Basically, this is a generic term for any Parking Meter that accepts some form of payment other than change (or in Jacksonville's case, only quarters). Some are of the "pay and display" variety, where a person pays for time at a pay station on a block, then displays the payment receipt on their dashboard.
How do Jacksonville's work?
Instead of having several pay stations per block, Jacksonville has installed them where the existing meters were located at each spot. While this is certainly more convenient than pay and display, it may turn out to be more expensive (however this remains to be seen). They are powered by a solar panel on the opposite side of the meter.
New Smart Meter outside The Jacksonville Landing.
The solar panel is located on the back of the meter.
How many smart meters are there?
At this point, there are about 10 concentrated in front of the Jacksonville Landing. There are also groups of meters on East Forsyth St (near Yates Building and Florida Theatre), and on North Laura Street near the Library and MOCA Jax. These meters are part of a three month pilot project to test the meters.
Are the parking regulations still the same?
As of now, yes. In addition, the meter is smart enough to recognize the current date and time, and post the rate for the time of day. For example, on Sunday, the LCD screen tells you "FREE PARKING". During the week, it will post the normal rate.
Why does the meter tell me to turn the knob after inserting my coin?
Since these meters are part of a pilot program, they are a bit "Frankenstein" in nature. While the mechanism at the top is new, they were designed to fix existing bodies that the company had. With that said, you would think that the Public Parking Division owns a couple Sharpie markers so they can cross this out. Only time will tell as to how much time downtown visitors spend looking for the knob that doesn't exist.
To see previous discussions that Metro Jacksonville has been involved in about Smart Meter Technology, check out the following links:
Metro Jacksonville's Lighting Laura Street and Parking Plan - May 2006
Article about Metro Jacksonville pushing Smart Meters - February 2007
City Council Defers Smart Meter Funding - February 2007
City Council Approves Smart Meter Funding - July 2007
Article by Steve Congro
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JeffreyS
June 23, 2009, 08:50:43 AMThis is much better. I am not the biggest parking meter believer but at least now you won't need to avoid downtown due to not having exact change.
heights unknown
June 23, 2009, 10:02:16 AMWell, well; modern technology. No surprise here. Wait a few years from now when they come out with meters that will scan the microchip in your hand or forehead.
Heights Unknown
5PointsGuy
June 23, 2009, 10:41:47 AMI'm a bit partial to the forehead idea...
halimeade
June 23, 2009, 11:01:02 AMI was just in Portland a couple weeks ago, where they use the electronic pay stations for street parking. It was amazingly convenient and efficient. I liked that the receipt was actually a sticker you stuck on the inside of the curbside window of your car- no falling off the dashboard, and easy for the meter maids to check, with the date an expiration time clearly provided. I hope these electronic meters are just as successful.
jeh1980
June 23, 2009, 11:27:22 AMI'm extremely pleased to see something new popping in to downtown. A very nice change even if it is one item at a time.
Rocshaboc
June 23, 2009, 11:38:11 AMAbout time Jax. Come on and wake up sleepy town. Its ok to catch up with the times.
Ocklawaha
June 23, 2009, 11:57:24 AMWould have been MUCH cheaper to scrap all of the meters and transfer those fees to garage and parking lot spaces, then simply go with free timed parking on the grid. This just takes us into phase II of a really bad urban killing idea.
OCKLAWAHA
jeh1980
June 23, 2009, 12:27:56 PMstephendare
June 23, 2009, 01:14:34 PMAll I can say is that its about time.
We worked tirelessly on this issue, both from the merchant's perspective as well as through the site.
I don't know how many of these committee meetings we had to sit through, arguing with the old guy at the jeweler's downtown about the subject.
I think the turning point came when Ron Barton heard the same story from The MOCA jacksonville and Library as well as most of the merchants that the parking enforcement was killing downtown.
Elaine Brown suggested Smart Meters, in her committee meeting on the subject, it seems like a hundred years ago.
Thanks Elaine. Its about time they got it done.
stephendare
June 23, 2009, 02:57:11 PMSteve, great update and article.
I also ran across this old post from our Metjax days:
http://metjax.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3311
In response to several requests for a summation of the proposed solutions:
philosophy.
We feel that the philosophy and mission statement of whatever parking commission might exist should be "To serve Jacksonville residents and businesses with their parking needs, aid and inform citizens on locations and best parking options, exhibit the best forms of customer service, and above all to serve the interests of the public and public safety."
The job of the parking department is not to bully, harm, force or to intimidate citizens or to discourage businesses from succeeding.
inventory
Meters, Garages and Lots.
That the meters for streetside parking be set at times appropriate to use, determined by a consensus of the businesses and civic leaders, and that they not carry any maximum time limits. so long as the meter is paid.
That garages which are paid for by public funds should keep the bottom floors open to public parking at rates consistent with other cities like Indianapolis' downtown (1 dollar for 4 hours)
That single level parking lots be discouraged and assessed appropriate per spot parking taxes, with the funds being disbursed for appropriate and user friendly signage directing parkers to open lots and garages.
policies
penalties, rules, ordinances, enforcement.
That the egregious new penalties put into place be abolished and that the former 5 dollar fines be reinstated for parking infractions. (incomplete)
That the tedious rules measuring the distance to and from a parking meter be abolished, (done)
that the pernicious requirement that parkers move their car outside of a four block radius be abolished, (done)
that the prohibition against meter feeding be abolished--although the behavior admonished by enforcement. (done)
That onstreet parking be available only after the hour of 930am except for delivery vehicles. (incomplete)
That the entire bloody force be retrained to function as customer service agents whose job titles would include helping people to find parking and educating people about appropriate parking behavior. (incomplete)
That in all cases people should be encouraged to come and REMAIN in the downtown core area in order to promote healthy and vibrant business activity and that whatever aid in parking as the parking officers may render that they be REQUIRED to render it. (incomplete)
Additional recommendations:
That for a period of six months, a parking meter fine amnesty be extended throughout downtown from thursday afternoon to monday mornings to encourage people to come downtown and try out the shops and cultural institutions. (including Art Walk Wednesday after the hour of 2pm. (incomplete)
That the city replace the antique mechanical meters with credit card and cell phone compatible versions of the type that have been employed in other cities. (done)
And that I think sums up the needed changes to downtowns parking mayhem....extra emphasis on the monies to be spent on the appropriate "P" signage for parking. (incomplete)
Last edited by Stephendare : 11-04-2006 at 12:11 PM.
Steve
June 23, 2009, 02:58:50 PMSometime I feel like the city is "trying" like the kid that got off the short bus is trying to win a sprint against world class athletes.
Seriously - St. Augustine has them now. How hard was this, really? I guarantee revenue collection will rise significantly with these meters.
BOfficer
June 23, 2009, 05:07:23 PMGlad we are finally stepping up. City image is so important in attracting better business to the area.
heights unknown
June 23, 2009, 05:21:47 PMAnyone who has the microchip, chip or mark in the forehead will be the highly esteemed intellectuals and the wealthy, i.e., Donald Trump, millionaires, executives, people with PHD's, Master's degrees, etc., and anyone else who is highly esteemed.
Everyone else will have it in the web between the thumb and first finger in the right hand.
www.greaterthings.com/News/Chip_Implants/index.html
Heights Unknown
Omarvelous09
June 23, 2009, 07:36:54 PMYESSS!!! i love this things. I hope they're the ones that charge your card directly when you go over time, so when the meter bi*ches come along...all they have to do is look up the receipt number, and the info is updated **no tickets**. fancy
stjr
June 23, 2009, 09:15:41 PMI know I shouldn't be asking this question, but I do so on behalf of all those "other" parking users who try to circumvent the rules!
Charles Hunter
June 24, 2009, 06:07:53 AMHow long do the solar panels keep the meter running with several days of cloudy weather? Are they sensitive enough to use to the reduced light available on cloudy days?
5PointsGuy
June 24, 2009, 08:51:29 AMVery good question. Anyone know the answer? I assume that the panels can get energy from less concentrated light. LCD screens don't take up that much energy and the only time the meter would be really turning up the power would be when its validating a credit card, which shouldn't be all that often. So I would think it could probably handle a couple of days of low light.
Jason
June 24, 2009, 09:53:16 AMThey probably use miniscule amounts of power that a solar panel of that size can more than handle. Also, small amounts of power can be derived from the phone line attached to it 9if there is one). Maybe even enough to power it completely. If its cellular (probably is because its a retrofit) the solar panel probably gives it the extra power to send the credit validation signal.
Lunican
June 24, 2009, 09:56:12 AMA small battery can probably run it for a year without any sunlight.
Steve
June 24, 2009, 12:46:25 PMMy guess is that is one of the aspects that they are testing in the pilot, but the energy use on these things is I'm sure VERY small.
mtraininjax
June 24, 2009, 04:08:56 PMThese devices can be hacked, is your personal data worth it?
Parking Meters: The Next Big Hack?
Security researcher prepares to outline vulnerabilities at upcoming Black Hat conference Jun 22, 2009 | 04:35 PM
By Tim Wilson
DarkReading
There are a lot of ways for your identity stolen to be stolen. Until last week, however, parking legally wasn't one that had occurred to most of us.
Last week, security researcher Joe Grand offered a preview of his upcoming presentation at the Black Hat USA conference, which will take place in Las Vegas next month. The subject of Grand's presentation: parking meters.
Grand says that so-called "smart" parking meters -- which are computerized, often networked, and can accept credit cards -- could be vulnerable to hacking. Attackers could breach the meters to steal credit card data or to gain access to debit cards that could be reset or reloaded, he warns.
In some cities, the meters are connected by wireless or infrared systems that could be hacked to give free parking or expire another driver's spot, Grand says.
Grand didn't give away all of the details of his presentation during the preview, but he said it's likely that others are exploring potential vulnerabilities in the networked meters.
Steve
June 24, 2009, 04:56:44 PMI was wondering what negative you would come up with on this mtrain. It was two days, and I saw nothing for you, and I was a little worried about you. Glad to know you're still doing well.
Now, let's just go back to 1901, and we won't have to worry about hacking!
mtraininjax
June 24, 2009, 05:05:37 PMNow, let's just go back to 1901, and we won't have to worry about hacking!
Steve, just keeping it real. Some of us live in the real world, you and the others who doubt the hackers, can deny it all you want, just try getting a loan after using one of these things....
No one ever stole your identity from a coin-fed meter.
Lunican
June 24, 2009, 07:32:23 PMThese meters also accept coins.
urbanlibertarian
June 24, 2009, 08:25:01 PMCan it read my fingerprint off the coin and steal my identity?
Can it take my photograph and steal my soul?
Steve
June 24, 2009, 08:38:59 PMNo one ever stole your identity from a coin-fed meter.
I don't doubt the world of hacking - I work in IT for an eCommerce company, so I do have an Idea what they are capable of. Because of this, my personal feeling is that the best way to avoid hackers is to move into a padded room, with no communication to the outside world.
mtraininjax
June 25, 2009, 06:46:25 AMNow that is great sarcasm!
Again, Steve, think of how the devices all communicate to the Yates Building. Wireless perhaps? Thanks for the new meters, I'll stick with coins.
Charles Hunter
June 25, 2009, 06:50:49 AMPsst, shoud we tell mtrain that the GPS chips in his cell phone and car are reporting his exact location to .... well, I've said too much already ...
mtraininjax
June 25, 2009, 06:55:23 AMCharles - I'm betting I can go through your trash, at your curb, which is legal, and then sell your information, ruining your eternal life and you would never know about it, until you tried to next get credit. If you shred data, fine, I can pay Springfield's finest to seperate and put the data back together, just like the 3rd world countries do now with much of the US export of paper.
Its fine to know where I am, but what am I doing should be of more concern.
Charles Hunter
June 25, 2009, 07:41:03 AMYou are so right ... it is a scary world!
That's why I eat all my data sensitive trash!
stephendare
June 25, 2009, 09:23:18 AMum. wow. Wonder if we can get back onto the smart meters?
Hafta say that this present argument is effing ridonkulous.
Steve
June 25, 2009, 11:10:53 AMEach person has the right not to use this new technology. With that said, I am happy to swipe my card next time I park.
Stephen - you owned a restaraunt downtown and heard complaints everyday. Do you think this will help?
stephendare
June 25, 2009, 11:45:09 AMAside from pulling up this special tax that only applies to downtown customers, it is the only thing that will help, Steve.
And yes, paranoid naysayers can simply opt to use the anonymous quarter option located at the top of the meter if they wish to avoid the nebulous possible downsides of technology in this Brave New World.
And Steve, not only did I own a restaurant downtown, but I also owned a few galleries, a magazine and an open formatted arts/performance space as well. And lived there for many years in one or another loft.
Its definitely an improvement, although it still doesnt approach the basic fairness question of why only downtown businesses have this tax on ther customers.
stephendare
October 14, 2009, 12:39:30 PMvia facebook:
Sharla Valeski
hi stephen,
yesterday, I noticed they had replaced all the smart meters in front of hemming plaza with those old one-hour meters. do you know anything about this? and what did they do with the smart meters?
thelakelander
October 14, 2009, 12:43:03 PM^I guess they did not like them? Too advanced maybe? Looks like we may need to brush out the quarters.
reednavy
October 14, 2009, 12:57:37 PMYou've got to be joking.
Steve
October 14, 2009, 01:06:54 PM^I have a question into the head of parking for the city. I know the frankenstein meters were part of a pilot. They may have only had the equipment for a certain period before the vendor wanted it back.
I will say, government procurement is not the easiest thing in the world.
tufsu1
October 14, 2009, 01:23:37 PMIt was stated as a 3-month trial....guess they didn't work out so well
mtraininjax
October 14, 2009, 01:37:02 PMThe only thing rediculous is NOT discussing something just because you think its "ridonkulous".
stephendare
October 14, 2009, 01:41:47 PMeffing ridonkulous, redux.
The only thing rediculous is NOT discussing something just because you think its "ridonkulous".
mtraininjax
October 14, 2009, 01:58:28 PMIt would appear the COJ Parking Enforcement office found the smart meters to be
stephendare
October 14, 2009, 02:03:12 PMthat must come from the same brilliant source as many of your other posts on the subject, mtrain. How do they all fit up there?
stephendare
October 14, 2009, 02:51:47 PMThe parking divisions phone has been busy for a solid hour
i wonder if they took it off the hook?
mtraininjax
October 14, 2009, 02:53:57 PMThey knew you would be calling asking obvious questions. Perhaps a visit to them at 224 E. Forsyth would be more appropriate?
fsujax
October 14, 2009, 03:02:43 PMyou have got to be kidding me? I really likes the meters that accepted credit cards. It made it so much easier to park Downtown. This really makes want to say....wtf?
stephendare
October 14, 2009, 03:21:24 PMOK here is the official response from Parking.
The meters, as previously stated, were a 90 day loaner from the company to gauge the public reaction.
That time elapsed and so the meters were taken to their next demo city.
Parking had very positive response to the new meters, people liked them a lot better, if only for the fact that you could use nickels and dimes with them instead of the quarters only.
They would like to implement the technology, as they were very low maintenance, far fewer complaints, and the company that made them was a pleasure to work with.
Now they need for council to ok the funding.
What we can do is email or contact the city council and demand that the technology be installed.
Oh, and the cc issue: Mtrain. There wasnt as much usage on the credit cards as expected. People used change more often because you could use the additional kinds of coins.
All in all it was a positive experience for the City.
thelakelander
October 14, 2009, 03:23:35 PMToo bad they did not take advantage of our original push with Suzanne Jenkins to fund digital meters when she was on the council. The funding was there and could have paid for several meters years ago.
fsujax
October 14, 2009, 03:38:50 PMthats good to hear. thanks for the update.
mtraininjax
October 14, 2009, 03:41:14 PMHow long have the bus shelters languished, all over some boobs on the side of a bus stop? I'm sure my council person will get right on adding the smart meters, right after his normal 8-5 nap he takes with regard to all city issues.
Demand that technology be installed? This is the same city that ONLY HAS WI-FI installed in libraries and patrol cars. No CITY department has WI-FI so why would we ever expect that ITD could/would install something so unknown to itself?
This is the same City ITD department that saw its website go down last Friday (www.coj.net) for hours during the middle of the day for "maintenance". The appearance of wrongdoing with Lauer was never good, but at least he was progressive in his thinking. The stories we could tell about ITD....UGH!
NthDegree
October 14, 2009, 03:48:19 PMSometime I feel like the city is "trying" like the kid that got off the short bus is trying to win a sprint against world class athletes.
Seriously - St. Augustine has them now. How hard was this, really? I guarantee revenue collection will rise significantly with these meters.
You are right, revenues are up and they are significant.
jbroadglide
October 14, 2009, 03:55:01 PMmtrain, I don't know if you work for the city or are just repeating what you hear but you need to check your facts a little better. The entire Godbold Building is wi-fi. Part of the St James is wi-fi and the Ed Ball building, which houses ITD, by the way, is also wi-fi..somebody has been feeding you soem bad info.
mtraininjax
October 14, 2009, 03:57:57 PMJB - Show me on the City site where this is listed? Not saying you don't have your facts straight, but nothing is listed on the City site or ITD's site about Wi-Fi access.
I will tell you that none of the city's Community Centers or Senior Centers are wired for Wi-Fi, except the Balis which is connected to a library in San Marco.
jbroadglide
October 14, 2009, 04:07:14 PMI don't know that it is listed on the city site. I just know that those locations I mentioned are wi-fi. Not the entire St James, just the ground floor...
mtraininjax
October 14, 2009, 04:10:15 PMWould you concur that the Community centers and senior centers are not?
jbroadglide
October 14, 2009, 04:12:07 PMNo because I don't know that to be a fact. But give me a day and I can likely get an answer.
mtraininjax
October 14, 2009, 04:12:38 PMOK. Would like to know.
stephendare
October 14, 2009, 04:14:13 PMhaving liveblogged the trail ridge hearings from there, I can attest to that.
stjr
October 14, 2009, 05:26:47 PMWifi? Advanced parking meters? More opportunities for free goodies. Let's get advertising sponsors for these too. Also, some for the police and fire pension fund! And, the City Council could be sponsored by the development community. This was a great idea. Let's keep it going. We should have a commercial sponsor for every line in the City budget and then we could close City government and do away with taxes. Maybe it will work out better than the stadium naming rights we now are giving up $5 million a year in bed tax to cover.
stephendare
October 14, 2009, 05:28:25 PMtoo late, stjr. The City Council is already sponsored by the development community.
stjr
October 14, 2009, 05:54:40 PMI wrote that originally but then thought it might be a little to mean spirited even if well deserved. Some council reps are naive or spineless while others are owned. Same result though.
mtraininjax
October 15, 2009, 10:22:15 AMComplete article on it in the Daily Record, a Jim Bailey publication, who is also running for Mayor in 2011.
http://jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=529322
jbroadglide
October 15, 2009, 10:26:08 AMmtraininjax
October 15, 2009, 10:29:59 AMJB - I know, I am peeved about that too. The Library does an excellent job in promoting their wi-fi hotspots. But the City does an absolutely LOUSY job at it, about status quo for most things the city does, I guess.
I work with folks at Adult Services, and they are unhappy with this as well. Many seniors can afford a laptop that runs with wi-fi, and runs faster than most of the hand-me-down machines in the Senior Centers, but there is no wi-fi in these centers and they are used by more people daily, than most city buildings. But then again, it is the City and I am not suprised.
jbroadglide
October 15, 2009, 10:32:06 AMHowever given the current economic times, as a taxpayer, I would be less than pleased to learn the city was going to install wi-fi in a bunch of buildings that would only get used by a minimum number of people. Not to say those people are not important and deserve the access. I would just rather that tax dollar go to something to benefit the majority.
mtraininjax
October 15, 2009, 10:36:28 AMJB - Go check out Mary Singleton center and see the number of people in there, any time of the day. Believe me, they get good use out of that center and the way that data is collected now, to get stats back to the State for re-imbursement, could be improved 300% by a wi-fi system. Adding wi-fi is not expensive, and if ITD has it on its cushy floor and others have it, why don't more have it and what is the plan for extending it? More wi-fi, could mean, fewer employees needed.
jbroadglide
October 15, 2009, 10:55:48 AMmtrain, your comments and ideas are valid. I'm not the one to answer those questions though. Your city council person would be the one to ask and get the answers.
mtraininjax
October 15, 2009, 04:25:29 PMJB - My city council person isn't even worth gum on the bottom of my shoe.
stjr
October 15, 2009, 05:19:50 PMHow much would it cost to install WiFi in a senior citizens center? A connection would be maybe $50 to $100 a month (the City could probably get a better deal if they worked at it) plus a $50 to $100 wireless router?
Better yet, get one of the drug companies to sponsor WiFi there. When the senior logs on, a drug ad is the home page before they click through. See, just like the bus shelters, ads can pay for all our concerns.
In fact, we could ad WiFi to every bus shelter doing the same thing (maybe the WiFi ads could pay for the bus shelter and we wouldn't have to endanger our sign ordinance after all!). Just like the airports, you could surf the net while waiting for the bus. Now that would be nifty!
mtraininjax
October 15, 2009, 05:31:55 PMstjr - You are proposing something that makes absolutely perfect sense to someone who has to deal with the City and try and float something that makes perfect sense to a group of people who take perfectly good ideas and then sit on them for months.
Every bus could have wi-fi, its not physically impossible. But I'd rather JTA spend money to fix the potholes than add wi-fi on a bus.
stjr
October 15, 2009, 05:44:15 PMI was actually referring to bus shelters but buses are viable also. Again, with ads this could be done at no expense to the pothole budget. JTA/COJ can still have money for potholes (hey, lets sell ads on the repair barricades to pay for the pothole repairs
mtraininjax
October 15, 2009, 05:48:10 PMI like the way you think, you are progressive and I think you'd make a great mayor!