SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A program to reduce car break-ins in San Francisco parking garages has so far been successful, thanks to new technology and efforts from the city’s transportation agency.
At San Francisco’s Civic Center Garage, lights are now brighter. There are license plate readers and high definition cameras that send video to a central hub.
City officials say all of this has contributed to a 72 percent drop in vehicle break-ins over the last two years in the nine city garages that have been upgraded.
“Whatever it is they’re doing to help reduce that, I don’t know what kind of efforts they’re taking, but obviously it’s working,” said one parking lot customer.
Authorities say removing pay stations have played a big role in that because, now those staff members who used to collect parking fees are free to move about the garage and provide a physical presence.
“In removing fixed post in lane cashiering, that has allowed us to use that same staff to roam around the garage and provide multiple customer service,” said Rob Malone, spokesperson with SF MTA.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency says added police patrols have also helped as has greater vigilance on the part of those parking.
As more of these city owned garages are upgraded, there will be additional improvements.
“We are moving on to integrating reservation systems, third party payment integration, to pay with phone and advance reservations on their phone,” said Malone.
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