Boston places $10+ million contract with Parkeon for new pay and display parking system
Following six months of comparison trials, the City of Boston has signed a contract worth $10+ million with Parkeon, the worlds leading manufacturer of parking space management solutions. The Company will replace the Citys single space parking meters (SSPMs) with a fully-centralized, multi-space, pay-and-display parking system - comprising up to 1,000 solar-powered Strada BNA payment terminals - over the next three years.
Multi-space scheme with multiple payment options will replace single space meters as a result of extensive trials
A major objective of the scheme is to offer drivers the convenience of as wide a range of payment options as possible. The new machines will accept credit cards, bills and coins. Credit card payments will be processed and authorized on-line and in real-time for optimum security. This is a more secure option than the off-line, mag-stripe card system also trialled.
With parking charges set at $1 per hour and a maximum permitted stay of two hours, the City of Boston considered the ability of the payment terminals to accept bills as particularly important. Introducing additional payment methods will also reduce significantly the volume of coinage collected annually by its Transportation Department: currently $8 million in quarters!
"The City of Boston is excited to have this opportunity to purchase parking meters outfitted with current technology, " said Acting Boston Transportation Commissioner Thomas J. Tinlin. "The Transportation Department is looking forward to improving the quality of Boston's meter operation via wireless technology available with the new meters and an expected decrease in vandalism."
He continued, "The multi-space meters will be installed along several blocks of Newbury Street, a high-end shopping district in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. In addition to improving the popular street aesthetically by cutting back on the clutter of street furniture from single space meters, for the first time in Boston, drivers patronizing local restaurants and boutiques will be pleased to have payment options available for their parking needs."
Boston will be using Parkeons Parkfolio.Neo fully-hosted centralization service to monitor each of the pay-and-display terminals via a wireless connection. The warnings, alarms and data automatically transmitted by the machines will enable the Transportation Department to access information continually, via the web, to maximize utilization of its maintenance, collection and enforcement teams.
Financial and statistical Information generated by Parkfolio.Neo will help the City to monitor, review and develop its parking facilities from an operational management perspective.
The Strada BNA features an exchangeable cash box that is ergonomically-designed so that collection personnel can remove and replace it comfortably and safely. The weight of the cash box is supported by the drop-forward vault door upon opening. The maintenance and cash box vaults are isolated from each other to prevent their integrity being compromized another feature that won support from the collection teams.
It has been very rewarding to be in with the customer right from the start of this project and to help the City of Boston achieve its objectives, says Michael Kavur,
Parkeons Vice President and Business Manager, North America. The City was also reassured by the fact that we already have a number of major US cities as customers.
Following the replacement of its SSPMs, Boston will benefit from the various advantages that multi-space, pay-and-display systems yield, including increased on-street parking capacity and revenue, tidier sidewalks, and no bay markings. The introduction of additional payment options will also boost income significantly, as results from other US cities have proven.
The first 25 Strada BNAs, with a new metallic Titanium Gray finish, will be installed downtown starting in September 2006.
A major objective of the scheme is to offer drivers the convenience of as wide a range of payment options as possible. The new machines will accept credit cards, bills and coins. Credit card payments will be processed and authorized on-line and in real-time for optimum security. This is a more secure option than the off-line, mag-stripe card system also trialled.
With parking charges set at $1 per hour and a maximum permitted stay of two hours, the City of Boston considered the ability of the payment terminals to accept bills as particularly important. Introducing additional payment methods will also reduce significantly the volume of coinage collected annually by its Transportation Department: currently $8 million in quarters!
"The City of Boston is excited to have this opportunity to purchase parking meters outfitted with current technology, " said Acting Boston Transportation Commissioner Thomas J. Tinlin. "The Transportation Department is looking forward to improving the quality of Boston's meter operation via wireless technology available with the new meters and an expected decrease in vandalism."
He continued, "The multi-space meters will be installed along several blocks of Newbury Street, a high-end shopping district in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. In addition to improving the popular street aesthetically by cutting back on the clutter of street furniture from single space meters, for the first time in Boston, drivers patronizing local restaurants and boutiques will be pleased to have payment options available for their parking needs."
Boston will be using Parkeons Parkfolio.Neo fully-hosted centralization service to monitor each of the pay-and-display terminals via a wireless connection. The warnings, alarms and data automatically transmitted by the machines will enable the Transportation Department to access information continually, via the web, to maximize utilization of its maintenance, collection and enforcement teams.
Financial and statistical Information generated by Parkfolio.Neo will help the City to monitor, review and develop its parking facilities from an operational management perspective.
The Strada BNA features an exchangeable cash box that is ergonomically-designed so that collection personnel can remove and replace it comfortably and safely. The weight of the cash box is supported by the drop-forward vault door upon opening. The maintenance and cash box vaults are isolated from each other to prevent their integrity being compromized another feature that won support from the collection teams.
It has been very rewarding to be in with the customer right from the start of this project and to help the City of Boston achieve its objectives, says Michael Kavur,
Parkeons Vice President and Business Manager, North America. The City was also reassured by the fact that we already have a number of major US cities as customers.
Following the replacement of its SSPMs, Boston will benefit from the various advantages that multi-space, pay-and-display systems yield, including increased on-street parking capacity and revenue, tidier sidewalks, and no bay markings. The introduction of additional payment options will also boost income significantly, as results from other US cities have proven.
The first 25 Strada BNAs, with a new metallic Titanium Gray finish, will be installed downtown starting in September 2006.
About Parkeon
Parkeon was formerly Schlumberger e-City, the Parking and Ticketing Systems division of Schlumberger. The Company was at the forefront of the development of pay & display terminals in the 1970s and has 30 years of proven innovation and proven expertise in the parking business.Today Parkeon is a leader in parking systems and equipment, offering both on-street and off-street parking solutions. The Company employs over 850 people worldwide and generated revenues of over $160 million in 2005.
With an installed base in excess of 140,000 machines, its parking terminals are a familiar sight in over 3,000 cities across 40 countries and its pay & display systems control over 3 million parking spaces around the world. Parkeon has over 9,000 terminals installed in North America.
Thanks to world-class engineers and substantial investments over the last three years, Parkeon has built undeniable technological leadership in its field. Parkeon provides complete parking revenue collection solutions, equipment and services to municipalities and car park operators.
Parkfolio and Strada are registered trademarks of Parkeon.
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