‘New DC Parking Meters’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’
And here I thought our cell phones already did enough what with the invention of the iPhone, Blackberry, and all those darn apps and additions you can access via WiFi.
Alas, the future of cellular phone use in DC is set to change yet again now that DDOT has announced the Pay by Phone option.
That’s right — Pay by Phone. DDOT will launch the Pay by Phone meter pay option starting Monday at more than 700 parking spots in Dupont Circle, Union Station and downtown on K Street, I Street, and the 900 block of New York Avenue NW.
“We are going to take advantage of one of the most cutting-edge technology to improve the parking experience city-wide,” DDOT Director Gabe Klein told NBC Washington. He said one of the department’s goals is to update the “outdated inventory of parking meters.”
How’s it work? The total time gets charged to your credit card. Then, you can check out a history of charges anytime by logging into the online account you’ve set up.
Get started! Set up a free account at paybyphone.com or by calling (888) 510-PARK. Once you’re signed up you just call the toll-free number, enter the location number posted at the meter and time.
Rachel moved to DC in the fall of 2005 to study Journalism and Music at American University. When she’s not keeping up with the latest Major League Baseball news, she works on making music as an accomplished singer-songwriter and was even a featured performer/speaker at TEDxDupont Circle in 2012. Rachel has also contributed to The Washington Examiner and MASN Sports’ Nationals Buzz as a guest blogger. See why she loves DC. E-Mail: rachel@welovedc.com.
Yea right, that will work. I tried to report a broken meter on L Street NW yesterday by emailing the email address that is printed on the parking meter specifically for reporting broken meters. The email bounced back – “no such address.” Nice work, DC.
I used one of these meters on I St in Foggy Bottom over the weekend and returned to find a ticket on my car. Days later Park Mobile (the company running the system) is still “conducting an investigation” and “looking into it”. They say I did nothing wrong and most likely the officer didn’t bother to check the system to see if I had paid via phone.
What’s worse – fighting with Park Mobile to get the ticket to go away or remembering to carry 16 quarters to park for two hours?