Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Pay Stations

Updated May 9, 2005

Questions about using the new pay stations
What is a parking pay station?
How do you know to pay for parking at a pay station?
How do you properly display a receipt?
How do you take your paid parking time with you to another location?
What happens if the pay station doesn't work?
How do pay station tickets work for convertibles and motorcycles?
Are the new pay stations accessible to people with disabilities?
Can you receive a parking citation while you're paying at a pay station?
Does the process to contest citations change with the new pay stations?
How will "smart cards" work with the pay stations?
What does it cost to park at a pay station?
What is a meter greeter?

Related Program Questions
Why does Seattle have paid parking in most business districts?
Why did the City change parking technology?
How will businesses be affected by the new pay stations?
Why is the City moving load zones and eliminating some short-term parking meters?
Why do the pay stations issue receipts?
What is happening to the old parking meters?
In these tough times, why is the City spending money on pay stations?
How is bicycle parking affected when parking meters are removed to install pay stations?

Other Information
Who do I contact for more information about pay stations?
Related Links

What is a parking pay station?

A pay station is an automated kiosk that replaces all the individual parking meters on a block. It still accepts coins, but also accepts credit and debit cards, making paying for parking much more convenient for the public. Pay stations issue receipts, which allow customers to use unexpired time at another pay station or parking meter location. In addition to English, pay stations also communicate in Spanish and Chinese. Pay stations track revenue, usage and maintenance data, which is transmitted wirelessly to a central computer location.

How do you know to pay for parking at a pay station?

Whenever a City block has one or more pay stations, signs at each end of the block direct users to "Pay to Park This Block" with an arrow pointing towards the pay station. Above each pay station, another sign points to the kiosk and directs users to "Pay Here to Park."

How do you properly display a receipt?

The pay station will print you a receipt that has a removable backing. Peel off the back and use it to tape the receipt to the inside of the curbside window. If you're parked in an angled parking space, place the receipt in the driver's side window. Motorcycles should adhere the receipt to their front headlamp. Be sure that the expiration time is facing out! Please don't leave the receipt lying on your dashboard - it can often be difficult for parking enforcement officers to see that you have paid to park!

A properly displayed receipt in a parallel-parked car!	A properly displayed receipt in an angle-parked car!

How do you take your paid parking time with you to another location?

One of the benefits of parking pay stations is that you can use your unexpired time to park at another metered or pay station location.

Let's say, for example, that at 9:00 am on Tuesday morning you purchase two hours of parking in Pioneer Square. The pay station prints you a receipt stating you can park until 11:02 am (the two extra minutes allow you to return to your car and properly display the receipt). Your errand is over at 9:45 am, more quickly than you anticipated. Now, you need to run another errand in Belltown. By leaving your receipt properly displayed in your window, you can park at a traditional parking meter space until 11:02 am! You can also park in another pay station space.

Please keep in mind that, regardless of your expiration time, you can only park in a 15- or 30-minute parking space for the stated time limit. All other parking regulations still apply.

What happens if the pay station doesn't work?

If you are having difficulties with a parking pay station or if you would like to report a problem with a unit, please call the Seattle Department of Transportation Meter Shop at 206.684.5260.

Occasionally a pay station may have a problem accepting a particular form of payment (e.g., cards or coins), but it will continue to accept other forms of payment. A message will be provided to the customer and the appropriate coin or card slot will automatically close, preventing customers from paying by a method that is not in operation--or from paying at all if a receipt can't be issued. If you have any questions about credit or debit card payments, please contact 206.684.PARK (7275).

Occasionally a pay station may have a problem accepting a particular form of payment (e.g., cards or coins), but it will continue to accept other forms of payment. A message will be provided to the customer and the appropriate coin or card slot will automatically close, preventing customers from paying by a method that is not in operation--or from paying at all if a receipt can't be issued.

In the rare situation when an individual unit goes completely off-line, an alarm is immediately sent to city staff (via computer or pager) notifying them of the problem. In the meantime, customers can still park in a space near an out-of-service unit as long as they purchase a receipt from another nearby pay station (e.g., around the corner or across the street). This is a benefit to the customer as currently they are prohibited from parking at out-of-service meters.

In addition to out-of-order alarms sent to city staff, other messages are communicated that allow for just-in-time maintenance, so that coin collection canisters may be emptied before they jam and receipt paper rolls may be replaced before they run out. The City expects to see a significant reduction in out-of-service times with the pay stations, compared with single-space meters.

How do pay station tickets work for convertibles and motorcycles?

Motorcycle and convertible customers purchase receipts at the pay stations just like other automobile users. Motorcycles should adhere the receipt, which comes with a light sticky backing, to the headlight cover, while convertibles should adhere them to their curbside window or driver's window for angled parking. Both motorcycle and convertible users are encouraged to write their license plate number on their receipt to further minimize the chance of theft.

Based on a review of other cities with similar systems--including Portland--there have been no significant parking receipt loss/theft problems with this approach. For one thing, in many situations there are too many eyes that could witness someone removing a receipt from a motorcycle and then walking to their own vehicle to place it. For another, most folks won't take the risk of being caught stealing something that has a value of $3.00 or less or that does not have the amount of time they plan to stay.

In the unlikely event a receipt is stolen and a citation received, SDOT can verify date, time and location of a payment transaction to help the motorcyclists contest the citation if payment were made by credit card. Please call 206.684.PARK (7275) for assistance.

More than one motorcycle may park in a legal paid parking space as long as each displays its own receipt in pay station areas. In spaces with traditional meters, payment must be made at the meter.

Are the new pay stations accessible to people with disabilities?

The City's contract with the pay station manufacturer requires that all coin and card aperture locations, controls and operating mechanisms be compatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. The selected pay station vendor (Parkeon, formerly Schlumberger) has the largest pay station market share worldwide and has asserted that they meet this requirement. Additionally, vehicles displaying a valid disabled placard are exempt from payment at pay stations and traditional meters.

Can you receive a parking citation while you're paying at a pay station?

There's little need to worry about being down the street purchasing parking when the enforcement officer comes around. This is because all parking spaces are located within a reasonable, visible distance of a pay station and because the parking enforcement officers know to look at the kiosk to see if anyone is using it.

Also, if a customer were inadvertently issued a ticket while they were paying at the pay station, the receipt could be used in court to dispute a citation.

Finally, all customers are provided with an extra 2 minutes of parking on the receipt (e.g., if you purchase 30 minutes, your receipt will actually state you have 32 minutes) to allow time for customers to return and place the receipt in their vehicle.

Does the process to contest citations change with the new pay stations?

Currently, a person who receives a citation checks a box on the back to request a hearing and then sends it in the provided envelope. At the hearing, citation information is electronically available to a magistrate via a computer terminal at the bench. The pay stations do not require a change to these processes.

If someone contests a citation and provides a receipt at an infraction hearing, magistrates decide whether to include the receipt in the case file, based on relevance. The person can turn over the original receipt, or a photocopy can be made.

How will "smart cards" work with the pay stations?

Currently the City has only a few smart cards available to assist with customer service issues. For example, the "meter greeters" sometimes use them to assist customers having difficulty using a pay station.

SDOT is exploring the potential to join in on the regional transit smart card project (with seven participating transit agencies, lead by King County Metro) to create a "transportation card" with a separate electronic purse for parking payments. This project is not set to launch until 2006. If the technological, logistical and financial hurdles of joining the regional project are too great, the City will explore the feasibility of setting up its own smart card sales and distribution program.


How much does it cost to park at pay station?

As part of the City's 2004 budget, the City Council approved a meter rate increase from $1.00 to $1.50 per hour for pay stations and electronic meters - the first increase in on-street parking rates in more than ten years. The new rates are consistent with inflation during that period and are still much lower than off-street parking in downtown Seattle. Reprogramming of single-space electronic meters to the new rates began in Spring 2004. The paid parking rate structure for pay stations and parking meters is as follows:

• 2 minutes = $0.05
• 4 minutes = $0.10
• 10 minutes = $0.25
• 40 minutes = $1.00
• 60 minutes = $1.50

All pay stations are installed at the rate of $1.50/hour. As electric meters are reprogrammed, "$1.50" stickers are displayed on the face and on the inside plate. Existing mechanical meters cannot be reprogrammed and are phased out first as pay stations are installed.

Some neighborhoods previously had a $0.60/hour parking meter rate. The rates on these meters increased to $1.00 in 2004. When pay stations are installed, the rates in these neighborhoods will increase to $1.50/hour.

When using a credit or debit card, the minimum amount of time that can be purchased is one hour for $1.50. Therefore, when parking at a 30-minute pay station space, we recommend the use of coins to avoid overpaying for your parking!


What is a meter greeter?

Meter greeters are the ambassadors of pay stations! These pay station experts circulate through neighborhoods where pay stations have recently been installed, helping new users get over any first-time user technology hurdles that may exist. They can be easily spotted in their red vests and hats.

Both Seattle Goodwill and the Downtown Seattle Association's Metropolitan Improvement District (MID) have provided Meter Greeters to assist with the transition from parking meters to automated pay stations in the affected neighborhoods.


Why does Seattle have paid parking in most business districts?

In most Seattle business districts, there is a lot of demand for parking. Customers, employees, residents, students and visitors all compete for a limited number of on-street parking spaces. The City of Seattle prioritizes curbspace in business districts for transit, delivery and passenger loading, and then short-term customer parking.

Parking meters and pay stations help prevent people from over-staying time limits and free-up short-term parking spaces needed by customers of local businesses. More vehicles parking in the same space throughout a day equals more customers for local businesses. Recent parking studies show that, in business districts with parking meters and pay stations, parkers are much less likely to stay parked beyond the posted time limit.


Why did the City change parking technology

There were many reasons for the City to change parking technology, including improved customer convenience, predictability and reliability. Many existing single-space meters were aging, requiring more frequent repairs and difficult-to-find parts, and they could not be reprogrammed to different rates. The new pay stations are more reliable. Over time, the City expects to decrease certain expenses and increase revenues with parking pay stations

The highly automated wireless pay station system provides faster and higher quality data, allowing the City to better manage its parking system. An additional benefit is that removal of single-space meters enhances the streetscape and frees up sidewalk space for pedestrians and other uses.

How will businesses be affected by the new pay stations?

The new pay stations tend to encourage more parking turnover, which means more customers can access local businesses. Additionally, requests for merchants to make change from bills decrease because the machines accept cards.

The conversion from single-space meters to pay stations is almost seamless, with limited loss of parking during installation. Merchants receive information materials, and on-street "meter greeters" help ease the transition for customers.

Some businesses may be affected by the City's decision to institute standardized block layouts, which may result in the conversion of 15- and 30-minute parking meters to 30-minute pay station spaces and the relocation of load zones to the ends of blocks.

Occupants of areas where pay stations are being installed receive flyers in the mail describing the typical changes that can be expected with block standardization.

Why is the City moving load zones and eliminating some short-term parking meters?

To make parking easier for all users, the installation of pay stations is a great opportunity to institute standardized parking layouts along each block.

On a standardized block face:

• A minimum of three paid spaces (30-minute and 2-hour) are grouped together to be regulated by a pay station
• Load zones are moved to block ends to improve access by vehicles and delivery trucks
• Most 15- and 30-minute meters are converted to 30-minute pay station spaces
• Each 30-minute space is marked with signs
• Depending upon the adjacent land use (e.g. hotel), some mid-block load zones will remain unchanged
• Peak period restrictions, bus zones, and no-parking zones remain the same

Standardized parking layouts make parking understandable for customers, visitors and delivery people.

• Visitors and customers can easily understand how long they can park
• Walking distances to pay stations are minimizedby grouping paid parking spaces together
• It is easier for trucks to park when commercial and truck load zones are placed at the ends of blocks. This improves congestion by minimizing double- and parallel-parking

Many blocks in the City already meet a standardized layout with passenger and commercial zones located at either end.

Why do the pay stations issue receipts?

Paper receipts have many benefits. They allow parking payment to be portable from one space to another. That is, a customer who has remaining valid time on a receipt can use it to park at any other on-street parking meter or pay station space. Additionally, should a pay station be out of order, customers can purchase a receipt at any nearby pay station. This essentially enables all spaces to remain in service despite any potential equipment malfunctions. Finally, the issuance of receipts allows the user to have a record for expense tracking purposes or to assist in contesting a parking citation.

Issuing receipts for credit card transactions is consistent with City practice and it complies with people's expectations to receive documentation of credit card transactions. Because the pay station system is a "pay and display" system, receipts are issued for all transactions, cash or card.

To mitigate concerns about litter, several receipt designs with tear-off portions were rejected because it was too likely they could be discarded on the street. Receipts are placed inside the vehicle windows, and there is virtually no litter problem.

What is happening to the old parking meters?

Members of the public can buy retired parking meters for $15 each at the City's surplus warehouse at 3807 Second Ave. S., which is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Information is available by calling 206-684-0827.

In these tough times, why is the City spending money on pay stations?

The pay stations pay for themselves in a relatively short period of time. The City is using debt financing to purchase the machines, thereby minimizing the impact on current funds needed for other uses.

How is bicycle parking affected when parking meters are removed to install pay stations?

SDOT recognizes that the removal of meter posts reduces parking options for bicyclists. As a result, we conducted a pilot program in 2005 along Broadway and the Pike/Pine corridor in the Capitol Hill neighborhood that tested a product that fits onto meter posts, converting them into official bicycle parking racks. Due to the program's success, SDOT is expanding the installation of these racks into other neighborhoods. For more information, contact Monica Dewald from the SDOT Bicycle Program at 206-684-8562 or Monica.Dewald@seattle.gov.


Who do I contact for more information about pay stations?

For more information, please call the Seattle Department of Transportation's general assistance number, 206.684.ROAD (7623). You can also send questions and comments via email to paystations@seattle.gov.
To report a problem with a pay station or parking meters, please call the Seattle Department of Transportation Meter Shop at 206.684.5260.

If you have questions about a credit or debit card transaction at a pay stations, please call 206.684.PARK (7275).


Related Links:

"Making the Parking System Work" Program

Seattle Parking Meters

Seattle Parking Meter Free Parking Days and Hours of Operation

Residential Parking Zone Program

72-Hour On-Street Parking Ordinance