ParkPlus marks first sale of made-in-Calgary technology
Twenty machines to be installed at Whistler; more sales demonstrations planned
ParkPlus is expanding its reach to B.C.
Twenty machines will be installed in three Whistler parking lots at the end of June, the first sale of the Calgary Parking Authority's technology.
General manager Dale Fraser said they are also preparing a demonstration of about 10 machines for Washington, D.C. and are in talks with the private company that oversees on-street parking in Chicago.
"The technology we have is very unique," said Larry Ryder, chairman of the parking authority board.
Fraser said the licensing agreement with Whistler is multi-year, but wouldn't give further details before the deal goes to the parking authority board. The fee is confidential, he added.
Fraser also declined to speculate on the overall revenue opportunities for the city in licensing the technology when asked by the city's audit committee Thursday morning.
The Calgary Parking Authority has a global patent on the parking system, which replaced meters on city streets in 2007.
While the system created more on-street parking and allowed drivers to not overpay by using their cellphone to start and stop a session, it also can result in people getting tickets when stopped for five minutes and there's no opportunity to piggyback on time left on a meter.
A hybrid sport utility vehicle with six cameras mounted on it scans licence plates as it drives by and can tell whether a vehicle is paid up. If not, a ticket will arrive in the mail.
The Calgary Parking Authority has also installed them at city park and ride and other surface lots and is planning to put them in city-owned parkades.
Twenty machines will be installed in three Whistler parking lots at the end of June, the first sale of the Calgary Parking Authority's technology.
General manager Dale Fraser said they are also preparing a demonstration of about 10 machines for Washington, D.C. and are in talks with the private company that oversees on-street parking in Chicago.
"The technology we have is very unique," said Larry Ryder, chairman of the parking authority board.
Fraser said the licensing agreement with Whistler is multi-year, but wouldn't give further details before the deal goes to the parking authority board. The fee is confidential, he added.
Fraser also declined to speculate on the overall revenue opportunities for the city in licensing the technology when asked by the city's audit committee Thursday morning.
The Calgary Parking Authority has a global patent on the parking system, which replaced meters on city streets in 2007.
While the system created more on-street parking and allowed drivers to not overpay by using their cellphone to start and stop a session, it also can result in people getting tickets when stopped for five minutes and there's no opportunity to piggyback on time left on a meter.
A hybrid sport utility vehicle with six cameras mounted on it scans licence plates as it drives by and can tell whether a vehicle is paid up. If not, a ticket will arrive in the mail.
The Calgary Parking Authority has also installed them at city park and ride and other surface lots and is planning to put them in city-owned parkades.
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