JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- We've all been in the situation where you pull up to a parking meter and you realize that you just can't find any quarters.

There's been a change in the way you park in some parts of the downtown area -- you don't need change anymore.

In 2009, people carry less cash and are particularly reliant on credit and debit cards, so the city has installed smart meters downtown that accept coins, credit and debit.

They're the first of their kind in the industry in that they're single-spaced solar power meters.

Solar power -- a nod to Mayor John Peyton's sustainability initiative by reducing battery cost and waste.

But the real reason the city is trying these new meters out is to make it easier on drivers and, hopefully, collect more cash.

Other municipalities have experienced as much as a 14 percent to 17 percent increase in the use of the meters.

When out of change, people are more willing to take a chance on a ticket. With these new meters, the rate remains the same: 50 cents an hour. And if you skip out on the fee, you may return to a ticket.

Word on the street is that it's a good idea.

"I like it because I never carry cash," Mike Erdelyi said.

"I really think it's really neat that you can pull up and use a credit card," Mike Cope added. "That's pretty cool because sometimes you get a Starbucks that takes five minutes, and you come out and get a ticket really quick."

This is a 90-day pilot program, so the city is waiting to see if these new smart meters do increase revenue and make it easier for drivers. And if that is the case, ultimately these new meters will replace all of the old ones.