Parking Photos (End-of-Ride Photos)
End-of-ride parking photos are images captured by customers when they complete a rental. These photos serve as proof of proper parking and help operators maintain fleet discipline and regulatory compliance.
Why Parking Photos Matter
Compliance
Many cities require micromobility operators to:
- Verify proper parking placement
- Document vehicle condition at trip end
- Maintain records for regulatory audits
- Demonstrate responsible fleet management
Operations
Parking photos help operators:
- Identify improperly parked vehicles
- Track vehicle condition over time
- Resolve customer disputes
- Train field staff on common issues
- Reduce parking complaints from the public
Accountability
Photos create accountability by:
- Documenting the state each customer leaves the vehicle
- Providing evidence for damage claims
- Deterring improper parking behavior
- Enabling fair penalty enforcement
How Parking Photos Work
Customer Flow
- Customer ends their ride in the mobile app
- App prompts: "Take a photo of the parked vehicle"
- Customer takes a photo showing the vehicle and surroundings
- Photo uploads to Levy Fleets servers
- Ride completes successfully
Photo Requirements
The app guides customers to take proper photos:
| Requirement | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Full vehicle visible | Verify vehicle identity |
| Surroundings shown | Confirm parking location |
| Good lighting | Enable proper review |
| Upright position | Confirm vehicle not tipped |
Upload Process
Customer Camera → Mobile App → Cloud Storage → Linked to Ride Record
Photos are:
- Compressed for efficient upload
- Stored securely in cloud storage
- Linked to the ride and vehicle records
- Retained according to data retention policy
Viewing Parking Photos
On Vehicle Detail Page
The most recent parking photos appear on each vehicle's detail page:
- Navigate to Vehicles
- Click View on a vehicle
- Scroll to End-of-Ride Photos section
- View the last 6 photos in a grid
Click any photo to view it full-size.
On Ride Detail Page
Each ride's parking photo is viewable on the ride detail:
- Navigate to Rides
- Click on a ride to view details
- The parking photo appears in the ride information
Bulk Photo Review
For systematic photo review:
- Navigate to Rides
- Filter by date range or status
- Expand ride details to view photos
- Flag rides with parking issues
Photo Quality Guidelines
Good Parking Photos
A proper parking photo shows:
- ✅ The entire vehicle from handlebar to back wheel
- ✅ The immediate surroundings (sidewalk, building, etc.)
- ✅ Clear view - not blurry or too dark
- ✅ Vehicle upright and stable
- ✅ No obstructions blocking the view
Common Issues
| Issue | Problem | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Too close | Only part of vehicle visible | Can't verify parking location |
| Too dark | Image unusable | Can't verify anything |
| Wrong subject | Photo of ground, sky, etc. | No parking verification |
| Blurry | Can't make out details | Limited usefulness |
| No vehicle | Customer didn't capture vehicle | No proof of parking |
Parking Compliance Review
What to Look For
When reviewing parking photos, check:
| Check | Good | Bad |
|---|---|---|
| Location | On designated parking area | Blocking sidewalk, doorway |
| Orientation | Aligned properly | Angled into walkway |
| Stability | Upright on kickstand | Leaning, likely to fall |
| Clearance | Away from obstacles | Too close to street, property |
| Accessibility | Not blocking ADA ramps | Obstructing accessible routes |
Identifying Violations
Common parking violations visible in photos:
| Violation | Description |
|---|---|
| Sidewalk blocking | Vehicle placed in walking path |
| Ramp obstruction | Parked on wheelchair ramp |
| Doorway blocking | In front of building entrance |
| Street parking | Vehicle in street or bike lane |
| Private property | Parked on private land |
| Tipped over | Vehicle fallen on ground |
Responding to Poor Parking
Warning vs. Penalty
Based on photo review, operators can:
| Response | When to Use |
|---|---|
| No action | Proper parking shown |
| Warning | Minor violation, first offense |
| Penalty fee | Repeated violations or serious obstruction |
| Account suspension | Extreme or repeated violations |
Issuing Penalties
If supported by your configuration:
- Review the parking photo
- Document the violation type
- Apply appropriate penalty via ride adjustment
- Customer receives notification with photo evidence
Fair Enforcement
Always review photos carefully before issuing penalties. Poor photo quality shouldn't result in customer penalties - the burden of proof is on having clear documentation.
Configuration Options
Requiring Photos
Parking photos can be configured as:
| Setting | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Required | Customer must take photo to end ride |
| Optional | Customer can skip photo capture |
| Zone-based | Required in certain areas only |
Photo Storage
Photos are stored securely with:
- Encryption at rest
- Access controls by role
- Automatic retention policy
- GDPR/privacy compliance
Best Practices
For Operators
- Regular review: Check photos daily or weekly
- Consistent enforcement: Apply rules fairly
- Document patterns: Track repeat offenders
- Educate customers: Use photos in parking education
- Work with cities: Share compliance data as needed
For Field Staff
- Reference photos: Use photos to locate vehicles
- Verify condition: Compare photo to current state
- Document changes: Note if vehicle moved since photo
- Report damage: Flag photos showing damage
For Customer Education
Help customers take better photos:
- Provide in-app guidance
- Show example good/bad photos
- Explain why photos matter
- Thank customers for compliance
Privacy Considerations
What's Captured
Parking photos may incidentally capture:
- Public spaces
- Bystanders
- License plates
- Building entrances
Privacy Protections
Levy Fleets implements:
- Photos used only for parking verification
- Access restricted to authorized personnel
- Automatic deletion per retention policy
- No facial recognition or analysis
- GDPR rights honored for deletion requests
Troubleshooting
Photo Not Appearing
If a ride has no parking photo:
- Customer may have skipped (if optional)
- Upload may have failed (network issues)
- Photo may still be processing
- Check ride status - incomplete rides have no photos
Photo Quality Issues
For consistently poor photos:
- Check app camera permissions
- Review in-app guidance text
- Consider adjusting photo requirements
- Monitor specific customer patterns
Missing Photos in Bulk
If many rides lack photos:
- Check if photo requirement is enabled
- Verify app version supports photos
- Review network connectivity in service area
- Check cloud storage configuration
API Access
Get Ride with Photo
GET /api/rides/{id}
Response includes photo URL:
{
"id": "ride-uuid",
"ride_number": "R-12345",
"end_photo_url": "https://storage.example.com/photos/abc123.jpg",
"end_photo_taken_at": "2025-01-15T14:30:00Z"
}
List Recent Photos
Use the rides endpoint with filters:
GET /api/rides?has_photo=true&limit=50
Need Help?
For questions about parking photo configuration or compliance, contact support@levyelectric.com.