Parking Voucher Supplies Run Out

by Staff | December 2, 2008 12:22 PM | | Comments (3)

new%20in%20store.JPGGlenda Alamo used to sell 1,000 parking vouchers a week from behind the counter of Taft Cosmetics on Whitney Avenue. Now they have none to sell, at least for now, thanks to the city’s inability to reach a new agreement with the voucher supplier.

The supply of vouchers at retail outlets has been drying up across town. That’s because the city’s contract with a Branford company called IPS ran out. The city put out a request for proposals for a new contract to supply the vouchers that drivers scratch out and then place in their windshields instead of feeding parking meeters; but it couldn’t find anyone to continue the program.

City transportation czar Mike Piscitelli said New Haven wanted new terms. Under the old contract, IPS kept 30 percent of the money on books of vouchers it sold. The city also has a separate “Parcxmart” card program that enables people to load up a debit card and use it at meters; the city keeps 90 percent of the revenue from the cards. It wanted a similar spread on a new vouchers contract, but failed to get it.

DSCN0009.JPGSo for now, Piscitelli (pictured) said Monday, the city is not replenishing the supply of vouchers at stores like Taft. People can buy remaining supplies at an office at the parking tag payment office on the first floor of 200 Orange St.

On Dec. 22 the city will start selling books of vouchers again with a new design, and one price change. Hourly vouchers will still cost $1.25 apiece, two-hour vouchers, $2.50. But long-term parking vouchers will rise from $6.25 to $8 per sheet.

If the new vouchers sell well, the city will consider resuming sales at retail outlets. But first it wants to see if it can switch more drivers to using Parcxmart cards.

Back at Taft Cosemtics, owner Shalom Lemel wants to see stores like his, not the city, selling the vouchers. He makes a small profit and makes his customers happy by selling them, he said. “The city should not be in the business of making
money. It should be in the business of helping business do well, and then business
pays taxes. Period,” he said.

By Allan Appel and Paul Bass







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Comments

Posted by: john | December 3, 2008 12:35 PM

the conversion to parcxmart cards, imho, will only be realized when residents/cardholders can replenish their card accounts ONLINE as can be done with other "rechargeable" account cards/gift cards. i realize that the parcxmart/ID cards aim to get people into the vendors that accept/recharge the cards (maybe they'll buy something while there), but this is sometimes inconvenient; if a person is in a rush, they may not want to wait in line for 5 minutes at "the publick cup" (e.g.) while wondering if their car is getting slapped with a ticket in the meantime around the corner while they wait.

on a related subject, i once went into "book trader" to use my card to purchase something. *nobody* in the store understood that the card could be used for purchases and i got into something of a verbal scuffle with the manager at the time.

work out these kinks, and then maybe people will start to consider their parcxmart/elm city IDs to be the useful tools they were intended to become.

Posted by: Bill Flynn | December 5, 2008 1:46 PM

I buy larger value on the card so I only reload once every two months. If you dont live in and walk the streets of new haven what is the point? I love my card and use it all the time. I dont like reloading online because I must give Duncan Donuts for example my name and address and credit card number - no way.

And for the ONCE story I once walked into United Airlines and they wouldnt take my Visa credit card too because the system was down but I still fly.

I dont know much about the ELm City Card.

Bill

Posted by: John | December 5, 2008 2:32 PM

I dont know what the guy is talking about the conversion.............who uses vouchers anymore. First you can buy any time you want on the card with vouchers you have to use all the time alloted. Secondly, I have gotten tickets when using the vouchers because the ticketing officer cant see them!

I dont know where this guy is coming from but I really think the card is easy and now with the online site easier than ever to get one even if you dont like going to the Public Cup - who doesnt like the Public Cup. FYI I was there yesterday, bought coffee, and loaded my card in about 20 seconds.

Happy happy dude

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