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Mayor Brown To Unveil Use of 'In-Vehicle Parking Meters' at Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

New Device Eliminates Use of On-Street Parking Meters

BUFFALO – Mayor Byron Brown today announced that the City of Buffalo's Parking Violations Bureau is partnering with the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus for the first corporate test of the "Smart Park" system, an In-Vehicle Parking Meter (IVPM) device. IVPMs have been available to the disabled for the past two years; however, this marks the first time that they will be actively marketed to the general public.

"In-vehicle parking meters will make city businesses and commercial districts more accessible to the public," said Mayor Brown. "With the convenience of these devices, which includes paying only for the time that they're used, we expect that the IVPM will be extremely attractive to citizens and businesses alike. In essence, they function like an 'EZ Pass' for the City of Buffalo."

The IVMP is a small device that hangs on a driver's rear-view mirror. Instead of inserting money into any parking meter or pay and display machine, a driver simply purchases a cash card and inserts the card into the IVPM when they are ready to park. Although its use is currently being promoted at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, IVPMs can be used anywhere in the City of Buffalo.

"Adding in-vehicle parking meters to the campus-wide parking system only helps our institutions, patients, visitors, and employees by making the BNMC more accessible," said Matthew K. Enstice, BNMC Executive Director. "The city has been a great partner on this project. We are excited whenever we implement state-of-the-art technology, as continuous improvement of systems and services is an important part of how we do business at the medical campus," Enstice continued.

The cost of an IVPM is $75.00 for the disabled, which includes a one-time $50.00 cash card, or $65.00 for the general public. Cash cards are available in $25.00, $50.00 and $100.00 increments at the City of Buffalo Treasury, 117 City Hall. Those interested can find out more by calling the In-Vehicle Parking Meter Hotline at 851-4616.

Only five U.S. cities, including Buffalo, are currently using the IVPM devices, they are: Grand Rapids, MI; Portland, OR; New Brunswick, NJ; Fort Lauderdale, FL; as well as the University of California, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Massachusetts.

On March 6, 2003, the City of Buffalo was honored by the Western New York Branch of American Public Works Association with their Technical Innovation Award for developing the IVPM program. The award was established to provide recognition for an individual, team, or organization for the development and implementation of a creative management process or system that enhances the goals of public works in serving the public and protecting the environment.