Keep the Change! the Death of the Parking Meter

Gone are the days when you find yourself fumbling for quarters and dimes to fill up that parking meter. Your anxiety levels can subside when the parking meter clock ticks with the threat of a ticket!

Cities across the west coast and many in Europe are taking advantage of technology to optimize their cities and districts, and are breaking ground to provide electric card-reading devices, similar to those found at gas pumps. These cards use computer chip technology to load up your card, either as a credit card, or connected to a bank account, which can then be used at any parking meter. The transition just might lead to no loose change to worry about, lessened anxiety about running out to plug the parking meter, and fewer security issues concerning the state of the meter itself.

Moneo is the provider of these high-tech, card-swipe meters currently in operation in France. Approximately 1,500 meters across different cities offer payment through this system, and it has been successful so far. Innovation meets reality on America's west coast, where the University of Southern California-Berkeley has installed a wireless, electronic parking pay system made by IBM called Intellipay. This process is not as efficient as the Moneo swipe card, as users need to call a toll free number to indicate what space they are using. When the information is verified, their credit card is then charged accordingly. Additional variations across the country include smartcard technology or credit card slots for swiping directly on the parking meter.

The parking meter was invented by Carl C. Magee of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. The first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City. It is used in almost every city in the world as a way to fund city roads, projects, and maintenance. Since its 1935 debut, it has evolved through a series of changes, with the 1960s bringing forward the security-box style meter we know today. However, the frequent vandalism and security issues, general public grief over using them, and the cycle of tickets are areas of concern for all of us. As we move forward to the next century, we can hope that technological advances and innovative creations may just lower our parking calamity anxieties.

In the meantime, be sure to plug that meter!