San Francisco MTA kicks the tires on new parking meters

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is testing new parking meters as part of an effort to keep up with the latest technology and make the process of paying for parking as convenient as possible for riders.

The agency is evaluating 100 new meters to determine if riders like using them and how they stand up to conditions in different parts of the city.

Essentially large cylinders placed on top of current parking meter poles, the test meters feature a larger screen. They offer longer battery life, more efficient solar-power technology, and better resistance to jamming and other types of vandalism, SFMTA officials said in a press release.

“This test will help us evaluate new meter technologies as [we] prepare for the next procurement of meters when the current meter contract expires in January 2021,” they said.