The following article appeared in The Source on November 17, 2016.

Metro Board considers next phase of parking fee program – The Source

By Steve Hymon

November 17, 2016

The next phase of the Metro parking fee program will be considered by the agency’s Board of Directors at their Dec. 1 meeting. The program began earlier this year when daily and monthly parking fees went into effect at three of the new Expo Line stations.

If the program is approved, there would be parking fees implemented at the following stations:

•Expo Line: Expo/Bundy, Expo/Sepulveda, 17th/SMC and La Cienega/Jefferson.

•Gold Line: APU/Citrus, Irwindale, Atlantic.

•Red Line: Universal, North Hollywood.

•Metro would also have the option to later add fees at the Green Line’s Norwalk, Lakewood and Aviation stations and El Monte Station.

The goal is to implement the fees by April. The payment system will be automated and patrons will use their TAP cards to show they rode Metro.

The idea behind the program is help Metro better manage its parking — and to ensure that parking is being used by Metro patrons and that some spaces remain available at any time of the day. When Metro doesn’t charge anything for parking, a lot of non-transit users end up using the space. The fees help discourage that from happening and help raise dollars needed to maintain the lots and keep them safe.

Here’s the chart showing the fees at the stations in the program:

The fee collection would be done automatically. From the staff report:

The system will combine a License Plate Recognition (LPR) system, TAP card ridership identifier software, and payment processing solutions. On-site parking attendants will be available to provide customer service and technical support. Patrons will be able to pay on site, online or via a mobile payment solution.

Payment will be accepted in the form of cash, credit cards or mobile payments transaction. The automated parking facilities will be available and accessible to transit patrons 24 hours a day and seven (7) days a week throughout the year.

During non-peak hours when parking is available, without parking attendants on duty, customer assistance will be available via an intercom system that connects to a customer service center. The customer service center is available 24 hours a day and seven (7) days a week throughout the year. For those patrons that leave the parking facility with an outstanding transaction, the parking fee will be billed through the DMV record together with an administration fee.