Technologies What is the latest technology in parking? As in many other industries, electronics are making great strides in the parking industry.  Duncan Engineering is on the cutting edge of the latest designs, including the following: GPRS technology that allows wireless communication of data between single space or multi-space meters to a central command station.  This enhances enforcement, collection auditing and maintenance while greatly reducing operating costs. Use of credit cards, Smart Cards, CashKey®, student ID cards, tokens, bills and coins as a method of payment. Low power requirements that result in battery life over one year in most applications. There are many other new designs in the works at Duncan that will be release soon - Stay Tuned! Which is a better parking solution - single space or multi-space meters? Both single space and multi-space meters can be an effective solution for on-street and off-street parking.  Duncan provides a variety of products that meet any parking application need.  See the article,  Single Space Meters Aren't Read for the Scrap Heap This article was written by one of Duncan's Regional Sales Managers, Felicia Martin and published in the February 2004 edition of Parking Today magazine comparing single space and multi-space meters. Mechanical Mechanisms What is the timing accuracy of the mechanical mechanism? The accuracy of the mechanical timer varies with the gear train construction and the condition of the timer. Typically, a factory-fresh 1-hour timer will run down between 1 hour + 1 minute and 1 hour + 9 minutes; a 24-hour timer will run down between 24 hours + 27 minutes and 25 hours + 44 minutes. Periodic maintenance, cleaning, and adjustment are absolutely essential to maintain timer accuracy. The frequency of the maintenance required to maintain timer accuracy depends upon the ambient environmental conditions and the amount of use received by the meter. In the best of cases, the timer should be cleaned and adjusted at least every 2 years. In severe environments of dust and/or humidity, semiannual maintenance may be required. Electronic Mechanisms What is the timing accuracy of the electronic mechanism? Duncan electronic mechanism timing accuracy is controlled by a quartz crystal oscillator. The accuracy of the crystal is +/- 0.005% (50 parts per million). The crystal operates at 32.768 khz +/- 1.6 hz. This is equivalent to approximately 4.5 seconds per 24 hours. Actual timing accuracy measurements taken over periods of 24 hours and over periods of 1 week in comparison with the National Bureau of Standards Atomic Clock have shown that the Eagle time error never exceeds 10 seconds over 24 hours. Eagle meters constructed after mid-1995 have a setable parameter to adjust the real-time clock once every 24 hours, which allows the real-time clock to be regulated within ½ second per day! The real-time clock is set to match the time setting of the Duncan Data Terminal every time the terminal is used to record maintenance activities or to collect revenue data. What is the anticipated battery life for the electronic mechanism? Duncan electronic mechanisms are designed to operate at very low levels of current. The average battery life of a new fresh standard 9V alkaline battery is 1 year. When configured for minimum power consumption, typical average battery life on a new fresh battery will vary between 8 and 12 months depending on configuration, mechanism model, and usage profile. How does the coin discrimination compare between the fully electronic and the mechanical mechanisms? The electronic mechanism accepts coins based on an electronic response when the coin passes through a magnetic field in the coin acceptor. The mechanical mechanism accepts coins based on size alone. Generally, the electronic mechanism will more reliably accept desired coins and reject unwanted ones than the mechanical mechanism. Housings What is the best system for key and lock security in my parking meter system? The best system is one that uses a security lock (available for iron-vaulted housings) with different lock combinations for each meter. The keys are then strung on a cable such that the next key opens the next meter in the collection route. Theft of one meter does not compromise the system. How should I choose which lock and housing combination is right for my parking meter system? An analysis of potential vandalism in your area should be made. Duncan offers housings ranging from all-zinc construction to all-iron construction—the highest level of security. Locks range from the standard DE lock and change locks that are available in all models, to high-security locks offered by a variety of manufacturers. Iron vaults should be protected with high-security locks. Your Duncan representative can help you choose which model housing and lock combination is best suited to your needs. What is the average capacity of the sealed coin box and collection receptacle/box? These capacities will vary depending on the mix of different-size coins. For U.S. installations the average capacity of the standard sealed coin box is $30.00, while the expanded capacity coin box will hold approximately $60.00. There are two sizes of collection boxes. The standard capacity will hold approximately $1,500.00 and the narrow gauge will hold half that amount. Software How can integrated software systems be used to facilitate better management of a parking system? Electronic parking meters are more than parking control devices. Specific location data provided by these meters, handheld ticket writers, and other electronic devices can be quickly analyzed by a desktop computer to provide meaningful reports for parking management. Duncan's joint-venture company, Duncan Management Solutions, specializes in providing parking managers with integrated software solutions tailored to an installation's specific needs.