Ride

Customers see reward zones on the map:

• Visual indicator for parking zones
• Points available shown on zone
• Current multiplier if > 1.0

At Ride End

When ending in a reward zone:

• Confirmation message displayed
• Points awarded shown
• Zone-specific message (if configured)
• Updated loyalty points balance

In Loyalty Section

• Transaction history shows parking rewards
• "Parked in [Zone Name]" description
• Points awarded amount

Best Practices

Zone Placement

1. High-traffic destinations - Transit hubs, shopping centers
2. Charging stations - Encourage parking near chargers
3. Safe locations - Well-lit, accessible areas
4. Operational convenience - Easy for staff to service

Point Values

1. Start conservative - Begin with moderate point values
2. Monitor effectiveness - Track if customers are responding
3. Adjust seasonally - More points in slow periods
4. Balance budget - Consider loyalty program costs

Multiplier Strategy

1. Real-time adjustment - Update multipliers based on fleet data
2. Peak hour boost - Higher multipliers during rush hour
3. Weekend incentives - Boost for underserved weekend zones
4. Event-based - Special multipliers for local events

Troubleshooting

Points Not Being Awarded

1. Check zone configuration:

   • is_preferred_parking must be true
   • parking_reward_points must be > 0
   • Zone type must be parking or bonus

2. Check ride data:

   • Verify GPS coordinates at ride end
   • Confirm ride completed successfully
   • Check for overlapping zones

3. Check zone boundaries:

   • Ensure polygon is valid GeoJSON
   • Verify zone covers intended area
   • Check for gaps in coverage

Wrong Points Awarded

1. Verify multiplier setting - Check current rebalancing_multiplier
2. Check for zone overlap - Multiple zones at same location
3. Review calculation - Points = base × multiplier

Customer Not Seeing Rewards

1. Check ride history - Verify ended_in_preferred_zone is true
2. Check loyalty transactions - Look for "parking" type entries
3. Verify customer account - Loyalty points should be updated

API Reference

Get Parking Zones (Mobile)

GET /api/mobile/referrals
# Response includes parking_zones array with reward info

Award Parking Reward (Internal)

import { awardParkingReward } from '@/lib/referrals'

const result = await awardParkingReward(admin, {
  customerId: 'uuid',
  rideId: 'uuid',
  zoneId: 'uuid',
  zoneName: 'Central Station',
  basePoints: 50,
  multiplier: 2.0
})
// Returns: { success: boolean, pointsAwarded: number }

Zone Data Structure

{
  "id": "uuid",
  "name": "Central Station Parking",
  "type": "parking",
  "is_preferred_parking": true,
  "parking_reward_points": 50,
  "rebalancing_multiplier": 1.5,
  "parking_reward_message": "Thanks for parking at Central Station!",
  "geojson": { /* polygon coordinates */ }
}