Someone told me a long time ago that this arrangement was due to employment agreements with the so-called "meter maids." They originally wanted to fully automate it, but they didn't want to un-employ their fleet of meter readers, so the compromise was for the meter readers to simply drive down all the streets rather than go behind all the houses. The meter readers' jobs got a lot easier but they got to collect the same amount of money.

I believe a union was involved but don't quote me on that.

This is what someone told me, I am not presenting it as fact. If you know differently, please debunk.