The Barnacle

03/02/2026

The City of Chico - Government Police Department was looking for a better alternative to towing and traditional booting; something that wouldn’t escalate situations with motorists but would still drive strong compliance.

They needed:
• A more professional, community-friendly approach
• Greater visibility and accountability in the field
• Enhanced officer safety
• A solution that was simple to deploy without adding operational complexity

That’s where Barnacle came in.

By providing a less aggressive immobilization option, the Chico team has been able to maintain compliance while reinforcing positive community relations. Features like GPS tracking, motion detection, and tamper alerts (a favorite of Parking Services Specialist Jason Powers) give officers added confidence and real-time visibility during deployments.

Most importantly, motorists are given a clear and convenient path to resolve citations, helping balance accountability with accessibility.

We’re proud to support agencies like the Chico PD who are proving enforcement and community trust don’t have to be at odds.

02/26/2026

While we’re in the business of parking, learning is a recurring theme for us and not just when it comes to correcting parking mistakes.

This IPMI blog featuring Scott Rohde at Wesleyan University reinforces something we deeply believe:

Onboarding shouldn’t just teach employees what to do, it should teach them how to think.

In our industry, frontline teams make real-time decisions every day. Policies provide structure — but judgment fills in the gaps. That’s why critical thinking, peer engagement, and scenario-based discussion matter so much.

The same principle applies to compliance. Learning happens best when there’s clarity, immediacy, and a clear connection between action and outcome.

For us, that mindset shows up in two ways:
• Helping motorists understand cause and effect in the moment
• Building a team culture where people are empowered to think, question, and improve

Parking may be our industry but learning, and continuous improvement, is what keeps us rolling.

Great reminder that strong operations start with strong thinking.

Critical thinking is really a process. It has been described as the cognitive engine which drives problem solving. It involves the learner developing...

02/23/2026

Behind the scenes of something special. 🎬

This time lapse captures the setup for our segment for All Access with Andy Garcia and we couldn’t be prouder.

Being selected for this feature is an incredible honor. Even more meaningful is the opportunity to represent the parking industry as an innovative leader on a national stage.

What may look like a simple shoot day reflects years of work rethinking what compliance can look like: clearer, more transparent, and built to create better outcomes for operators and motorists alike.

Grateful for the team who brought this vision to life. Big moments are built on a lot of small details.

Our segment premieres March 16th across 170 public television stations and it’s been amazing to see it all come together!

And if you're going to International Parking and Mobility Institute this year, join us at our screening party!

https://hubs.la/Q043Zrtc0

02/20/2026

There’s been a shift toward “frictionless” digital enforcement lately: fewer windshield notices, more emails, and more automation. And yes, operational efficiency matters. But this research makes a critical point: immediacy changes behavior.

The study published in the Journal of Advanced Transportation reinforces something we’ve believed for years at Barnacle:

When it comes to compliance, visibility drives learning.

A delayed email notification creates latency. A physical notice creates a moment. That moment — standing at your vehicle, seeing the consequence — builds a direct cause-and-effect association. That’s how behavior changes.

At Barnacle, our entire model is built around that principle.
Clear. Immediate. Highly visible.

Not to escalate.
Not to punish.
But to interrupt the behavior in real time so it doesn’t compound.

Because the real goal of enforcement shouldn’t be maximizing violations — it should be preventing the second one.

We talk often about how Barnacle was born out of frustration with delayed, inefficient processes. Our founder, Colin Heffron Sr., experienced firsthand in the UK what happens when systems lack clarity and immediacy. That origin story still guides us: enforcement works best when it’s transparent and understood in the moment.

This research validates what operators are rediscovering:

High-tech can be efficient.
High-touch can be effective.

The best systems respect both operational health and stakeholder impact.

In the current landscape of operational leadership, "innovation" is often treated as a synonym for "digitization." The prevailing logic suggests that to modernize an operation, we must automate every touchpoint, remove human friction, and move every interaction into the cloud.

02/19/2026

We’re excited to be heading to this year’s International Parking and Mobility Institute conference in Milwaukee — and even more excited to host a special event while we’re there.

Join us for an exclusive screening of our feature on All Access with Host Andy Garcia. The segment highlights perspectives from industry experts Julie Dixon, Joseph Cirigliano, and our very own president Colin Heffron Jr as we explore how compliance-first approaches, innovative technology, and customer-focused strategies are helping shape the future of parking and mobility.

Following the screening, we’ll be hosting a relaxed networking reception featuring pineapple cocktails, market-fresh bites, and plenty of opportunity to connect with fellow parking and mobility professionals.

If you’re attending IPMI this year, we’d love for you to join us to celebrate the people, partnerships, and progress driving our industry forward. Please register so we can get a headcount. An accurate headcount = fewer sad “we ran out of pineapple cocktails” moments. 🍍

Looking forward to connecting in Milwaukee!

https://hubs.la/Q043FDJn0

02/12/2026

Makeup, cameras, and a big moment ahead. 💄🎬

Getting camera-ready as we prepare for our spotlight on All Access with Andy Garcia! It's been an incredible experience being apart of the show and we can't wait for our television premiere next month across Fox Business, CNN, NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, TLC, Discovery Life, Family Channel, and CNN Headline News.

02/09/2026

We’re thrilled to be featured in and excited to showcase how Barnacle is redefining compliance across the parking world.

We just wrapped up our watch party and added the finishing touches on our segment! Our air date is coming up in March already and we can't wait to share it with you.

https://hubs.la/Q0426gQm0

We’re thrilled to be featured on All Access with Andy Garcia and excited to showcase how Barnacle is redefining compliance across the parking world.We just w...

02/05/2026

Driving parking compliance is the top priority for 49% of cities recently surveyed by Passport.

So how are they enforcing paid parking?

🔹 Only 10% rely on immobilization or towing—typically for repeat offenders—alongside traditional tools like citations and warnings.

What many don’t realize? Barnacles can support highly visible compliance-first strategies that also enable an easy, immediate ticket payment option for drivers—helping cities drive efficient, effective compliance.

https://bit.ly/45KKzn4

02/03/2026

More cities are redefining success in parking enforcement — shifting from citation counts to compliance-first approaches.

When paying is easy and intuitive, behavior follows. Less friction, more trust, and better outcomes for cities, staff, and drivers.

A smart read on where parking and curb management are headed from Passport.

Cities across North America are shifting parking enforcement away from ticket volumes toward compliance-first strategies, according to a new survey of city, university and private-sector parking operators.

01/29/2026

City of Bangor, Maine - City Hall is seeing real results with smarter parking enforcement. 🚗✨

After Bangor’s summer amnesty period helped clear $9,000 of the $24,000 owed by drivers with three or more unpaid parking tickets, the city has now brought in an additional $2,500 since deploying the Barnacle this past October.

According to the city’s parking manager, the Barnacle has been used about a dozen times so far — and it’s already paid for itself. The device helped resolve 119 past-due tickets, including cases where some drivers had 20–30 unpaid citations.

What’s even more interesting? Most drivers took care of their debts before a Barnacle ever touched their windshield. Just seeing warning letters — and knowing the tool was coming — was enough to change behavior.

“The word’s out,” said Parke Clemons of PCI Municipal Services. And the early results have exceeded expectations.

With more Maine towns exploring ways to reduce scofflaw tickets and free up staff time, Bangor’s early success raises the question: Should more Maine cities adopt the Barnacle?

Either way, Bangor is proving that modern, transparent parking enforcement can work — and work fast.



📰 https://bit.ly/4qePS5P

01/26/2026

Kansas City tested three immobilization devices… and the Barnacle came out on top 🏆🐚

Lighter, smarter, safer — and easier on everyone involved (including the customers 😉).

Huge thanks to Jeffrey McLees and his team for leading the way in smarter enforcement with heart! 💛

“In Kansas City, MO, we have piloted three different types of self-releasing immobilization devices, and the Barnacle system has had the biggest impact on our operations. It has allowed my team to implement an immobilization program that is both safe and efficient, providing ease of use for our staff while ensuring a better overall experience for the customer.”
-Jeffrey McLees, General Manager, City of Kansas City, MO

01/21/2026

The City of Bridgeport, CT - Government is bringing innovation to the curb. 🚗⚙️

By integrating Barnacle immobilizations into their parking systems, the city is streamlining enforcement, reducing operational friction, and making resolution easier for everyone involved.

We’re proud to partner with Bridgeport as they modernize curb management with technology that’s smarter, safer, and more sustainable.