Parking
DDOT piloting credit card meters
DDOT is piloting new parking meters that accept credit cards and coins. The meters will be installed on high-usage blocks around 14th and U, H Street NE, Judiciary Square, Friendship Heights, and Brookland.
DC recently raised meter rates in "high demand zones" to $2 an hour, which isn't that much compared to the cost of a typical store purchase or restaurant meal, but is extremely burdensome when the only way to pay is with eight quarters.
The press release says,
For credit card operation the steps are easy – 1) insert and then remove credit card, 2) choose the amount of time requested by using the blue buttons, 3) confirm acceptance or cancel, 4) wait for verification, 5) walk away.That sounds great. I do wonder, is it necessary for people to choose the amount of time ahead of time? One of the annoying elements of meter parking is the need to predict ahead of time how much you'll need, and either overpay or risk a ticket.This meter technology may also tie in with pay-by-phone technology also scheduled to be piloted, by networking into the web-based system, and communicating via wireless to the meter itself.
As previously reported, DDOT has already installed multi-space meters throughout commercial corridors in the District replacing many old and non-functioning single space meters. DDOT plans to roll out a number of parking meter pilot programs in addition to the solar-powered, credit card accepting, single space meters, including pay-by-cell and in-car metering systems. Each of the pilot programs will explore the latest in parking meter strategies and technologies.
Many pay by phone systems have users simply tell the system when they're done parking. What about something similar for the credit card, where you simply reinsert the card to end parking time? Anyone who stops their meter but continues to park can get a ticket, and if someone forgets to enter an end time, the system could simply charge the 2 hour maximum allowed on those meters. How about it?
Update: DDOT confirmed to Michael Perkins that these are the same meters Arlington is piloting as well. They also sent along a photo which I've put up in place of the generic parking meter photo.
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"Extremely burdensome"? You're car probably has eight cup holders. Sorry to hear it can't carry eight quarters. Mine has no trouble with this.
by Alan on Jan 20, 2010 3:10 pm • link • report
Get cold hard cash. Don't give those F'n bankers another dime of taxpayer money.
by Redline SOS on Jan 20, 2010 3:14 pm • link • report
I have a couple rolls of quarters in my car for when I park in the District, but each pair of rolls only lasts for five parking times (as I almost always put in the maximum, rather than risk getting a $40 ticket because I return a little later than expected).
It's a little onerous to expect everyone to have rolls of quarters on them at all times. This also fills up the meters very quickly.
Frankly, the existing meters should have been designed to take dollar coins, as they've been around for 30 years.
by Joey on Jan 20, 2010 3:24 pm • link • report
by Ron on Jan 20, 2010 3:24 pm • link • report
by Michael Perkins on Jan 20, 2010 3:24 pm • link • report
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=3432
by Michael Perkins on Jan 20, 2010 3:28 pm • link • report
by Erica on Jan 20, 2010 3:29 pm • link • report
by Gary on Jan 20, 2010 3:53 pm • link • report
by Shawn on Jan 20, 2010 3:53 pm • link • report
If anyone can find more info in this, I'd love to see it, too. Paying for your parking once you return to your car is the best solution. It's sad that every new meter that accepts credit cards doesn't use this method. Probably because jurisdictions would rather have people overpay or pay $45 tickets than just pay for the exact amount of parking they use.
by Shawn on Jan 20, 2010 3:56 pm • link • report
by Michael Perkins on Jan 20, 2010 4:05 pm • link • report
by Adam L on Jan 20, 2010 4:31 pm • link • report
From the looks of it, they just uninstall the top of a meter and replace it with this computer-type thing. But I don't understand how it connects with the card companies. Help?
@Shawn, if how you are describing it is true, the Denver system won't work here with parking spaces that have max time limits (aka 2 hour parking or 3 hour parking limits). The multi-space meters are the closest to what you're talking about, where you print a ticket with the time you have paid for and leave it on your car. Printing tickets isn't very environmentally-friendly, however, so these single space meters with credit card readers I think are more sustainable.
by E on Jan 20, 2010 5:54 pm • link • report
by private villas bali on Jan 21, 2010 1:02 am • link • report
2-hr limits seem to work for daily business meetings or lunches, but they're hardly enough for evenings. Given the new 10pm enforcement, I wonder if restaurants will start seeing a drop-off in reservations earlier than about 8:15pm, as drivers won't be able to park on the street earlier than 8pm and keep their spaces without the risk of citations.
by Joey on Jan 21, 2010 2:27 am • link • report
by KevinM on Jan 21, 2010 6:31 am • link • report
Question: would the prices then be "too high"? Too high for what?
The reasonable compromise here is to apply performance parking principles to adjust the prices in the absence of time limits, and choose a maximum price, say $4.00 per hour (comparable to downtown Chicago). Once the price hit the limit, DDOT would start adjusting time limits down, to six hours, then four, etc. All of this adjusting with the target that there be just the right amount of empty spaces so you don't have to hunt.
It's likely that very few people would be willing to pay $24.00-$32.00 ($3-4 per hour for 8 hours) to park on street all day in a congested downtown. There are usually subsititues available (transit, off-street parking, etc). We want long-term parkers to use those substitutes.
by Michael Perkins on Jan 21, 2010 8:23 am • link • report
by ah on Jan 21, 2010 9:21 am • link • report
by Interested on Jan 21, 2010 9:50 am • link • report
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