L.A. drivers no longer need change to park

No loose change for the parking meter? No problem.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Tuesday announced that all of the city's parking meters now accept both coins and credit cards. That includes 33,997 single space meters and 458 multiple-spot pay stations.

"These card and coin meters generate needed revenue, are environmentally conscious and, most importantly, they're convenient and reliable," Villaraigosa said in a news release.

Officials said crews first began replacing the coin-only meters in 2007, but that their efforts surged in 2010, upgrading 33,345 meters in the last two and half years.

The new meters work over 99% of the time, but when one breaks, officials said, a parking meter technician is notified by text message and will fix the problem within three hours.

So what if you don't have loose change or a credit/debit card? Then you probably shouldn't park at a meter if you want to avoid a ticket.

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-- Ari Bloomekatz