Calgary Parking Meter System, Canada

Calgary Parking Authority (CPA) is to launch a new pay and display parking meter system in 2007 to replace the outmoded mechanical parking meters that cause so many problems.

CALGARY'S PARKING PROBLEMS

Parking in Calgary will no longer involve a mad dash to feed the meter with coins as time runs out. Instead drivers will be able to pay by using a mobile phone (by knowing the identification number of the area in which they are parked) or over the internet with a credit card or with cash if they prefer.

The system will mean that no more tickets are issued on windscreens for parking offences, instead parking officials will input licence plate numbers during their rounds and at the end of the shift the CPA computer will decide whether the vehicles were registered as having paid and if not they will be sent a ticket in the mail.

The new system has been estimated to cost $5m and will significantly reduce the frustration attached to parking in Calgary.

The system means that upon parking a driver may pay at the pay and display machine by whatever means he chooses (and display the receipt on the dash) but also if the ticket runs out of time before they have returned they can set up a virtual system on their mobile phone to pay extra and extend their parking time without having to return to their vehicle.

PARKING METER SYSTEM INSTALLATION

The parking authority is due to start installing the new machines in early 2007. There will be a trial roll out on a few streets to iron out any bugs in the system and then the full roll out will be completed by the third quarter of 2007.

The machines installed are currently being tested and will either be Parkline 3000 machines from Dambach or Stelio machines from Parkeon Inc.

The requirements for the machines is that they be robust to stand up to the Calgary winter, modular so that the parking system can be modified, solar powered so that powering them is not a problem, and plug and play so that the system network of machines can be easily set up and require the minimum of maintenance.

Another change being made by the CPA is due to the fact that Canadian cars are getting smaller the set parking stalls along the street are to be removed so that more cars can squeeze into a block as they will not be restricted as to where a meter is situated.

AUTOMATED TYRE-CHALKING SYSTEM

The tyre-chalking system being introduced by the CPA is an automated system for determining parking violations. It is a response to residents and business owners who have time-restricted or residential parking zones near their homes or businesses. If a vehicle is illegally parked in these zones the CPA need to respond and fine the offender.

With the autoChalk system, cameras mounted on an enforcement vehicle communicate with a laser and Global Positioning System (GPS) to capture digital photos of vehicles in violation of time-limited parking zones.

The technology allows enforcement officers to remain in their vehicle while collecting photos of vehicles in violation and their license information.

A second officer in the enforcement vehicle verifies that the vehicle in question is illegally parked and a violation ticket is then issued.

Data captured by the autoChalk system is then downloaded to the CPA network, the registered owner is identified and a violation ticket is mailed to the recipient. The violation ticket will contain photo information that provides clear evidence of the parking infraction.

The fine amount remains at $50 for parking in excess of a posted time limit in a residential community. The trial will be operated in areas where business owners and residents have expressed concerns about overtime parking such as LRT stations and other high-traffic areas around educational institutions and hospitals.

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