As ride-hailing services chip away at demand, valet parking firms are driven to adapt

Valets and parking lots are seeing less business as people use ride-hailing services more. (Eduardo Contreras/San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS)

LOS ANGELES: The rapid rise of ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft has taken a big bite out of businesses that rely on people who need to park their cars. Now they're facing a choice: keep dwindling, or innovate. 

Proper Parking, based in Woodland Hills, has seen a 70% drop in nightclub valet traffic since it started six years ago, said Brandon Helfer, the company's president. In addition, it has seen a 30% drop in restaurant traffic and a 25% drop at weddings.