{"id":3107,"date":"2024-07-30T17:44:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T17:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/preprod.flowbird.com\/?p=3107"},"modified":"2024-11-27T15:18:59","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27T15:18:59","slug":"parking-terminals-reimagined-a-smart-way-to-reinvent-on-street-parking-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flowbird.com\/no\/parking-terminals-reimagined-a-smart-way-to-reinvent-on-street-parking-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"Parking terminals reimagined \u2013 a smart way to reinvent on-street parking technology\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Parking terminals used to be a one-hit wonder. When a driver found a parking spot on the street, they\u2019d place coins in a meter in exchange for their stay. If the meter was going to run out, they\u2019d have to run back to refill the meter or risk a ticket.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhile the parking terminal did what it was intended to do \u2013 handle parking payments \u2013 Flowbird has spent the last fifty years pushing the limits on what these devices can achieve for cities. And many cities are already experiencing the improved mobility that comes from reimagining the humble parking terminal.<\/b>\n

Old ways of parking can impact a city\u2019s growth<\/h2>\nIf a city is still relying on coin operated meters, or ticketing kiosks,<\/strong> it may be missing an valuable opportunity to create a better parking and living experience for residents and tourists.\nNot all cities have paid parking terminals in enough areas \u2013 which could be a loss to the community. When towns and cities don\u2019t have terminals, they aren\u2019t able to monetise their parking spots. Less money in parking means less money towards community needs.\n\nWhen parking is unmanaged, many cars never leave the place they\u2019re parked. Drivers can end up circling the roads over and over again looking for a free spot. The constant hunt for free parking generates additional pollution and increases the carbon footprint of a city.\n\nCities that use terminals that only take coins are also at a disadvantage. There\u2019s only one way for drivers to pay. If drivers don\u2019t have coins, they risk a ticket if they need to park. Plus, an attendant needs to collect all the loose coins, which is labour intensive.\n\nCities with ticket based terminals are limiting their parking potential. While they often accept multiple types of payments, the terminals must be kept full of paper. A technician is needed to stock the paper and look after the machine. It can also be annoying for drivers to have to walk their receipt back to their dashboard.\n\nCities that only use parking terminals strictly for parking transactions are also missing out. The parking terminal has too much potential to be used only for parking transactions. Once you make the investment in state-of-the art terminals that sit on the streets, it opens up all kinds of opportunities.\n\nThey can be an enabler of e-mobility, tourism, and cutting emissions, simply by augmenting the core technology. For instance, Flowbird has worked with cities that have equipped their terminals with telemetry that could measure the air quality on the streets as part of their wider emissions strategy.\n

Why is it time to look to the future?<\/h2>\nYou don\u2019t want to invest in new terminals unless it\u2019s of strategic benefit for your city. After all, they\u2019re designed to be a long term investment\u00a0\u2013 with at least a five year lifespan before the technology might need updating. At Flowbird, we commit to maintaining machines for 10 years in our contracts\u00a0\u2013 and we also provide ways of updating existing terminals that don\u2019t require a complete overhaul of the machinery.\n\nThat said, from financial to environmental returns, there are several reasons why you might want to consider new, smarter parking terminals for your city:<\/b>\n
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  1. No more fuss. <\/b>By storing licence plate numbers digitally in a cloud, a smart parking terminal can put a stop to the archaic system, which requires people to walk little pieces of paper back to their car. It\u2019s a small thing, but it\u2019s a big relief for any commuter in a rush to the office, or any tourist late to a theatre showing. Plus, their dashboard doesn\u2019t get cluttered with dated parking passes if they are regularly parking in the city.<\/li>\n \t
  2. Easier payments. <\/b>Card, cash, mobile, or app payments are all options with smart terminals. Registered licence plates can even be recalled, speeding up payment processes. And if a driver does get a fine, rather than pulling up their mobile browser and typing in a long url, they could walk to the kiosk and pay the fine there.<\/li>\n \t
  3. Reward driver behaviours. <\/b>When the terminal is capable of recognising EV vehicles, a city can offer discounted rates on parking for EV drivers \u2013 encouraging more of their citizens to switch to electric.<\/li>\n \t
  4. Stay inclusive and accessible. <\/b>An updated terminal also allows cities to create a more inclusive and accessible travel experience, no matter the level of ability of the traveller. Heights of machines, certain shades of colours, or the angle or position of the screen can all impact the user experience. It\u2019s important for any terminal provider to meet regulation standards.<\/li>\n \t
  5. Reduce emissions <\/b>through solar powered terminals. Not only does this help cities reduce their carbon footprint, it also makes money more efficiently for its community.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nA parking terminal is no longer just a terminal\n\nWhen used to its full potential, a parking terminal<\/a> can be a vital part of a thriving city ecosystem. On-street technology is an important piece of a city’s wider mobility puzzle. By wider infrastructure, we mean:\n