Arlington offers free 15-minute parking at meters, but drivers are struggling to figure it out
ARLINGTON - The town of Arlington has implemented free 15-minute parking to support small businesses but some drivers are having a hard time figuring out how.
"Multiple college degrees, still can't figure it out," said Rachel Fernekees. "I think it's great because then people will pop in and out to get a coffee or a quick errand."
But for some people like Fernekees, taking advantage of the time is easier said than done.
"I actually got a parking ticket because I didn't know how to figure it out. Another time I tried to do it, a woman who works here for the town helped me. She was like, 'Alright, this is how you do it.' She started typing it in to show me and then she said, ' I need to report this meter. It's broken. It's not doing the free 15 minutes,'" said Fernekees.
WBZ-TV reached out to town hall and the police department for help. No one was available but we did run into Willie Smith, an 18-year veteran of the parking enforcement team, three weeks away from retirement. His final act of service? Showing people how to get their free 15 minutes of parking.
How to get Arlington's free 15 minutes of parking
"I'm going to show you how to do the 15 minutes for free on the meters that's in Arlington, Mass.," said Smith. "Fifteen minutes for free? You're going to scroll down - where it says time down - you're going to scroll down to the minus sign. Press it once and then you're going to confirm and then you're going to confirm again. Now the light is blinking green, you're all set. It's very simple."
Drivers can also head into town hall for instructions. According to Smith, you can only use the free 15 if you're only in the neighborhood that long. You can't use it towards a longer stay. So here's how to get your free 15 minutes:
- Hit the blue minus button. You will have the option to pay for parking or to get your free 15 minutes.
- Hit the blue minus button
- Press confirm
- You will see your total. Press confirm again.
Overall, neighbors are happy about the free time, but if you're still confused, Smith's got some free advice: "Once you do it, the knowledge is in your mind."
