Say goodbye to dashboard receipts — PPA to install pay-by-plate parking kiosks

The Philadelphia Parking Authority plans to install new solar-powered parking kiosks in Center City next week. The ultimate plan is to roll out the new machines citywide by the end of March 2020, replacing all kiosks and stand-alone coin-operated meters that have been in use for at least 10 years. 

“We had squeezed all the life you could out the current kiosks,” said Scott Petri, executive director of the parking authority. 

The new kiosks will be pay-by-plate, where customers enter their license plate number, parking zone number, and choose a method of payment — cash or card. The city’s beloved PPA enforcement officers will then verify payment by scanning customer license plates, eliminating the need for paper receipts. 

The PPA even provided a video.

Philadelphia is late to the solar-powered parking kiosk party, as other cities embraced the technology long ago. But Petri said the upgrade will bring Philly up to date with its peers.

The plan to replace will cost “under $10 million,” said Petri, and ought to free up sidewalk space since one new kiosk can operate for the entire block. 

Petri expects the new kiosks will lead to savings for the authority, but he refrained from giving an estimate. He said the PPA will release a study when they have the data, maybe in the summer. 

The kiosks and stand-alone meters throughout the city will remain in operation during the transition.