New Parking Meters for Downtown

AUSTIN, TX - Drivers in downtown Austin will have to feed parking stations now instead of parking meters. They only have to swipe a credit or debit card, and they even can use change.

The pay stations allow for up to five-hours of parking. The stations will be downtown with one pay station every few parking spots.

Motorcycles and scooters can park in these metered spots free.

The price tag of the new pay stations is about $8 million but city officials say increased parking revenue will pay the bill over time.

The city says it's slowly replacing the 3800 current meters around downtown, with one pay station per every few spots.

From city's website:

Simple to Use

The new pay stations will have easy on screen instructions in multiple languages. Customers will be prompted through four easy steps. An online video details how to use the new parking pay stations.

1) Insert coins or credit/debit card to start payment.

2) For credit cards, press the blue (+) button to add time. There will be a 15-minute minimum time purchase. The meter will display amount paid so far.

3) When done, press the green "print" button to print out the receipt.
Your expiration time and date will be printed in large text on the receipt.

4) Remove adhesive sticker and use to affix receipt to inside of windshield on
side closest to street. Make sure it is high enough to be visible to enforcement.

City of Austin residents, visitors and the municipality will reap numerous advantages with the new pay stations’ functionality.

Pay Station Customer Benefits

• Payment flexibility – Stations accept Master Card, Visa, and debit cards or coins
• Instructions in multiple languages – English, Spanish and Chinese
• Printed receipts provide a convenient record of expenses for business purposes
• Receipt can multi-task - allows the user to take the remaining time on the ticket to another parking spot with City of Austin meters
• Longer parking time – customers can pay for up to three hours at most locations and up to five hours at other locations versus the current two-hour limit
• Credit card safety – the built-in security features provide for an instantaneous credit card transaction and does not store the card information to prevent fraud

Pay Station City Benefits

• Solar power – pay stations run on solar power, have batteries lasting three years
• Aesthetically pleasing – the new pay stations will replace 8 -11 meters with one station, cleaning up the sidewalks for pedestrians and eliminating the picket fence look of single space meters.
• Greater efficiency – the new technology will notify the City electronically when the units need maintenance or the coin boxes are full – reducing field checks and coin collection trips.
• Increased parking availability - parallel parking spaces will not need to be defined so cars can squeeze into a block as space allows. Cities normally see a 10-15% increase in parking availability.
• No more broken meters – customers can obtain a parking receipt from any pay station. The City will save time on repairs and have a predictable revenue stream.
• Made in Texas – the electronics for the machines are assembled in Plano, TX, a plus for the Texas economy, with just the housing units coming from France.