Half-price parking for half-sized cars

At 8.8 feet long, 5.1 feet tall and 5.1 feet wide, the Smart fortwo is small enough to fit two vehicles into a single parking space. So why should Smart car owners have to pay full price for a half-used spot? To encourage the use of environmentally friendly and space-saving vehicles, parking companies are starting to offer discounts. Meyers Parking, Icon Parking Systems and AviStar Airport Parking already offer half-priced parking in Manhattan for Smart fortwo owners. Now Central Parking System, in partnership with Smart USA, is joining them in offering half-price parking for Smart fortwo owners beyond Manhattan, expanding the opportunity to Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and New Jersey. The Smart dealer network has sold more than 27,000 fortwos since January 2008, and there are about 4,000 current smart owners in the metropolitan New York market. With the customer base for small cars increasing rapidly, incentives that reward owners can add up to big business for parking companies. A perk to bring to owners of eco-friendlier cars around the world. (Related: Parking operator launches car-sharing service — Airport offers free electricity for electric cars.) Websites: www.centralparking.com — www.smartusa.com Spotted by: autobloggreen via Raymond Kollau