Shared cash handler

1. A method of sharing a cash handler between a plurality of transit vending machines, the method comprising:

sending, with a communication interface of the cash handler, a first status of the cash handler to the plurality of transit vending machines, wherein the first status is indicative of an availability of the cash handler to conduct a transaction;

receiving, with the communication interface, a request from a first transit vending machine of the plurality of transit vending machines for the cash handler to conduct a first transaction;

sending, with the communication interface, information to the first transit vending machine to proceed with the first transaction;

sending, with the communication interface, a second status of the cash handler to at least a second transit vending machine of the plurality of transit vending machines, wherein the second status is indicative of an unavailability of the cash handler to conduct a transaction;

receiving cash in the form of either or both coins or notes as part of the first transaction;

sending with the communication interface, transaction information regarding the first transaction to the first transit vending machine; and

storing information regarding the first transaction.

2. The method of sharing the cash handler between the plurality of transit vending machines as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, after sending the second status, a request from the second transit vending machine for the cash handler to conduct a second transaction; and

updating a queue to reflect the request from the second transit vending machine.

3. The method of sharing the cash handler between the plurality of transit vending machines as recited in claim 2 , further comprising sending, with the communication interface, information indicative of the updated queue to the plurality of transit vending machines.

4. The method of sharing the cash handler between the plurality of transit vending machines as recited in claim 2 , further comprising sending, after completing the first transaction, information to the second transit vending machine to proceed with the second transaction.

5. The method of sharing the cash handler between the plurality of transit vending machines as recited in claim 2 , wherein the queue comprises:

an identifier of the second transit vending machine, and

a priority of the request from the second transit vending machine.

6. The method of sharing the cash handler between the plurality of transit vending machines as recited in claim 1 , further comprising sending a third status to a remote computer.

7. The method of sharing the cash handler between the plurality of transit vending machines as recited in claim 6 , wherein the third status comprises information indicative of at least one of:

an amount of cash in the cash handler,

a need to remove cash for the cash handler,

a need to provide cash to the cash handler, or

the cash handler is no longer operational.

8. A cash handler comprising:

a communication interface;

a cash-receiving module;

a processing unit communicatively coupled with the communication interface and the cash-receiving module; and

a memory communicatively coupled with the processing unit and comprising instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the cash handler to:

send, with the communication interface, a first status of the cash handler to a plurality of vending machines, wherein the first status is indicative of an availability of the cash handler to conduct a transaction;

receive, with the communication interface, a request from a first vending machine of the plurality of vending machines for the cash handler to conduct a first transaction;

send, with the communication interface, information to the first vending machine to proceed with the first transaction;

send, with the communication interface, a second status of the cash handler to at least a second vending machine of the plurality of vending machines, wherein the second status is indicative of an unavailability of the cash handler to conduct a transaction;

receive, with the cash-receiving module, cash in the form of either or both coins or notes as part of the first transaction;

send, with the communication interface, transaction information regarding the first transaction to the first vending machine; and

store information regarding the first transaction.

9. The cash handler as recited in claim 8 , wherein the memory further includes instructions for causing the cash handler to:

receive, after sending the second status, a request from the second vending machine for the cash handler to conduct a second transaction; and

update a queue to reflect the request from the second vending machine.

10. The cash handler as recited in claim 9 , wherein the memory further includes instructions for causing the cash handler to send, with the communication interface, information indicative of the updated queue to the plurality of vending machines.

11. The cash handler as recited in claim 9 , wherein the memory further includes instructions for causing the cash handler to send, after completing the first transaction, information to the second vending machine to proceed with the second transaction.

12. The cash handler as recited in claim 9 , wherein the memory further includes instructions for causing the cash handler to update the queue with:

an identifier of the second vending machine, and

a priority of the request from the second vending machine.

13. The cash handler as recited in claim 8 , wherein the memory further includes instructions for causing the cash handler to send a third status to a remote computer.

14. The cash handler as recited in claim 13 , wherein the third status comprises information indicative of at least one of:

an amount of cash in the cash handler,

a need to remove cash for the cash handler,

a need to provide cash to the cash handler, or

the cash handler is no longer operational.

15. A system of cash handler sharing comprising:

a first vending machine of a plurality of vending machines;

a second vending machine of the plurality of vending machines; and

a cash handler, wherein the cash handler is configured to:

send a first status of the cash handler to the first vending machine and the second vending machine, wherein the first status is indicative of an availability of the cash handler to conduct a transaction;

receive a request from the first vending machine to conduct a first transaction;

send information to the first vending machine to proceed with the first transaction;

send a second status of the cash handler to at least the second vending machine, wherein the second status is indicative of an unavailability of the cash handler to conduct a transaction;

receive cash as part of the first transaction;

send transaction information regarding the first transaction to the first vending machine; and

store information regarding the first transaction.

16. The system of cash handler sharing as recited in claim 15 , wherein the cash handler is further configured to update a queue to reflect a request from the second vending machine if the request from the second vending machine is received by the cash handler after sending the second status.

17. The system of cash handler sharing as recited in claim 16 , further comprising a remote monitoring computer configured to receive information regarding a status of the cash handler.

18. The system of cash handler sharing as recited in claim 17 , wherein the cash handler is further configured to send, to the remote monitoring computer, a third status, wherein the third status comprises information indicative of at least one of:

an amount of cash in the cash handler,

a need to remove cash for the cash handler,

a need to provide cash to the cash handler, or

the cash handler is no longer operational.

19. The system of cash handler sharing as recited in claim 16 , wherein the cash handler is further configured to send, after completing the first transaction, information to the second vending machine to proceed with a second transaction.

20. The system of cash handler sharing as recited in claim 16 , wherein the queue comprises:

an identifier of the second vending machine, and

a priority of the request from the second vending machine.