Southern California Cities Test Smart Parking Meters

Los Angeles is testing out new 'smart' parking meters that use credit or ATM cards as payment and remind you to pay via text messaging.

1 minute read

September 22, 2005, 8:00 AM PDT

By Brenda Meyer


"Even though the parking meter was invented by American Carl Magee and introduced in Oklahoma City in 1935, other countries have led the way with high-tech meters...Congested streets and a shortage of curbside parking prompted European cities such as London and Helsinki to adopt more sophisticated meters, beginning about a decade ago...

Los Angeles, Pasadena and West Hollywood may soon begin replacing their coin-operated parking meters with a variety of electronic kiosks. Some models can even call the driver's cellphone to add money when time is almost up."

Thursday, September 22, 2005 in The Los Angeles Times

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