Hot Topics

GOING FROM METERS TO PAY STATIONS?  Before you make that move, do your homework:

Hartford pay-and-display machines causing more tickets, and won't take American Express...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/autocorner/chi-getting-around-31-aug31,0,7472556.column   (conventional meters don't need paid greeters to show people how to use them)

http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_13259978   Redwood City, CA, over-estimated revenue increases from pay stations, now has to draw from general fund to cover shortfall.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08302009/news/regionalnews/parking_tix_haul_plunges_30_mil_187182.htm#commentsiframe   NYC went from meters to pay stations and lost $30 million, even after adding more ticketwriters.  Pay stations are harder to enforce, thus making them easier to cheat.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/08/12/0812parking.html  Confusion, stickers in the wrong place. What happens when people scan and edit their own stickers -- revenue loss!

http://www.dailymercury.com.au/story/2009/09/03/mackay-car-parking-meter-council-worst/    Paper receipts will jam, it's just a fact of life.

On the other hand, West Chester, PA, earned $300K more than expected last year with their 780 digital single-space meters, see http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=app&sParam=30379627.story  -- this dispels the idea that perhaps the losses in the other cities shown above are due to the economy.

CBS News "Dirty Little Credit Card Secrets" - not a problem with prepaid smartcards

Credit card fraud at ATM (and pay stations?) - not possible with prepaid cards.

ENFORCEMENT VISIBILITY -- it's what makes the APM parking meter better than pay and display, in-car meters, and cell phone parking.  You be the judge.   Without fast, efficient enforcement, your parking system will bog down with violators and you'll lose parking and enforcement revenue.  Remember, you may think your alternate method of paid parking is easier to pay, but if it's harder to enforce, then it's really easier to NOT pay.

Recommended Batteries:  9V alkaline batteries only have 625 mAhours capacity, and they are not rated for temperatures lower than 0ºF.  In cold extremes, they can cause meter malfunctions.  For those reasons, we recommend that 9V lithium or 4AA alkaline or lithium batteries be used in our meters.   Although the 4AA alkaline pack is also not rated for temperatures lower than 0ºF, many of our clients in the northeast have enjoyed excellent battery life with this battery pack through moderate winters.   We do recommend 9V lithium for SmartLock meters.

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POM holds US Patent #5,740,050  on communications between electronic parking devices and handheld parking enforcement devices.  This makes each citation instantly more collectible and less likely to be contested.  Ticketwriter vendors are encouraged to contact POM to license this development. 

At POM, we want to make our products integrate with your parking system.  Contact us to discuss how we can work with you and your existing or prospective vendor(s) to make your system more efficient and profitable.