Tri-Cities Airport Moving From Paper To Plastic

I've spent quite a bit of time recently at Tri-Cities airport.  I've flown in an out, as well as picking up people that have done the same, multiple times in the last month.  Last night, as I was playing chauffeur one more time, I experienced the newest change to the growing airport.

Anyone that has used the airport for any length of time knows that it's pretty busy between 10:30 pm and Midnight.  A couple of carriers are still bringing passengers in from different destinations, and the line approaching the parking booths waiting to pay before leaving can get long.  Last night was no different in that regard, but very different in how the booths were operating.

The Airport is Going Cashless

Both lanes said credit card only.  Just a week or so ago I was handing an attendant cash.  I asked the lot attendant who was walking back and forth between the lanes why both lanes were only taking cards and he told me the airport was no longer taking cash.

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All of us were a bit surprised so this morning on the way into work I decided to reach out to Airport Director Buck Taft to find out what was going on with the change.

96% of Transactions at the Tri-Cities Airport Are Done Via Card

That is what Buck told me during our conversation and that is why they are moving in a cashless direction.  He told me it is something they have been working on over the last 12 months to implement.  They received feedback reflecting that many travelers wanted a more streamlined way to exit the airport instead of being stuck in a line.  Combining that with the data showing just 4% of transactions were cash just made sense to make the change.

So How Will This Work?

The machines that auto dispense the tickets for each lot have changed.  This is what will greet you as you enter the lots.

As you leave, you'll be asked to scan your ticket and pay with your card at the booth exiting the airport.

License plate reader technology is also on the way that will speed up the parking process even more as it scans and records your plate when you enter the lot, then reveals your total charge at the booth when you leave.  Taft also told me that technology will also help prevent theft of services which happens more than you think.

The decision to go cashless did not come from the FAA or any other Federal agency.  It was made internally based on the transaction data and feedback from patrons that heavily use the airport.  On the Facebook page, PSC hoped for another added benefit:

With this change, our parking lot attendants will be able to roam the parking lots, helping travelers while being mobile, rather than being stuck in a booth. We hope this will provide an even higher level of customer service.

Traffic at Tri-Cities airport is seeing more passenger traffic year after year so this move will put them ahead of the growing curve.