Parking Meter: Need To Know

The world’s first parking meter , known as Park-O-Meter No. 1, is installed on the southeast corner of what was then First Street and Robinson Avenue in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on this day in 1935. His new hometown shared a common problem with many of America’s urban areas–a lack of sufficient parking space for the rapidly increasingly number of automobiles crowding into the downtown business district each day. 

Asked to find a solution to the problem, Magee came up with the Park-o-Meter. The first working model of the parking meter equipment went on public display in early May 1935, inspiring immediate debate over the pros and cons of coin-regulated parking.

Compared to the old tech in the past, parking meter equipment have way improved with models including pay and display, park by space or license and much more. The parking meter equipment accepts bills, coins, credit, debit, prepaid/gift cards and even coupons I mean how can things get any better, right? Well it now comes with anti-tampering cameras and sensors; even audible alarms of unauthorized entry so you keep the bad guys out of your parking meter equipment!

Of course not every company nowadays can offer all these goodies in one machine so make sure you visit the right parking meter equipment suppliers. There are many factors to consider when installing your parking meter equipment which may affect the efficiency if not well considered.

Although parking meter equipment around the world may differ, they do in fact serve the same purpose. Though some cities should consider their rates or user interface as one wrong move by a newbie and they may be paying the world's highest parking rates.

Parking meter equipment can be a very lucrative business as well if you're using them for your parking space since it is a way to collect revenue and it has been reported by many businesses as one of the highest money generating techniques for their businesses.

There are even newer developments with parking meter equipment which are their respective apps to make it easier to not only locate parking spots within the city but also pay for your parking.

Parking and Control

Over the last several years, the use of technology has accelerated in the parking and transportation industry. With these advances come new terms and changes to some definitions of terms we thought we knew. Terms such as parking control equipment and parking meter are not one in the same thing.

Parking control equipment refers to the physical parts that control the parking area starting from the barrier gates whilst the parking control system is the user interface that manages the in and out of the parking facility.

Different companies out there offer various solutions for your parking control equipment or parking control system and depending on your needs e.g. some of the parking control equipment come with weatherproof stainless steel enclosure, their access control has a card reader, intercom, keypad, long range reader and so much more.

Your parking control equipment must be kept up to date and maintained well, this also goes for your parking control system. Some features of parking control systems can be in terms of e.g. number plate reading, fingerprint scanning, identity cards, etc., Parking control systems and parking control equipment should be user friendly and ensure easy use for customers.

A secure parking control system includes security gates, pay stations, and ticket dispensers. A parking control system can control access and generates revenue in parking lots and garages.

 If your parking area is still running on stone age parking control equipment or parking control system methods, you should seriously think of upgrading because you are actually losing both money and time as these are made to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

So many companies out there provide these products and services but very few are high quality and understand you as a client. Go for companies that have the most experience and track record when looking around. You must also make sure your equipment and system go hand in hand in order to have a harmonious workflow. Getting equipment from one company and the system from another may bring problems during operation as both the system and equipment may not integrate properly.

Parking That's Automated

This is your year to start making changes that benefit you and your business, the time to start considering a better future that will make work all the much easier. Automated parking is a solution that is tried and tested to make your parking spaces more efficient and effective. Automated parking has been around for years but you'll be surprised that many still operate "manual" parking which is very surprising considering the many benefits automated parking has which include:

BOOST YOUR BRAND. The best part about this automated parking, the equipment can be personally branded to boost your company and make it look more professional. The best companies offer this at no cost! 

INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY. Use areas of your parking lot more productively with automated parking.

INCREASE REVENUE. View automated parking as a money maker and not stressful instead, you should capture all of your parking income by ensuring that every vehicle must pay to get out. Increase turnover with hourly parking. Reduce overhead by decreasing staffing levels.  This is an indeed money maker as most people have testified making more from paid parking than any other aspect for your business.

CONTROL PARKING. A well designed automated parking can provide a great experience for your customers, better access for your staff and also make sure those meant to be in your premises are in your premises, paying customers, employees, monthly pass holders or others who should actually be there.

IMPROVE SECURITY. Using automated parking, view your site from literally anywhere and anytime. View live and recorded videos from strategically placed cameras in your automated parking.

COMPREHENSIVE AUDITS. Generate redundant audit trail for cash collections and reconciliation using your automated parking. Track transaction types, revenue generation and statistics from a single management control center at date and time intervals that coincide with management’s operational objectives.

Automated parking is literally the best option if you have parking space that is underutilized or without automated parking. Automated parking is readily available but to get the best you must visit the best.

Hotel Parking

A hotel parking system is very important to install if you haven't yet. It can be a game changer if you're looking to improve your service delivery as well as make controlled revenue through your system.

The hotel parking system defines your establishment and what it stands for because the hotel parking system is usually the first if not second thing your visitors interact with and a good system will always keep your hotel on track and efficiency on point. A good place to start with your hotel parking system is to first go and get a quotation from an experienced and reliable company.

If you were given a chance to take a keen look at your hotel parking system, would you say it is satisfactory? You would be surprised if I told you that most would say it isn’t satisfactory. Most hotel parking  and room card integration can be expensive, complicated, and also bulky desktop parking terminals require a large amount of counter area.

It's best to go for a hotel parking system that is efficient, simple and takes up less space. Hotel parking systems may incorporate entry and exit stations for visitors who are paying by the hour in addition to hotel guest parking.

Entry & exit stations may be incorporated in a hotel parking system for visitors who are paying by the hour in addition to hotel guest parking. Card reader access is available for employees or regular visitors. To keep traffic moving, truck height pedestals and entry station parking equipment may be added to busy laneways that frequently accommodate taller vehicles.

This is one of the few ways you can use your hotel parking systems. The hotel industry needs to be up-beat and in tune with the latest trends in technology and that's why most choose to go with experienced parking solution providers. But something you must also consider how it affects your visitors.

What you may think is simple to you may be complicated to your visitors and hence, the need to always do test runs before making a final decision to see how your customers respond. Guests don't respond well to hotel parking systems that they find complicated and annoying, that's how most make their first impression.

Match Your Parking Lot System

It starts with either having a full featured parking lot system or just a basic parking lot system for those that like it simple.  Such a system starts with an entry or exit station plus 2 barrier gates and may be easily expanded to control multiple entrances and exits. The basic gated parking lot system allows the use of coupons, tokens, wireless (3G/4G), intercoms, and remote web monitoring.

Access control for employees, monthly pass holders or tenants may be added to this system. Here is the difference between a gated parking lot system of which the basic is used when there is medium to low parking volume, change does not need to be done, when there is not much capital required, when there is the option to add access control systems,

No Rush of Inflow/Outflow Vehicles, etc., whilst the full featured contains all of it. By the way, it is also important to decide whether you want your parking lot system to charge fees at a flat rate or different rates at different times.

What's your parking lot system like? Many different parking spaces have different parking lot systems, it depends on which best suits your needs. Technology today has brought about so many different advancements into the parking lot industry with many changes coming about but even still there are people that like it old school. Usually gated parking systems ensure that all parkers pay but do not require monitoring the lot and issuing parking citations.

Most parking lot systems start out basic and go on improving as time goes by. Just make sure that when you do choose to install your parking lot system, that you go with experienced companies that have the knowledge and technical ability to do so. Most companies just want to make a quick sale and do not care or listen to their customer's actual needs and wants.