New Parking meter Glitches Getting Fixed

We all hear stories of people digging around, asking for change, whatever it takes to feed the meter. Despite the fact that many people (myself included) simply don’t carry cash and change on them, parking meters have stubbornly remained in the past, relying on the quarters that always seem to be just out of reach under the seat.

Fortunately, the City of Pittsburgh has recently installed some of the new parking meters students may have seen in and around Schenley or other parts of the city. These modern updates allow students to pay for their parking with a credit or debit card.

In this article by the Post-Gazette, two minor glitches with the new system are identified: the digital screen can be difficult to read in the sun, and when someone tries to add more time to the meter, it eliminates any “rollover” time they might have. The city is working to fix both of these.

                                                        

One interesting statistic that the article points out is that 65% of the transactions on the new machines were made with credit cards; clearly these meters are living up to what motorists want.

Another interesting article that wasn’t substantive enough for a full post, considering how much we have discussed the issue, but this article in the Tribune-Review reiterates the point that discussion over how much non-profits contribute to the city isn’t going away.