Donald Shoup

Donald Shoup is a Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Urban Planning at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), affiliated with the Luskin School of Public Affairs. His work focuses on urban transportation planning, public finance, and land economics, with a global impact on parking policy reforms. He earned a B.E. in Electrical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Economics, both from Yale University.

Shoup’s research emphasizes the economic and social implications of parking policies. He is renowned for advocating evidence-based reforms such as charging fair market prices for on-street parking, using revenue for local improvements, and abolishing mandatory parking requirements. His 2005 book The High Cost of Free Parking and 2018 edited volume Parking and the City are seminal works in urban planning.

His awards include the American Planning Association’s National Excellence Award for a Planning Pioneer and the Distinguished Educator Award from the American Collegiate Schools of Planning. Shoup’s work has influenced cities worldwide, including Beijing, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, demonstrating how parking reforms can enhance urban livability, economic efficiency, and environmental sustainability.

Shoup passed away in 2025, leaving a legacy of rigorous scholarship and practical policy solutions. His research continues to inspire urban planners, policymakers, and students addressing 21st-century urban challenges.