The Shoup Doctrine

“While identifying and addressing the hidden costs of free parking, Donald Shoup’s work has engaged a far broader range of urban issues. Bringing together diverse voices inspired by Shoup, this compendium addresses critical issues facing cities, from equity, climate change, and sprawl to freight, micromobility, and the cut-throat politics of parking.”

Ann Forsyth, PhD, Department Chairperson and Ruth and Frank Stanton Professor of Urban Planning in the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University

“Donald Shoup is a giant in the world of urban transportation research and parking reform. He has done the world a tremendous service by teaching us about the foolishness of free parking regulations. Unusually for a first-rate scholar, he has also had a meaningful impact on urban policy. The Shoup Doctrine is a worthy tribute to him. It sparkles with essays from some of the best urbanist minds in the world, and I recommend it (and Donald Shoup's writing) highly. “

Edward Glaeser, PhD,Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics and Chairperson of the Department of Economics, Harvard University

“Donald Shoup showed the world that something as colorless as parking reform can be transformative and far beyond wonky … it is empowering! What a mess we’ve made. This book is a collective ‘Thank you!’ to Donald Shoup for shining the light on parking darkness.”

Emily Talen, Ph.D., Professor of Urbanism, University of Chicago

“Donald Shoup is that rare academic who fully merges theory and practice in ways that are changing our cities. What a career. What a man. The Shoup Doctine is a must for anyone interested in transportation policy and practice—and how to merge the two.”

Daniel Sperling, PhD, Distinguished Blue Planet Prize Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science and Policy and Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis

“I’ll never forget the first time I saw a citizen stand up at a community meeting and quote a 750-page tome called The High Cost of Free Parking. Has a set of wonky, academic, urban planning ideas ever so successfully escaped the ivory tower as Donald Shoup’s? The Shoup Doctrine demonstrates once and for all that in the Land of the Car-Blind, the professor who spent his career looking at parking is king.”

Aaron Naparstek, Founder of Streetsblog and The War on Cars podcast

“Donald Shoup's groundbreaking contributions to parking policy are celebrated in this collection of essays. This volume showcases how his thought leadership in parking reform can reshape cities, including market-priced curb parking and parking minimums. This tribute underscores Shoup's enduring influence on urban planning, illustrating how thoughtful reforms can foster more livable and equitable communities.”

Susan A. Shaheen, Ph.D., Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

“The Shoup Doctrine is a gem in urban literature, demonstrating how the modern city was profoundly shaped by obscure parking policies and how quality research and sensible ideas can drive reform.”

Bruce Katz, Co-author of The New Localism: How Cities Can Thrive in the Age of Populism (Brookings Institution Press, 2018)

“Donald Shoup is the most creative scholar-theorist, and tinkerer to boot, of our time at the nexus of urban land use and transportation. This volume is a superb introduction to his work—and, like the man himself, often delightful as well. An invaluable read for anyone with a serious interest in how better land use policies might improve the quality of urban life.”

Alan Altshuler, Ph.D., Harvard University

"Donald Shoup's campaign against mandatory parking minimums has been one of the best ideas for making our cities more livable, pleasant, and efficient. I am delighted to see Shoup and his ideas finally receiving their due recognition, both at the level of actual reforms and also in this volume."

Tyler Cowen, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, George Mason University

“Donald Shoup has taught us how to make cities vibrant through the lenses of parking policy reform. This book eloquently details his path-breaking ideas through his own writings but also through the voices of his disciples: former students, planners, and policymakers pushing them forward. It is a must read for anyone caring about cities and their people.”

Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning, University of California, Los Angeles

"Donald Shoup's insights, brought together in this collection, challenge long-held planning norms and offer a roadmap for parking reform that benefits cities and communities. A compelling and informative read for practitioners and academics alike."

Charles Marohn, Founder and President of Strong Towns

“Donald Shoup showed us that public space filled with free car storage is not part of the natural order—it’s a political choice. The Shoup Doctrine shows us the many benefits that insight makes possible and is a must read for anyone who cares about the vibrancy of public space.”

Howard Yaruss, Assistant Professor, New York University and author of Understandable Economics

“The authors of this collection do great work showing how Donald Shoup’s rebellious calculation of the true cost of free parking shaped parking theory and practice in the XXI century. This book is essential and inspiring reading for anyone involved in urban transportation planning and management.”

Itzhak Benenson, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor, School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Tel Aviv University

“These essays about the Shoup Doctrine confirm our debt to this exceptional thought leader. Donald Shoup has opened our eyes to clearly see the impact and cost of urban parking, and that has unquestionably redefined twenty-first century urban planning.”

David Mepham, Ph.D., Author of Rethinking Parking: Planning and Urban Design Perspectives (Routledge, 2024)

“Shoup’s work is a reminder that critical research and creative policy craftsmanship can change an industry. This book is a celebration of one of urban planning’s greatest minds.”

Lauren Mattern, Founder of Journey

“If you have any interest in the prosaic puzzle of parking, The Shoup Doctrine, a collection on his work, is a must read, with new insights into Shoup’s groundbreaking and influential work. The authors carry on and extend his scholarly research with readable, often amusing descriptions, which help transform the practice around this previously overlooked topic.

Robert T. Dunphy, Emeritus Fellow, Transportation Research Board and Emeritus Fellow, Urban Land Institute