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CTO Sergio Mastronardi discusses how Pay by Plate technology ensures meters signify if there are any latency or communication issues.

Minimizing enforcement errors plays a key role in the successful adoption of new parking enforcement technologies, whether you transition to pay by plate parking, or another solution. There is always a learning curve involved with any technological upgrade, but smoothing out the adjustment period and making sure the hassles involved are not solely the parker’s responsibility to rectify can make the difference between the change being accepted or rejected by the public. Luckily, the number plate checking technology – PlateCheck – is here as a safeguard for pay by plate parking technology, double-checks data on each side of the enforcement equation, both on plate entry and while checking for parking rights, to ensure that citations aren’t issued in error. How PlateCheck works In an effort to lower the number of erroneous tickets issued, PlateCheck uses a proprietary algorithm to verify plate data. In addition to offering real-time verification, PlateCheck can spare parkers unnecessary hassle by recognizing plate information inputted in error. It does this by cross-checking potential matches in the parking rights database. Once a plate number has been captured by the web application, PlateCheck queries live data for any anomalies, correcting characters with consistent precision. One-digit errors can be found and corrected 100% of the time! PlateCheck is not only a safeguard against human error, but machine error too. Most notably, it reduces LPR camera misreads, improving hit rates to over 95%. In addition, enforcement software performs a “last number plate check” before issuing citations, giving the parking enforcement official one final verification of parking rights before levying a ticket. Parking enforcement software solutions offer a better way forward Pay by Plate parking can mean big things for municipal revenues: with high enforcement efficiency and accuracy, and thus fewer disputed tickets, certain municipalities have seen an 80% increase in collection rates. For Galveston, TX, that meant more than $100,000 in additional civic revenue in the first three months following the pay-by-plate transition. Better still, most pay-by-plate technologies allow municipalities a slower, layered integration with existing payment methods like Pay and Display or Pay by Space, allowing everyone time to catch up with the new system. PlateCheck reduces the guesswork and aggravation that can go hand-in-hand with parking management in a town or city regarding number plate checks, vehicle registration checking online and general parking rights. Real-time verification brings down the incidence of errors to as little as 1% of all tickets issued. While in mid-to-large size cities that can still mean a fair amount of disputed tickets, consider how many more it would be at just 2%! Nothing’s perfect, of course, but pay-by-plate technologies equipped with PlateCheck get as close as possible. Parkers and enforcement officials both will make mistakes while getting used to new parking enforcement solutions during adoption periods, but those mistakes need not define the new system. PlateCheck is here to make sure they don’t. hbspt.cta.load(154767, 'b9e99a93-7da5-445d-8181-90449d71f83d', {});

Making the switch from older, more traditional parking enforcement systems (think coin meters and a lot of chalk) to a new parking system – such as a more modern pay by plate solution – can revolutionize parking in your municipality. The newer systems are easier to use for parkers and administrators alike, and those towns and cities that have updated their parking enforcement have nothing but wonderful things to say about the change. When changing to a new parking system, there’s a lot to take into account, including whether to use delineated or non-delineated spaces. While there are big benefits, there are a few facts that ought to be considered that will accompany a switch to any new parking system, whether it’s pay by space or pay by plate. There are upsides and downsides to not putting down lines and defining parking stalls, and given these issues, some cities and towns will need to take a good long look at the situation before deciding to go one way or the other. A little bit of due diligence goes a long way here. In the spirit of helping you sort through the details, we’ve assembled some of the positives and negatives that non-delineated parking management systems bring. Weigh the pros and cons below in relation to your municipality, and you’ll be one step closer to deciding if now’s the time to move to a non-delineated approach to your parking system or not. The pros and cons of a non-delineated parking system Pros            Cons More spots available: Parking customers take up only as much space as they need, which should result in more available spaces More efficient enforcement: Less labor-intensive checking that’s very tech-friendly, far fewer errors without needing to sync up stall numbers Cleaner look, less infrastructure needed: No painted spots or related maintenance Multi-use payment: Ability to more easily set up a system where the parking rights may be used in several spaces within a designated zone More customer-friendly: More convenient, ‘pro-parker’ and possibly smartphone-based More efficient use of workforce: If LPR is being used, more zones can be covered. Officers may be assigned different duties which may require adjusting to new roles. Fewer spaces could be available: If drivers park poorly and don’t efficiently utilize space, fewer overall spaces may be available More violations: Without delineated spots, many drivers may park too close to crosswalks, fire hydrants, and driveways Confusion can lead to drive-offs: If drivers aren’t sure what to do, may find private lots Non-delineated parking systems: A lot of ins, a lot of outs As the above shows, there will be some hiccups that go hand-in-hand with a switch to non-delineated stalls in most parking management systems. But there are also many issues that don’t quite tie into the question of whether spots are delineated or not–be it late adopters who don’t know how to use the new technology or coming up with something to do with all those old, now-useless coin meters. However, when compared to the many benefits available, like easier fee payment and more consistent revenue, those challenges to new parking management systems don’t seem so insurmountable. The larger point is this: the decision to move to non-delineated parking systems is not one that should be taken lightly. It’s a big change that can do a lot of good, but there are challenges, too. hbspt.cta.load(154767, 'b9e99a93-7da5-445d-8181-90449d71f83d', {});

Forward-thinking new approaches to parking management aren’t the easiest ideas to sell. The thing is, new innovations bringing change to parking software solutions, like pay by plate, don’t have to replace existing systems. Parking managers can take a slower approach to replacing aging enforcement systems grandfathering in new technology to help foster acceptance at a comfortable pace. The key to managing the change-over is proper integration. You can’t simply steamroll parking management software into broad, accepted use. This post will go over a few different ways to make the lives of parking managers easier during these periods of transition by using an integrated parking management system. An integrated parking management system is what you make of it There’s no ideal way to blend the old and the new, and there will always be a gap in acceptance when people have a multitude of options. When pay by plate is first introduced, certain drivers may stick with payment methods they know because the person parking his or her car isn’t sure how the new system works and isn’t excited about the change. Until pay by plate gets over with the general public, which it will due in time, parking agencies need to maintain the status quo with a light touch while educating the public about what is on the horizon with the right mix of public relations campaigning and strategic integration. Three pieces of advice when blending parking systems 1. Use as few different solutions as possible If making a full switch to pay by plate from your current system is simply not a realistic option, consider paring down the available offerings. Not quite ready to cycle out those curbside coin meters? Many cities are adding signage to the traditional coin meters allowing parkers the option to pay using their plate number with a mobile phone. People appreciate more options when they add convenience. 2. Select options that integrate easily with each other Pay by plate works great alongside pay by space, as both are digital systems that allow parkers more convenience and PEOs a greater degree of control than they have with visually enforced meters. To help overcome inertia if you’re having trouble getting a new software solution off the ground alongside your legacy solution, point out that providing variety to customers can open up new revenue streams. 3. Push for a single consolidated system Over a long enough timeline, pay by plate is going to prove itself as the best option for city- or town-wide parking enforcement. The benefits are wide-ranging, the convenience is extraordinary, and there’s really no downside. If it will help convince your superiors, point out cases like Pittsburgh, PA, or Seattle, WA, who is using hybridized, integrated parking solutions, ‘the best of both worlds’, to meet its business needs. Tips for bring change to parking software solutions Keep track of metrics that will help your case No one’s going to simply take your word for it, so data is your friend. If you can, focus on revenue enhancements, lowered enforcement budgets, and daily traffic flow improvements. Don’t go overboard on hard-sell tactics Use a light touch when dealing with superiors. Be firm in your tactics of persuasion, but don’t be rude or inconsiderate. You’ll catch more flies with honey, so the saying goes. Work on practical improvements You might not get the exact set-up you’d prefer on the exact timeline you’d like. That said, keep your head down and work on making whatever your situation is better, with a consolidation of multiple parking systems as a long-term goal. Become an experts on all facets of every parking management solution used in your area If you only know the benefits of the system you want to implement, people could remain skeptical of your approach. Come to know how the systems work that you’d like to replace, and you can present comparative analyses that isolate the benefits of pay by plate in terms fans of other enforcement methods will understand and appreciate. Get our slide deck today to learn more about how integrating pay by plate can be done on your own terms: hbspt.cta.load(154767, 'b9e99a93-7da5-445d-8181-90449d71f83d', {});