New "Brookline Card" Would Work at Town Parking Meters, Cash Registers

Under a deal inked this week, Brookline could soon be issuing a special debit card that works at both parking meters and retail stores.

Brookline selectmen have entered into a contract with New Hampshire-based PXT Payments to provide a new parking payment system to replace the town's outdated parking cards, which the Transportation Division stopped issuing when they ran out months ago.

"This card is out of date, the chip is no longer made," said Transportation Administrator Todd Kirrane. "So as we started looking at new technology."

Unlike the old cards, which had to be purchased on the fourth floor of Town Hall and recharged at a temperamental machine in the lobby of the Public Safety Building, the new "Brookline Card" will be available at retail locations around Brookline and can be used on regular purchases as well as at parking meters.  The new cards are expected to be available this October.

"As someone who has run short of quarters many, many times, I think this will be a good system," said Selectwoman Nancy Daly.

The new cards will cost $3 – less than the $5 the town was charging for the old cards – and PXT Payments will collect a small fee for each parking payment and purchase made with the cards. People will be able to transfer value still on their old cards to the new system.

The new system comes as Brookline is coming closer to adopting new rates and hours for its meter. The town has also installed mult-space parking meters that except normal credit and debit cards, as well as cash.