A small detail from @MayorWarren’s budget presentation:
this summer the City will deploy a citywide mobile parking app, which will allow any driver parking at a metered space to have the option of paying either by phone or by coin.
We believe this will be immensely more convenient for visitors to our village centers and are excited to roll out this parking initiative.
“immensely more convenient” Hmmmm, I’m not so sure about that. It’s only convenient if you can pay at the meter. Not at all convenient if you have to dodge vehicular traffic walking to a payment kiosk.
“immensely more convenient” Hmmmm, I’m not so sure about that. It’s only convenient if you can pay at the meter. Not at all convenient if you have to dodge vehicular traffic walking to a payment kiosk.
Mike, I think the idea, for those with phones, is that you pay (or check the meter status) wherever you are. It’s unclear whether a kiosk is part of the solution. Also more convenient for those who do not carry change.
Mike, I think the idea, for those with phones, is that you pay (or check the meter status) wherever you are. It’s unclear whether a kiosk is part of the solution. Also more convenient for those who do not carry change.
Did you miss the part that says “paying… by phone” ? That is what it means! You don’t have to fiddle with a kiosk, coins, etc. As long as its within the space time limit you can extend from inside a restaurant and set audible warnings when you time is almost up. It works really great in Salem where we deployed it last year.
Did you miss the part that says “paying… by phone” ? That is what it means! You don’t have to fiddle with a kiosk, coins, etc. As long as its within the space time limit you can extend from inside a restaurant and set audible warnings when you time is almost up. It works really great in Salem where we deployed it last year.
John_on_Central– Thanks for the info. It sounds like an interesting system. Does it require retrofitting the existing meters, or is it an entirely autonomous platform? I’m really curious about how it works. When I read “pay by phone,” I assumed they were replacing the meters with something that would accept Apple Pay or a a credit card stored on your phone.
John_on_Central– Thanks for the info. It sounds like an interesting system. Does it require retrofitting the existing meters, or is it an entirely autonomous platform? I’m really curious about how it works. When I read “pay by phone,” I assumed they were replacing the meters with something that would accept Apple Pay or a a credit card stored on your phone.
Hi Mike, There is a process to set your self up in the app but it is done by zone and there is no new infrastructure. We outfitted all our downtown meters with card readers maybe 4 years ago so that was a huge improvement for folks but the pay by phone thing is a whole other level! Not sure how it will work here since Salem has different priced zones and I think Newton has one price but different max hour zones, but outside of some marketing costs and of course payment for the program it does not require any other infrastructure. There were areas in London when I was there 7 years ago that had no meters at all and you could only pay by phone, call in or app, that seemed a little much but it was London and a rich neighborhood…
Hi Mike, There is a process to set your self up in the app but it is done by zone and there is no new infrastructure. We outfitted all our downtown meters with card readers maybe 4 years ago so that was a huge improvement for folks but the pay by phone thing is a whole other level! Not sure how it will work here since Salem has different priced zones and I think Newton has one price but different max hour zones, but outside of some marketing costs and of course payment for the program it does not require any other infrastructure. There were areas in London when I was there 7 years ago that had no meters at all and you could only pay by phone, call in or app, that seemed a little much but it was London and a rich neighborhood…
I’m assuming this is similar to what is in Boston. You add your auto into the app, type in the zone that is posted near your spot, pick the amount of time, and you are on your way. The app keeps track of how much time you have left too.
I don’t know how they meter maids check it, but it is fantastic. No more fishing and hoping you have enough coins, or going to a kiosk.
Great improvement.
I’m assuming this is similar to what is in Boston. You add your auto into the app, type in the zone that is posted near your spot, pick the amount of time, and you are on your way. The app keeps track of how much time you have left too.
I don’t know how they meter maids check it, but it is fantastic. No more fishing and hoping you have enough coins, or going to a kiosk.
Great improvement.
Thanks for the info. I’m curious to see how it all works.
Thanks for the info. I’m curious to see how it all works.
I have to laugh at myself. I guess I don’t get out too much anymore. I’m a decade or so behind on technology.
I have to laugh at myself. I guess I don’t get out too much anymore. I’m a decade or so behind on technology.
Can we then get rid of those ugly, inefficient, often broken, meters? A parking space would not need a metal pole next to it, just a chip in the asphalt?
Can we then get rid of those ugly, inefficient, often broken, meters? A parking space would not need a metal pole next to it, just a chip in the asphalt?
Why haven’t they integrated ezpass with parking? You can park and just pay at the end of the month.
Why haven’t they integrated ezpass with parking? You can park and just pay at the end of the month.
This system has been in use in at least some areas of Boston for a while now. I wondered when it would be reaching us. Old-fashioned money has to remain an option, though, for those who can’t or don’t want to pay via smartphone. (I can’t be the last living Luddite on earth without a cell phone.) Since using the app eliminates in-person meter-feeding, I’ll be interested to see how it affects parking availability in village centers, especially Newton Centre. It’s an old story: owners and employees monopolize the meters in front of their businesses all day and then complain that their customers have nowhere to park. Will the local workforce be more willing to use parking lots a block or two away when they no longer have to go out to the meter every few hours to drop in coins? Or will the convenience of refreshing the meter, even if it’s right out front, make them even less mindful of hogging prime space?
This system has been in use in at least some areas of Boston for a while now. I wondered when it would be reaching us. Old-fashioned money has to remain an option, though, for those who can’t or don’t want to pay via smartphone. (I can’t be the last living Luddite on earth without a cell phone.) Since using the app eliminates in-person meter-feeding, I’ll be interested to see how it affects parking availability in village centers, especially Newton Centre. It’s an old story: owners and employees monopolize the meters in front of their businesses all day and then complain that their customers have nowhere to park. Will the local workforce be more willing to use parking lots a block or two away when they no longer have to go out to the meter every few hours to drop in coins? Or will the convenience of refreshing the meter, even if it’s right out front, make them even less mindful of hogging prime space?