SPARK Questions & Answers  What kind of personal parking meter is right for me? How does the motorist use Spark to pay for parking fees? How and when is the parking fee payment executed? If the Spark is stolen or lost, can it be used by someone else? What types of Spark devices are available to the motorist? How long will Spark operate before battery failure? What are the major advantages of adopting the Spark system for the municipality? What are the major advantages of adopting the Spark system for the motorist? Can the same Spark be used by different cities? How secure is the system? Can the motorist rely on Spark to charge accurately? When Spark is operated what does the LCD display? Where is Spark mounted for inspection? Will the money bank be completely used? How does the driver know at what zone he is parking? What is the function of the Parking Control Unit (PCU)? Must the parking warden use the PCU for enforcement purposes? What are the possible business models for deploying a Spark system? If a Spark had very little money left in it, can the next parking event be executed?   1. What kind of personal parking meter is right for me? No matter how long you park for or how often your use on-street parking, a personal parking meter will save you time, money and will reduce your risk of getting parking tickets!  Ganis Systems has developed two types of personal parking meters to suit the needs of all motorists.  Spark was engineered to allow citizens to conveniently pay for on-street parking in city centers.  Smart Park, on the other hand, was designed to suit the needs of long term parkers - the difference between the two systems is the amount of money you can put in the bank.  Smart Park works with a Smart Card and you can pre-pay your parking fees up to $200 at a time.  2. How does the motorist use Spark to pay for parking fees? Operating the unit is simple and intuitive. The motorist simply switches the device on, hangs it in the driver's window and leaves the car.  Payment is charged per minute while the device is switched on.  When the motorist returns to the car, the device is switched off and the payment stops. 3. How and when is the parking fee payment executed? The motorist buys the Spark before the parking event takes place with a monetary value in the Spark's bank.  Let's say that the motorist parks in an area that accepts the Spark device and stays for 3 hours and 15 minutes.  The device is switched on with a bank of 30 hours; the bank will work backwards for 3 hours 15 minutes, leaving a bank of 26 hours 45 minutes hours once the device is switched off.  Payment is of course calculated per minute so the motorist will pay exactly for the time parked – unlike pay & display or normal parking meters. 4. If the Spark is stolen or lost, can it be used by someone else? Yes, the Spark device can be used by anyone that finds it.  If lost, it must be reported to the authorities sop that, if used, enforcement officers will be able to detect it. 5. What types of Sparks are available to the motorist? Depending on the city of residence the motorist gets to choose between disposable and re-loadable Sparks. Disposable Sparks will typically contain between $10-$30 worth of parking time. Re-loadable Sparks can be loaded with the amount that the city decides. 6. How long will Spark operate before battery failure? The standard Spark is designed to operate for 300 hours or two years of normal operation. When the batteries voltage drops below a given voltage, an LCD indicator warning is activated. An extended life version can be provided, please contact us to discuss your requirements. 7. What are the major advantages of adopting the Spark system for the municipality? No initial investment, no operational cost, no maintenance, vandalism free, fair system for the motorist and pre paid income. 8. What are the major advantages of adopting the Spark system for the motorist? The motorist will benefit from a simple and cost effective system that will allow him/her to easily pay for on-street parking.  There is no need to look for small change for the meter, to pay monthly set-up fees and he/she will never have to pre-calculate the amount of time needed! 9. Can the same Spark be used by different cities? This is possible, but it will require that the cities involved will agree on a method for the distribution of the revenue 10. How secure is the system? The system comprises the latest developments in security technology.  Additional protection is provided by the parking control unit.  11. Can the motorist rely on Spark to charge accurately? Yes, Spark has an in built clock that counts seconds/minutes/hours. 12. When Spark is operated what does the LCD display? The LCD display will alternate between the selected zone designation and the time remaining to park (or the time parked), for inspection purposes.  Other display options are available upon request. 13. Where is Spark mounted for inspection? Spark has a special strip that must be inserted in the driver's window, facing outwards so that the inspector can verify it easily. 14. Will the money bank be completely used? Yes, the way the Spark system is used the motorist can use the device up to the last penny! 15. How does the motorist know what zone he is parking in? The city has to install the required signs to indicate the correct zone 16. What is the function of the Parking Control Unit (PCU)? The PCU is used by the parking warden for enforcement purposes. Using an IR link the inspector can communicate with the Spark meter and verify information such a correct time, zone, device serial number etc 17. Must the parking warden use the PCU for enforcement purposes? No, most of the inspections will be done using the LCD display 18. What are the possible business models for deploying a Spark system? The city can provide the meters under a variety of commercial terms for example: Provide the meter in return for a deposit Charge a one time administrative fee and a deposit Sell the unit at full price but provide incentives in the form of discounted or free parking hours Provide the meters at no charge and increase the cost of parking Sell units at full price 19. If a Spark has very little money left in it, can it be used for the next parking event? This depends on the credit limit that the municipality wishes to implement. In most cities, the device will switch off once the money bank is empty