Will AI replace parking enforcement workers?

Some tasks are already being done by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 3h 41m of a typical shift is made up of tasks that AI or robots have done on their own in real use somewhere. That doesn't mean those hours are automated in a typical workplace. The other 4h 19m (54%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 1.1% fewer of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

None of this job's tasks show regular AI use yet. That can mean the work is hands-on or in person, or simply that it rarely comes up in AI usage data.

For some tasks, yes. Robots have done 4 of this job's tasks in workplaces like this one, about 3h 41m of a typical shift. 6 more tasks have only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so they stay with people here. For 1 physical task, no robot has shown it can do the work yet.

• Patrol an assigned area by vehicle or on foot to ensure public compliance with existing parking ordinance. (2h 44m a shift; e.g. Knightscope K5 ASR deployed by ABM, in use)
• Identify vehicles in violation of parking codes, checking with dispatchers when necessary to confirm identities or to determine whether vehicles need to be booted or towed. (32m a shift; e.g. Knightscope Autonomous Security Robots (K5) at ABM airport parking facility, in use)
• Mark tires of parked vehicles with chalk and record time of marking, and return at regular intervals to ensure that parking time limits are not exceeded. (19m a shift; e.g. Knightscope K5 (5th generation) ASR, in use)
• Observe and report hazardous conditions, such as missing traffic signals or signs, and street markings that need to be repainted. (6m a shift; e.g. Waymo Driver robotaxi fleet + Waze for Cities pothole pilot, in use)

4h 19m of a typical shift, or 54%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Write warnings and citations for illegally parked vehicles. (1h 9m a shift)
• Enter and retrieve information pertaining to vehicle registration, identification, and status, using hand-held computers. (44m a shift)
• Provide information to the public regarding parking regulations and facilities, and the location of streets, buildings and points of interest. (19m a shift)
• Prepare and maintain required records, including logs of parking enforcement activities, and records of contested citations. (19m a shift)
• Respond to and make radio dispatch calls regarding parking violations and complaints. (13m a shift)

Much of it comes down to where and how the work happens. In-person, hands-on and high-stakes work is where AI and robots have made the least headway so far. In the official O*NET survey of people in this job:

• 99% work outdoors in all weather every day
• 91% use their hands on tools, objects or controls more than half the time
• 82% say dealing with the public is very or extremely important

On Indeed, job postings in the Security & Public Safety sector are at 119% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), up 4.4% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 800 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $46,730 a year ($22.47 an hour), 8% below the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $35,130 and $75,340 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects a decline of 1.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 9,300 jobs in 2035. Even so, it expects about 800 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 9,050 people in the U.S., roughly 0.01% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 674th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 9,300 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a high school diploma: about 91% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 2 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: high school diploma, some training. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Monitoring, Time Management
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 4h 19m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint

These use similar skills. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Security Guards (3h 42m touched, $38k median pay)
• Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs (5h 16m touched, $37k median pay)
• Highway Maintenance Workers (4h 8m touched, $50k median pay)
• Transit and Railroad Police (3h 22m touched, $90k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 4 with robots in real deployments, 18 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.