M&S Parking

Are electronic license plates in our future? South Carolina is about to find out...

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:34:00 +0000

WSPA-TV

According to AutoBlog, South Carolina is considering a proposal to have its state issued vehicles take part in a new electronic license plate pilot program. The plates use the same type of electronic paper technology as the Amazon Kindle, and only need power when the display is changed.

Electronic plates can be updated by the DMV using a cellular connection to display new registration dates, change the letters/ numbers, and flash messages such as "stolen" or "suspended" in contrasting colors. Power would be generated by the vehicles vibrations as it drives, or by attaching a special solar film over the plate. The developers aim to get the cost of the plates down to around $100.

What do you think of South Carolina's proposed electronic plates?

Legally parked in NYC... until new parking signs are installed.

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:52:00 +0000

According to CBS 2 News, security video from a building on West 15th Street shows legally parked cars receiving parking tickets less than 30 minutes after new parking signs were installed by the Department of Transportation. The signs, which went from "Alternate side parking, Monday and Thursday" to "No Standing Anytime," were changed as the city continues adding racks on the street for the new bike share program.

While there were paper signs posted that warned drivers that cars would be towed if they remained past 6 p.m., the $115 parking tickets were issued six hours earlier. When asked about the incident, DOT spokesperson Nicole Gomez stated, "Parking next to a bike stand is illegal. Still, any motorist who believes they received a ticket in error can contest it through the Department of Finance, which adjudicates violations.”

Watch the video here.

Renovations continue on Brooklyn's bridges

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:04:00 +0000

The NYC Department of Transportation announced that the one lane ramps on the FDR Drive leading to the Brooklyn Bridge have been widened to help east congestion. Another ramp at the Cadman Plaza exit on the Brooklyn side is scheduled to also be widened later this year. The larger ramps are part of the $508 million renovation of the Bridge, which began in 2010 and is expected to end next year. The project includes a complete paint job and repairs on all the approach ramps. DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan says, “New Yorkers can take pride knowing that the Brooklyn Bridge will serve as the premier inter-borough connection for another 130 years."

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The 124-year-old Carroll Street Bridge, which connects Carroll Gardens to Park Slope is being repaired due to damage done by Hurricane Sandy, as well as old age. Workers have set the tiny bridge in the open position, where it will remain for approximately five months. Layers of the bridge's wooden planking have been stripped away, due to wood rot, and will be replaced. The cobblestones have been reset, and there are plans to update electrical systems and bring everything up to code.

NYC has the 5th worst traffic in the U.S.

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:47:00 +0000

According to USA Today, New York City is the 5th worst in the country when it comes to traffic. The rating was based on several factors, including the driver's speed on the road during both peak hours and off hours, commute time, percentage of commuters driving to work, and population density.

While NYC didn't have the worst traffic in the US, commuters did have the worst average commute time, clocking in at 34.9 minutes. The city was also the among the most congested, with the highest population density in the country with 2,826 people per square mile, and had the lowest percentage of commuters actually driving to work. Just under half of NYC commuters use public transportation.

Four of the worst congested roadways were in NY, including a section of the Cross Bronx Expressway, which earned the dubious honor of worst in the nation.

The top ten U.S. cities with the worst traffic are:

10. Boston
9.    Washington D.C
8.    Seattle
7.    San Jose
6.    Bridgeport
5.    New York
4.   Austin
3.    San Francisco
2.    Honolulu
1.    Los Angeles

Full survey results can be found here.

How does your commute measure up?

New Bronx pilot program uses app to pay for street parking

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:12:00 +0000

According to the Daily News, Mayor Bloomberg is unveiling a new pilot program in the Belmont section of the Bronx today that will allow drivers to use a mobile phone app to pay for their street parking. Drivers will sign up for Pay-by-Phone using their vehicle's registration and credit card number. Once parked, users will type in the muni-meter number closest to their vehicle and then add time using the app. Motorists will also be able to add more time remotely using their phones, rather than having to return to their cars with a new muni receipt.

Belmont was chosen to host the program because the neighborhood around Arthur Avenue is one of the most ticketed areas of the city. The Department of Transportation's real time parking conditions map of Belmont is available here. The map shows the 264 spaces along 18 blocks that are included in the program. Data is refreshed every two minutes and displays low, limited, and available parking space.

What do you think of the new program? Is the end of the muni-meter in sight for NYC?

Bloomberg condemns Albany lawmakers over failed speed camera plan

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:51:00 +0000

According to the NY Times, Mayor Bloomberg's frustration with Albany's lawmakers over his failed speed camera plan erupted yesterday during a news conference near Union Square. When speeding cars cause the death of children in the future, the Mayor said his office would provide the contact information for those responsible: Dean G. Skelos, the Republican majority leader; Simcha Felder, and Martin J. Golden.

"Maybe you want to give those phone numbers to the parents of the child when a child is killed,” Mr. Bloomberg said. “It would be useful so that the parents can know exactly who’s to blame.”

Mr. Felder responded to the Mayor's comments, calling them “inflammatory, reckless and out of touch, as usual.”

While the speed cameras were originally included in the State Assembly's budget package, they have since been removed from the budget that is expected to be approved later this week. Views on speed cameras range from a way to make safer city streets to revenue generators.

City Council speaker Christine C. Quinn, a top Democratic candidate for mayor, supports the cameras, as does Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly. However, the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association and Mr Golden have been vocal in opposing the plan, saying that "the more effective way to reduce speeding would be to hire more officers."

NYPD license plate cameras capable of recording every vehicle entering/ leaving the city

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:58:00 +0000

According to the Huffington Post, NYPD Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly announced plans to "install license plate reader cameras 'in every lane of traffic on all of the bridges and tunnels that serve as entrances and exits to Manhattan.'" Kelly says the NYPD currently has "complete coverage on th Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges and the Battery and Holland Tunnels," with additional bridges receiving plate readers by summer. The readers can capture the license plate numbers along with the time and place, which can then add this information to a police database. The information can be stored for up to five years.

Following Kelly's announcement, the New York Civil Liberties Union sued both the NYPD and the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to gather more information on the cameras. “License plate readers have the potential to track, record and store information forever on every single motorist on our streets, regardless of whether drivers are actually suspected of any crimes or not,” NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said in a statement. “We need legal protections to limit the collection, retention and sharing of our travel information.”

According to a New York Times report, the NYPD has collected 16 million license plates so far in its database.

Along with the plate readers, the Commisioner also said the department has added a high resolution camera to one of the police helicopters and was interested in flying unmanned drones to fly over demonstrations.

What do you think about Commissioner Kelly's plans? Necessary to keep the city safe or invasion of privacy?

New GPS standards aim to eliminate bridge hits.

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:15:00 +0000

According to the New York Times, Senator Charles E. Schumer and federal officials have announced new federal standards for GPS use in commercial trucks. The new standards are being introduced in an effort to reduce the number of trucks hitting or getting stuck under bridges as a result of being rerouted by their consumer level GPS systems. Mr. Schumer says that, "eighty percent of all trucks that get stuck under bridges are the result of using the wrong GPS."

The federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will issue official recommendations for commercial GPS systems, which take into account the vehicles weight, height, and load when planning routes and avoid roads where that vehicle is prohibited. While the professional units are more expensive, they are expected to save money long term by avoiding costly damage to vehicles.

Drivers applying for or renewing their commercial driver's license will be required to take GPS training.

The latest round of MTA toll increases are in effect

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:22:00 +0000

The MTA's latest toll increases (as well as mass transit fare hikes) went into effect yesterday.

At most crossings, tolls rose from $4.80 to $5.33 for E-ZPass and from $6.50 to $7.50 for cash. At the Verrazano Bridge, things got a little more complicated. The cash toll increased to $15. If you are a Staten Island resident, your first two trips a month will cost $6.36, and then after the third trip (if you have an E-ZPass, the toll will be $6. All other E-ZPass drivers will pay $10.66, up from $9.60.

Click here for all the MTA fare and toll details.

PARK Smart is coming to Cobble Hill

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:51:00 +0000

New York's PARK Smart pilot program has been approved for Cobble Hill's commercial streets, according to DNAinfo.com. The program uses flexible supply and demand pricing- meter rates are raised for the spots where the demand is higher for parking, and lowered where the demand for parking is less.

Under the new plan, long-term parkers will see their cost for a two hour spot double; there will be no affect on short term parking. Rates will be as follows:

25 cents/ 15 minutes
50 cents/ 30 minutes
$1.50/ 60 minutes
$2.50/ 90 minutes
$4.00/ 120 minutes

The plan will start on Court Street between Atlantic Avenue and Sackett Street, Smith Street between Atlantic Avenue and Sackett Street and Atlantic Avenue from Hicks Street to Fourth Avenue.

PARK Smart programs currently run for six months, in order for the Department of Transportation to evaluate their effectiveness in various neighborhoods. The DOT's goals with the program are to discourage long term parking at the meters, which increases the availability of on street parking, and reduce congestion from drivers searching for parking.

All PARK SMART meters will accept quarters and NYC Parking Cards and will be marked with the PARK Smart logo.

Brooklyn Councilman Proposes No Meters in Effect on Alternate Side Suspension Days

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:39:00 +0000

Brooklyn Councilman Vincent Gentile is the latest NYC lawmaker looking to simplify the city's complicated parking regulations. According to CBS News, Gentile is proposing a bill that coordinates parking meters with the alternate side parking schedule. Currently, alternate side parking is suspended on thirty six holidays, but parking meters remain in effect for all but six major legal holidays. Gentile claims that the city's ticket writers are taking advantage of the many drivers that are unaware the meters still need to be paid.

Gentile cited the situation in his own neighborhood on Presidents Day. “There were three, four ticket agents within a couple blocks of each other just scouring the meters up and down hoping to score big and I imagine they scored very big,” he said.

Gentile aims to coordinate all of the city's parking rules, but he will likely face opposition from Mayor Bloomberg, who has vowed to fight such a bill.

What do you think is the most confusing part of parking in NYC? Do you think Gentile's bill is a step in the right direction?

We've moved!

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:33:00 +0000

Our office has relocated to:

M&S Parking, Inc.
63 Maida Terrace
Red Bank, New Jersey 07701

and our new phone numbers are:

732.219.8611 phone
732.219.8744 fax

Please note our email addresses will not change. You can expect the same great customer service from M&S- just from a new location.

We look forward to serving you!

Are 2,000 new parking spots for electric cars coming to NYC?

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:27:00 +0000

In his final State of the City address, Mayor Bloomberg introduced new plans for his final term, which include changing building codes to add parking spaces for electric cars. According to CBS News, the Mayor wants to require 20% of the 10,000 new parking spots expected to be created this year to be equipped with electric car charging stations. Another electric car initiative is to create a curbside station which would recharge batteries in a speedy thirty minutes instead of the typical eight hours.

What do you think of the Mayor's electric car plans? Do you think the City Council will approve his proposals?

After Bloomberg leaves office, will NYC's bike lanes remain?

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 17:09:00 +0000

There is growing concern among New York City's cyclists that the city's bike programs are in jeopardy once Mayor Bloomberg leaves office at the end of this year. According to The New York Times, mayoral candidates are showing little support for the current bike-friendly policies, and may, if elected, eliminate some bike lanes. While poll numbers show that 66 percent of New Yorkers favor the bike lanes, finding any candidates willing to expand or maintain the current program is proving difficult.

City Comptroller John C. Liu, a possible mayoral candidate, said that eliminating some of the existing bike lanes would be "a likely scenario in some parts of the city, particularly Brooklyn and Queens," if he was elected. Other candidates have been criticized for suggesting the bike lanes should be studied for their effectiveness, and eliminated or changed where needed.

What do you think about NYC's bike lanes? Are they effective in helping cyclists and motorists share the roads?

NYC Storm Information

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 18:13:00 +0000

As today's snowstorm approaches, stay informed with the latest news from NYC Severe Weather. Stay safe!

Attention truckers- NYC needs your input!

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:50:00 +0000

The NYC Department of Transportation is gathering information from truckers on what kind of GPS they use in an effort to provide more accurate routing data. According to Land Line Magazine, The City is attempting to decrease the high number of trucks that strike low bridges after their drivers are rerouted by their GPS units.

New York has been working on the issue of consumer GPS directions causing bridge strikes for the past few years. In 2011, the state DOT issued recommendations that truckers be prohibited from using consumer GPS to plan their routes, as studies showed they often provided directions onto restricted roadways with low bridges. Last year, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, filed a bill to establish standards for commercial GPS units to help further cut down on bridge strikes.

According a recent CUNY study, approximately 200 bridges are struck by trucks every year, with about 44% of the strikes occurring on 32 of NY's 20,000 bridges.

To contact the DOT with your GPS info, send an email to socialmedia@dot.nyc.gov or respond via twitter @NYC_DOT.

No Privatized Parking Meters for NYC

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:09:00 +0000

New York has decided to drop its plans to privatize the City's parking meters, according to the Wall Street Journal. The City had decided last summer to hire a private company to operate its on-street parking meters. but still control major decisions, such as pricing and operating times. However, after Chicago's 2008 parking meter privatization deal recently came under fire for "selling the rights too cheaply and for including clauses that have ended up costing the city additional funds," NYC, Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh have all decided against privatization for now.

A spokeswoman for the Mayor's office commented that, "in order to proceed with this venture, a private operator would have to demonstrate that they could significantly improve on the city's financial and operational performance. It was just not clear enough to us that this was possible." Instead, the NYC DOT will perform its own meter-modernization this year.

Cuomo Aims to Limit Plea Deals for Drivers Speeding/ Texting

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 18:09:00 +0000

According to The Daily News, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is aiming to limit plea deals for drivers caught speeding or using their cell phones. Often, local courts allow these violations to be reduced to parking violations, which means no points for the driver and a full fine payment for the town. Cuomo wants to make it more difficult to plea down to lesser violations if a speedster has exceeded the speed limit by at least 20 mph, and add an $80 surcharge on any traffic violations resulting in pleas deals. He is also proposing a minimum $50 penalty for talking on a cell phone or texting while driving. Citing road safety, the governor believes the changes would be a deterrent to reckless drivers.

Plea bargains cost the state almost $58 million in lost surcharges; under Cuomo's plan, the city would generate around $25 million for New York per year. AAA New York is opposing the new surcharges, saying the plan is "a tug of war between the state and local governments over surcharges and drivers are paying the price."

What do you think of the Governor's plan? Safer streets or just more money for the state?

A commuter's nightmare is on the way

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:51:00 +0000

Get ready commuters- if you take the Pulaski Skyway into lower Manhattan, it's time to start planning an alternate route. According to nbcnewyork.com, the New York bound side of the Skyway will be closed for two years beginning in February 2014. The 80 year old bridge will undergo a $1 billion overhaul, which is expected to be announced this Thursday.

Unfortunately for drivers, there are few other options for accessing the Holland Tunnel. Routes via the NJ turnpike or through the streets of Jersey City are already slow moving during rush hour, and taking the other bridges and tunnels into the city are indirect and also crowded with traffic.

Do you currently take the Pulaski Skyway into NYC? Which alternate route do you think is your best choice?

NYC unveils new, easy to understand parking signs

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 18:28:00 +0000

New York City's Department of Transportation unveiled new parking signage for city streets that promise to be less confusing for motorists. The current signs, notorious for being cluttered with information, have around 250 characters. The new signs take their cue from Twitter, using a concise 140 characters. Other changes to the signage include: removal of blue "Pay at Muni- Meter" signs, the time limit allowed for parking is more prominent, and type/ arrows have been rescaled to be easier to read.

According to the New York Times, city officials have been calling for a parking sign overhaul since Mayor Lindsay was in office in 1967. “Some of the signs are so bad that a motorist could be ticketed while stopping his car to try to figure them out,” the mayor said then.

What do you think of the new parking signs? Is the information easier to understand, or is it just less cluttered looking ?

Happy 2013!

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 21:31:00 +0000

Plan ahead! The new 2013 New York City Alternate Side Suspension calendar can be found here. More useful information for New York area drivers can be found on our resources page.

NY Thruway Authority drops plan to raise truck tolls

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 18:07:00 +0000

After announcing earlier this year that Thruway tolls would increase 45% for 3 axle commercial trucks, the NYS Thruway Authority now says they've cancelled the toll hikes in favor of a new cost savings plan. The controversial toll hikes would have cost trucks travelling from Buffalo to NY $127, up from $88, and would have raised $85 million annually. Instead, "some authority workers will be laid off and the rest will see their benefits cut, state police will have to fund Thruway patrols themselves, and some state agencies might take over some of the services provided on the canal system, which has been a financial drain on the authority," according to Transportation Nation.

The massive toll increase faced vocal opposition from the trucking lobbies, including New York State Motor Truck Assn. (NYSMTA) and the Truck Renting & Leasing Assn. (TRALA).

Is parking in NYC about to get a little easier?

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 18:06:00 +0000

The New York City Council Transportation Committee met last week to discuss three new bills that would make parking in NY a little easier for residents. The bills would make it easier for vehicles to stand near a school or day care, require the DOT to post permanent signs when they change parking regulations, and allow homeowner to park in front of their own driveways.

The DOT is not supporting the bill changing the standing rules near schools, citing safety reasons, nor the bill requiring extra signage for new parking regulations. Kate Slevin, the New York City Department of Transportation Assistant Commissioner, believes the new signs would “essentially double the workload" of her staff and increase costs, and that the bills collectively could offer "blanket forgiveness" for numerous parking violations.

The City Council also battled with the DOT over new price increases in NYC municipal parking lots. Councilman Jimmy Vacca, stated the City Council never approved any rate increase, and argued in favor or more control by the Council over rates. Slevin countered by saying new municipal parking lot rates were going into effect in February 2013.

NYC sued over red light camera tickets; plaintiffs seek refunds

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 20:15:00 +0000

NYC is facing a lawsuit from three drivers who are alleging their red light camera tickets were the result of short yellow lights, and are seeking a refund on their fines. According to the complaint, the city's yellow lights are shorter in duration than the federal minimum of three seconds, and there are also 168 more cameras in use than state law allows.

The plaintiffs are seeking an order to suspend the red light camera program until the lights conform to state and federal standards, as well as refunds for the “illegitimately issued citations and improper fines.”

Back in October, AAA's study on NYC red light cameras found that yellow lights were up to 15% shorter than the Department of Transportation's three second standard. The city has maintained that all cameras are working properly and within the correct timing parameters.The program has generated about $235 million in revenue since 2007.

The case is Luceno v. City of New York, 654239/2012, New York State Supreme Court, New York County (Manhattan).

New muni meters appearing all around Queens

noreply@blogger.com (FightTickets) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:52:00 +0000

The New York Department of Transportation has started installing dozens of new muni- meters all around Queens, replacing the old single space meters along major roadways. So far, the munis have appeared in sections of South Ozone Park, Whitestone, Rego Park, Fresh Meadows, Kew Gardens, Glen Oaks, College Point and Far Rockaway. Installations in St. Albans, Rosedale, Hollis, Queens Village, Auburndale, Ozone Park and Howard Beach are expected for next week. For specific installation information, visit nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/meterchanges.shtml.