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Have you ever been stuck sitting in your car while waiting to exit a parking garage? While you breathe in all those noxious fumes, the driver of the vehicle five cars in front of you fumbles for change to pay their parking charge. (Did he think it was going to be free?) Finally the gate goes up and he drives away. One down, four more cars to go before you can pay. Try not to pass out from the carbon monoxide.
This is the scenario that led to the development of remote pay stations, or “pay-onfoot”. With pay-on-foot systems, drivers pay for their parking at one or more pay stations before entering their vehicle. The pay stations are usually located near the entrances to the parking structure, or sometimes inside the building which the parking facility services. The larger the parking structure, the more pay stations that can be provided to reduce queues and keep people moving. After paying, your parking ticket is returned to you and is used to exit the parking garage via an unattended terminal and a barrier gate. Simply insert the ticket and go. By allowing a reasonable grace period for the parker to reach their car and exit, pay-on-foot systems virtually eliminate exit lines and the pollution, wasted fuel, wasted time and aggravation that go with them.
With over 30 years of experience in the parking industry, US-based SECOM International builds, installs and services on-line, real-time parking access and revenue control systems for clients worldwide. SECOM pay stations allow multiple validations, vouchers and coupons, and accept payment by coins, bills and credit cards, as well as dispense bills and coins as change. They operate in a variety of languages, and are made from double-walled stainless steel with multiple locks for a high level of security. For maximum flexibility, the parking charge can be based on the ticket’s origin, allowing servicing of multiple parking facilities and different parking classes.
When SECOM wanted to reduce the costs and further improve the already legendary reliability of their pay-on-foot pay station, they had to consider the need for a wide operating temperature range, simplicity of paper replenishment, and ease of integration in any new receipt printer. A non-functioning pay station results in longer walks for patrons and longer queues at the remaining pay stations, so reliability that allows uninterrupted 24/7 operating is a must. These requirements led them to contact Hengstler, and eventually led to the selection of the Hengstler C-56 thermal printer to generate customer receipts.
Hengstler has been innovating in the printer business since the 1960s and is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of specialty thermal printers. Designed for paper 58 to 60 mm wide, the Hengstler C-56 uses a minimal number of moving parts to maximize reliability. The elimination of a presenter simplifies printer operation and reduces cost, while the wide temperature range of -30°C to +70°C makes it ideal for use outdoors. The fast print speed of 220 mm/second gets users on their way fast, and the extensively tested paper transport system ensures jam-free operation. The autoloading feature and the innovative use of a non-axial paper holder makes paper replacement a snap while eliminating the possibility of losing a paper roll spindle.
Introduced first in their Pay-on-Foot Pay Station, SECOM soon expanded the use of the C-56 printer to include their Exit Ticket Acceptor product, reporting that the C-56 supports the reliable reputation that their customers have come to expect. Thanks to SECOM International and Hengstler, you can breathe easier when leaving that parking garage!
For more information on C-56 or other Hengstler printers, visit www.hengstler.com. For information on SECOM International parking solutions, visit www.secomintl.com.
For further information regarding this article, please contact Mr. Leslie Wenzler at +49- 7424-89545.
