PPA to Eliminate Smart Cards by Year’s End

The Philadelphia Parking Authority is phasing out the cards due to increased use of debit and credit cards.

The Philadelphia Parking Authority announced today it is phasing out Smart Cards by the end of 2014. It will stop selling them May 30th, and meters will no longer accept them starting January 1, 2015.

“With the installation of over 1,000 kiosks throughout the city that accept credit cards, the demand for Smart Cards has dropped dramatically. Based on the high per-card production cost, combined with its near-obsolescence, we decided to end the Smart Card program,” Deputy Executive Director Corrine O’Connor said.

The PPA says you’ll need cash or debit cards starting next year at parking kiosks, though some parts of the city still have meters that take coins.