The Shape of Cruising

We analyze GPS traces of 5,316 trips that are cruising for parking in San Francisco and Ann Arbor, and use cluster analysis to develop a typology of five distinct types of search strategy. Our most striking finding is that most cruising trips do not involve circling. Partly because most drivers are able to find a space relatively quickly, a more typical cruising pattern involves just a few turns. While drivers often perceive that cruising times are long, most cruising trips appear to be less dramatic; repeated circling is the exception rather than the norm.