Donald Shoup Wasn't Just About Parking. He Was About The Economics Of Public Goods.

William Fulton provides a personal perspective on Prof. Shoup's life and work: “His mission was to help people understand the underlying economics of public goods and services. Parking was simply the vehicle, one might say, that he chose to do so.”

1 minute read

February 11, 2025, 5:00 AM PST

By Todd Litman


Parking payment machine on street with blurred cars parked in background.

scharfsinn86 / Adobe Stock

The passing of the legendary “parking guru” Donald Shoup has saddened everyone in the world of urban planning — especially former students like me. Don was an amazing guy. As an individual he was unfailingly kind and generous to everybody, although he did have an acerbic sense of humor. As an academic he was rigorous. And of course he changed the way the entire world looks at parking.

It is remarkable, in retrospect, that a quirky guy who had never been a prominent academic became in his later years the object of a cult-like following. He called himself “Shoup Dogg” and his devoted followers called themselves “Shoupistas.” Even when it was unfashionable to do so, I was always proud to count myself among the Shoupistas.

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

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