THE CITY of Carmel’s newfangled parking patrol cart, which uses digital cameras and global positioning satellite technology to spot and cite cars that have been parked longer than allowed, has not resulted in more parking tickets, Carmel Police Sgt. Mike Calhoun told the city council Aug. 5.

“Compared with data from six months when we were not using the system, we’re showing a 46 percent reduction,” he said.

Calhoun attributed the drop to an increase in time people are allowed to park — the 90-minute limit changed to two hours early this year, and the GPS cart took to the streets in January — and the replacement of some 30-minute spaces with two-hour spots.

He also said people are more diligent in moving their cars, since they don’t know whether a parking officer has passed by in the past two hours or not.

“There’s increased public awareness. People are not relying so much on the chalking,” he said. While the GPS cart does not require officers to chalk tires to determine if a car has moved, two other carts still employ that old method. “We’re noticing vehicles are moving more frequently, so there’s more space and a better turnover rate.”

Calhoun said the high-tech parking cart is also better for the officers who drive it. They have more space inside, and the rig is easier on their shoulders and necks, since they don’t have to reach out to swipe tires with chalk.

But there have been some glitches, including dropped GPS connections and occasional difficulties with the license-plate recognition system.

Ongoing training should help remedy that, according to Calhoun, who also said the police department should “continue to monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of the unit.”